Can hemorrhoids cause ribbon like stools?

Both colon cancer and hemorrhoids can cause rectal bleeding, blood mixed in the stool, and the feeling that you have not completed a bowel movement. Colon cancer symptoms that are different from hemorrhoids are abdominal pain, unexplained nausea and vomiting, narrow or ribbon–like stools, and constipation.

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Moreover, what is the cause of ribbon like stool?

Change in stool shape: Thin or narrow stools, often described as ribbon– or pencil-like, may also be a sign of colon cancer. In an otherwise healthy person, thin stools may be caused by a narrowing of the colon, also called a partial blockage of the colon due to colon cancer.

Furthermore, can hemorrhoids cause change in bowel movement? External and Thrombosed Hemorrhoid Symptoms and Signs Thrombosed external hemorrhoids are a painful condition. When a blood clot occurs in a hemorrhoid, the hemorrhoid will become even more swollen. This swelling leads to increased pain. The pain is usually worse with bowel movements and may increase with sitting.

Also Know, does thin stools always mean cancer?

Sometimes size is a concern. If you used to have sizeable stools but now they are always pencil thin and hard to pass, consult your doctor. Thin stools do not automatically mean cancer. But if they last a long time and if going to the bathroom is difficult for you, your doctor may order a colonoscopy to rule it out.

Can internal hemorrhoids cause thin stools?

Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels and inflammation near the anus. There are three types of hemorrhoids, internal, external, and ruptured. Colon cancer symptoms that are different from hemorrhoids are abdominal pain, unexplained nausea and vomiting, narrow or ribbon-like stools, and constipation.

Colon Cancer Symptoms | Colon Cancer Coalition

Colon cancer symptoms can be confusing. Common stomach ailments or a change in bowel habits are common occurrences. They don’t always mean that you have a serious condition such as colorectal cancer, however.  Learn about the symptoms. Contact your provider when symptoms are persist, or more than one symptom is present.

Colorectal Cancer Signs & Symptoms

Blood in your stool, bleeding from the rectum, and/or change in the appearance of the stool

Change in bowel habits or blood in the toilet after having a bowel movement

Unexplained Fatigue or Weakness

Anemia

Unexplained or or Unintentional Weight Loss

Persistent Cramps or Low Back Pain, cramping pain in the lower stomach

Feeling Bloated, or a feeling of discomfort or an urge to have a bowel movement when there is no need to have one

Sometimes colorectal cancer presents with no symptoms at all

A closer look:

It is important to remember that most these conditions may have causes other than colon cancer. Fear of a cancer diagnosis shouldn’t keep you away from seeing your health care provider if you are experiencing symptoms. Chances are good that your symptoms can be treated. If cancer is suspected, the earlier the cancer is detected the better off you will be. Nearly 90% of colorectal cancer is easily treatable when diagnosed in early stages.

Blood in your stool, bleeding from the rectum, and/or change in the appearance of the stool

One of the most disturbing symptoms of colon cancer can be bleeding from the rectum or blood in the toilet. Conditions such as hemorrhoids or fissures can also cause small amounts of blood, so if you notice blood, contact your physician and be sure to explain any other symptoms that you may be experiencing at the same time. A large amount of blood may warrant a visit to the emergency room.

The way that your stool looks can be a good indicator of what is going on inside your body. Small, hard stool is an indicator of constipation. But if you notice one of these other changes, contact your physician.

• Change in Shape. If your stool becomes thin, narrow or ribbon-like this could be an indication of changes inside your colon. Contact your health care provider to have the condition evaluated.
• Change in Color. If you notice blood in the stool, or darkened, or “tarry” stool this could also be an indication of changes inside the colon. Your physician can help you to determine the cause.

Change in Bowel Habits

While it is common for people to experience a change in their bowel habits from time to time, there are some changes that should be evaluated by a physician if they persist. If you notice any of these changes to your bowel habits, take note of when the changes began to occur and any other lifestyle changes may have occurred at the same time. This information will help your physician determine the cause.

