Differential Diagnosis for Diarrhea to Almost Every Food

• Single most likely diagnosis:
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - This is a common condition characterized by chronic abdominal pain, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any mechanical, inflammatory, or biochemical abnormalities. The symptoms can be triggered by food intake, among other factors.
• Other Likely diagnoses:
  • Lactose Intolerance - A condition where the body is unable to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, leading to diarrhea, gas, and bloating after consuming lactose-containing foods.
  • Fructose Malabsorption - Similar to lactose intolerance, this condition involves the poor absorption of fructose, a sugar found in many fruits, vegetables, and processed foods, leading to gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Food Intolerances (e.g., gluten, high FODMAP foods) - Conditions where certain foods are not properly absorbed or digested, leading to symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.
• Do Not Miss diagnoses:
  • Celiac Disease - An autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients and potentially severe complications if left untreated.
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - Conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, can lead to severe diarrhea, among other symptoms, and have significant implications for health if not properly managed.
  • Giardiasis - An infection caused by the Giardia parasite, which can lead to severe and prolonged diarrhea if not treated.
• Rare diagnoses:
  • Short Bowel Syndrome - A condition where a significant portion of the small intestine is missing or not functioning, leading to malabsorption of nutrients and severe diarrhea.
  • Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency - A rare genetic disorder that affects the body's ability to digest certain sugars, leading to diarrhea and malabsorption.
  • Whipple's Disease - A rare, systemic bacterial infection that can cause malabsorption, diarrhea, and weight loss, among other symptoms.

Each of these diagnoses has a different set of implications for treatment and management, highlighting the importance of a thorough diagnostic process to determine the underlying cause of the patient's symptoms.