# Why does diarrhea hurt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106 "2013-12-24T21:23:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/1 "2013-12-24T21:23:31Z")
Normally, when you’re full of shit, you just feel full or a little bloated. Unless the brown troops are knocking on the door, there’s no pain, just a bit of a push from your anus telling you its time to go. But when the troops are drowning in the hershey highway, you feel gurgling and pain, and its extremely difficult to fight back the urge to knock down the dam. Why does the liquid make your intestines feel painful? Why don’t I feel the same way if the logs I’m rolling are solid rather than liquefied? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/2 "2013-12-24T21:36:27Z")
You’re doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/3 "2013-12-24T21:41:00Z")
No idea, but I will add that I’ve had diarrhea that hurts and diarrhea that doesn’t hurt. When it does hurt it is more of a burning pain in the anal region combined with intestinal cramps. I don’t know what causes that. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/4 "2013-12-24T21:44:45Z")
Block that metaphor! ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/5 "2013-12-24T21:49:13Z")
Why is there nonstop discussion of diarrhea on this message board? ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/6 "2013-12-24T22:05:10Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > Why is there nonstop discussion of diarrhea on this message board? Because shit happens. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/7 "2013-12-24T22:14:05Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > No idea, but I will add that I’ve had diarrhea that hurts and diarrhea that doesn’t hurt. When it does hurt it is more of a burning pain in the anal region combined with intestinal cramps. I don’t know what causes that. Something seasoned with hot sauce that you ingested\> ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/8 "2013-12-25T00:14:52Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > Why is there nonstop discussion of diarrhea on this message board? So you’re asking about verbal diarrhea? Say, does anyone else remember the results of that old poll among schoolchildren that showed Diarrhea was thought a pretty name for a girl? Meanwhile, I too have had diarrhea that hurts and some that doesn’t. I think the answer is the type of organism giving you the shits. There are different causes. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/9 "2013-12-25T00:25:56Z")
I’d guess some diarrhea that causes pain before evacuating it has associated intestinal gas, causing increased pressure. It may be the pressure, rather than the diarrhea causing the pain. Non-painful versions may have less or no associated gas, and so lower pressure. Some instances may also have higher levels of acidity, which may cause discomfort. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/10 "2013-12-25T00:55:39Z")
Constipation can be just as painful. Especially when it reaches the level of “obstruction.” ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/11 "2013-12-25T01:09:13Z")
Poop Soup! ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/12 "2013-12-25T01:18:30Z")
gas ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/13 "2013-12-25T02:19:07Z")
Some diarrhea hurts because your intestines are squeezing too fast or too hard and that triggers the “ow” nerves. Some gas and bloating creating pressure. Some because the bile and/or stomach acid is moving through you too quickly to be adequately buffered by the small intestine so the diarrhea is acidic (mmm…acid diarrhea…band name, for sure) Some lucky ones, all of the above. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/14 "2013-12-25T03:46:56Z")
some asshole doesn’t like you. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/15 "2013-12-25T07:14:57Z")
No idea, but I do want to compliment the OP on the exquisite elegance of his prose. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/16 "2013-12-25T15:29:04Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > So you’re asking about verbal diarrhea? Say, does anyone else remember the results of that old poll among schoolchildren that showed Diarrhea was thought a pretty name for a girl? > > Meanwhile, I too have had diarrhea that hurts and some that doesn’t. I think the answer is the type of organism giving you the shits. There are different causes. Yep. The Ria Sisters: Dia, Pyia, and Gonna! Also, when I eat a lot of hot, spicy Mexican food, I eat a lot of ice cream. And hope the ice cream comes out last… ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/17 "2013-12-25T16:42:33Z")
It it just me or has the SDMB become really crappy all of a sudden? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/18 "2013-12-25T16:48:06Z")
Weight-loss program: put a copy of this thread on your fridge door and read before opening. YUM! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/19 "2013-12-25T17:04:33Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > It it just me or has the SDMB become really crappy all of a sudden? 'Tis the Season! (No, seriously, 'tis the season for food being left out a little too long, for people eating rich foods their gall bladder isn’t prepared for, for people drinking too much booze. 'Tis the season for diarrhea.) ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106/20 "2013-12-25T18:47:58Z")
Maybe the colon muscles are spasming, like a charley horse in the bowels. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-diarrhea-hurt/677106.md?page=2)