• Diarrhea. Loose stool and diarrhea are common occurrences. The condition can be caused by intolerance to certain foods, medication, stress, or exposure to bacteria (often experienced when traveling). Most people will get at least a mild case of diarrhea several times per year. In most cases, the condition will resolve itself within two to three days. Your health care provider should investigate diarrhea that lasts more than three days.
• Constipation. Constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements in a week, and it is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints. Having constipation, however, does not mean you have colon cancer. A change in your diet, poor nutritional habits, stress, dehydration or lack of physical activity can also cause constipation. Physicians generally recommend that if you have constipation for more than two weeks, you should see your doctor so a cause can be determined.

Unexplained Fatigue or Weakness

Chronic rectal bleeding can cause iron deficiency (or anemia). You might feel tired all of the time.

Anemia

Anemia is diagnosed with a blood test and can be a sign of internal bleeding, in addition to fatigue you may also experience pale skin. Your doctor should investigate the cause.

Unexplained or or Unintentional Weight Loss

If your energy level drops or you begin to lose weight for no reason, take note of when the changes occur. Contact your physician for evaluation.

Persistent Cramps or Low Back Pain, cramping pain in the lower stomach

Like constipation or diarrhea, stomach discomfort is a common occurrence and can be the result of poor diet, food intolerance, stress or other factors. Be aware of discomfort that does not go away or cramping that gets worse.

Feeling Bloated, or a feeling of discomfort or persistent urge to have a bowel movement 

The constant feeling that you need to have a bowel movement and the feeling is not relieved by having one could indicate changes in your colon preventing a complete bowel evacuation or the feeling of stool remaining even if the bowel is empty. Contact your physician to be evaluated and determine the cause.

Not having any symptoms at all?

Keep in mind, that many people who are diagnosed with colon cancer report having no symptoms prior to their diagnosis. Over 45? Family history of colorectal cancer? Don’t wait for symptoms to occur before you get screened. Talk to your physician or primary care provider to get more information about screening options.

Next >> What is a colon cancer stage?

Information on these pages is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your own physician before making any medical decisions.

Colorectal Cancer Signs and Symptoms

Colorectal cancer symptoms may be minor or non-existent during the early stages of the disease, although there may be some early warning signs. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may not develop until the disease has progressed into stage 2 or beyond. Regular screening tests for cancer of the colon or rectum, especially with a colonoscopy, is recommended as part of a health plan for those over 50 years old or those under 50 who are at high risk or have a family history of the disease or other cancers. Talk with your doctor about when you should start regular colorectal cancer screening.

Several tests may be used to diagnose colorectal cancer. These tests may include a colonoscopy, or other endoscopic procedures, stool tests, or other lab tests, or an MRI, CT scan or PET/CT scan. In many cases, a biopsy may be required. These imaging and laboratory tests may also be used to track the size of tumors and monitor response to treatment.

Early warning signs of colorectal cancer

Most cancers in the colon or rectum develop from polyps, so screening to find and remove them when they first form helps prevent them from growing into cancers.

If early-stage colorectal cancer does cause symptoms, early warning signs may include sudden weight loss and/or narrow, ribbon-like stools. Other common early warning signs of colorectal cancer include:

• Rectal bleeding, either bright or dark red in color
• Narrow stools
• Tenesmus, which is the feeling that you have to empty your bowel but nothing passes
• Anemia caused by iron deficiency
• Persistent abdominal pain
• Unexplained weight loss

Although these symptoms may be caused by other, less serious conditions, such as hemorrhoids, ulcers and Crohn’s disease, they should be discussed with a doctor. Blood in the stool, even if it only appears intermittently, should never be ignored.

Local symptoms of colorectal cancer

Local symptoms are those that affect only the colon and/or rectum and have not spread to distant organs. Common local symptoms include:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation, or other changes in bowel habits
• Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool
• Abdominal bloating, cramps or discomfort
• A feeling that the bowel doesn’t empty completely
• Stools that are thinner than normal

If you experience these possible symptoms of colorectal cancer for an extended period of time, it is important that you visit a health care professional.

Systemic symptoms of colorectal cancer

Systemic colorectal cancer symptoms may impact more than the digestive tract and affect your entire body. Common systemic symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

Colon cancer symptoms

During stage 1 of colon cancer, no obvious signs or symptoms may have developed. As symptoms develop, they may vary depending on the tumor’s size and location in the large intestine. Early symptoms may affect only the colon and result in changes in bowel habits. As the cancer grows, it may spread, producing systemic symptoms that affect your whole body, such as fatigue and weight loss. Some changes in bowels habits that may be considered colon cancer signs include:

• Change in frequency of bowel movements
• Constipation
• Change in consistency of stool (loose or watery stools)
• Blood in stools (either as bright red spots or dark tar-like stools)
• Rectal bleeding
• Abdominal pain, bloating or cramps
• A persistent feeling that you cannot completely empty your bowels

Rectal cancer symptoms

The symptoms of rectal cancer may be similar to those of other bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. But while symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease may subside during periods of remission, rectal cancer symptoms may be more severe and persistent as the cancer develops. Tumors in the rectum may change the consistency, shape or the frequency of bowel movements. Symptoms may increase and become more severe as the cancer spreads throughout the rectum or possibly into the colon. Rectal cancer signs related to bowel habits may include:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• An inability to completely empty the bowel
• Bloody stool
• Change in the size or shape of stools

Metastatic colorectal cancer symptoms

Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer may not always notice symptoms before a diagnosis. Metastatic colorectal cancer symptoms may depend on the size of the tumor or tumors and where the cancer has spread outside the colon or rectum. For instance:

If the bones are affected, symptoms may include pain, fractures, constipation and/or high calcium levels.

If the lungs are affected, symptoms may include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, pain and/or fatigue.

If the liver is affected, symptoms may include nausea, fatigue, swelling of the feet and hands, increased abdominal girth and/or jaundice.

If the lymph nodes of the abdomen are affected, it may cause bloating, a swollen belly and/or loss of appetite.

If the brain and/or spinal cord are affected, symptoms may include pain, confusion, memory loss, headache, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking and/or seizures.

Get expert advice and care

Understanding when symptoms are a sign of something serious and either diagnosing the disease or confirming a previous diagnosis require expertise from specialists trained and experienced in treating colorectal cancer. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), our colorectal cancer experts treat all stages of the disease.

Next topic: What are the types of colorectal cancer?

Ribbon Like Stool – How To Discuss

Ribbon Like Stool

Hemorrhoids can cause ligaments like bowel movements

Colon cancer and hemorrhoids can cause rectal bleeding, mixed blood in the stool and a feeling of not having finished bowel movements. Colon cancer symptoms that are different from hemorrhoids include abdominal pain, unexplained nausea and vomiting, tight or bandaged stools, and constipation.

And what causes bandages like bowel movements?

Changes in stool: Even a thin or narrow stool, often described as a ribbon or pencil, can be a sign of colon cancer. In an otherwise healthy person, loose stools may be due to colon shrinkage, also known as partial blockage of the colon, due to colon cancer.

Are you also aware that hemorrhoids can cause changes in bowel habits?

External hemorrhoids and thrombosis symptoms and signs of thrombosis External hemorrhoids are a painful condition. When a blood clot appears in a hemorrhoid, the hemorrhoid swells even more. This swelling leads to more pain. The pain usually gets worse with bowel movements and can increase if you sit down.

People also wonder if loose stools are always synonymous with cancer?

Size is sometimes a problem. See your doctor if you’ve previously had a large bowel movement but it’s still pencil-thin and hard to get past. Fine bowel movements don’t automatically mean cancer. However, if they last a long time and it is difficult to go to the bathroom, your doctor may order a colonoscopy to rule it out.

Can internal hemorrhoids cause loose stools?

Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels and inflammation near the ■■■■. There are three types of hemorrhoids, internal, external and chapped. Colon cancer symptoms that are different from hemorrhoids include abdominal pain, unexplained nausea and vomiting, tight or bandaged stools, and constipation.

Why is my bow long and thin?

Conditions that cause inflammation of the colon, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, can lead to loose, loose stools and diarrhea. Irritable bowel syndrome can lead to changes in bowel habits that can lead to loose stools. It can also cause mucus in the stool, which can make the stool look hairy.

What does bowel movement look like in colon cancer?

Small caliber (narrow) or ribbon cranks. Constipation. Feeling of incomplete evacuation after defecation. Rectal pain: Pain is rare in colon cancer and usually indicates a large tumor in the rectum which, after passing through the submucosa of the colon, can invade surrounding tissues.

Can diverticulitis cause loose stools?

Diverticulitis can be acute or chronic. In chronic diverticulitis, inflammation and infection may subside, but never completely. Over time, the inflammation can lead to intestinal obstruction, which can cause constipation, loose bowel movements, diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain.

Can Stress Cause Tight Bowel Movements?

Stress can worsen digestive diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There are several forms of irritable bowel syndrome, including IBSD (IBS which causes diarrhea) and IBSC (which causes constipation), and stress is often a trigger that can trigger symptoms, says Dr. Kirsh.

How fast does colon cancer grow?

Colon cancer develops from precursors to polyps that increase in size and eventually become cancerous. It is estimated that it takes about 10 years for a small precancerous polyp to turn into cancer.

Can you have colon cancer for years without knowing it?

Sometimes colon cancer symptoms don’t appear until the cancer has grown. Because symptoms may go unnoticed in the early stages of the disease, guidelines recommend that colon cancer screening begin at the age of 50.

Do I have colon cancer or IBS?

Colon cancer versus IBS (irritable bowel syndrome): Colon cancer, unlike IBS, causes rectal bleeding. Other colon cancer signs and symptoms that don’t occur with IBS include anemia due to blood loss, fatigue, pale skin, unexplained weight loss, and rectal pain.

Why is my bow as thin as a pencil?

What is a pencil-thin chair?

One of the symptoms of colorectal polyps or cancer is persistent soft stools, which can be firm or soft. As the polyp or cancer grows, it can reduce the internal diameter of the colon or rectum so that only loose stool can pass through it.

Is the occasional soft stool normal?

On rare occasions, a tight bowel movement is likely harmless. In some cases, a tight stool, especially if it is a thin pencil, can be a sign of a narrowing or obstruction of the colon due to colon cancer.

Why does poop keep coming out when I’m dry?

The most common causes of ■■■■■ incontinence are diarrhea, constipation, and muscle or nerve damage. Muscle or nerve damage can be linked to aging or childbirth. Whatever the cause, ■■■■■ incontinence can be a nuisance. But don’t hesitate to discuss it with your doctor.

Is colon cancer visible on the CT scan?

In a person with colon cancer, a CT scan can check the spread of cancer to the lungs, liver, and other organs. This is often done before an operation (see Types of treatment). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Does bowel movement change with age?

What changes in bowel habits are associated with aging?

As mentioned in the beginning, things change as we age, and this includes bowel movements. The most common thing that happens with age is that constipation becomes more common. Eat high-fiber foods, including old plums.

What is considered a change in bowel habits?

The concept of changing bowel habits is vague and probably deliberate. It can mean almost anything, including a change in the frequency, consistency (diarrhea or constipation) or size of stool. While colon cancer can be a cause of these changes, it is clear that there are many other things that can do the same thing.

What shape should your bow be?

Painless to Overcome: A healthy bowel movement should be painless and require minimal effort. Soft to firm texture: Stools that are delivered in one piece or in a few smaller pieces are generally considered a sign of healthy gut. Long, sausage-like stools are caused by the shape of the intestine.

How do I know if I have hemorrhoids or something else?

Hemorrhoids are common and usually not too serious. Symptoms of hemorrhoids can include the presence of bright red blood on toilet paper or the presence of blood in the toilet after pooping. Other common symptoms include rectal pain, pressure, burning, and itching. You can also feel a lump in the ■■■■ area.

Can Internal Hemorrhoids Affect Stool?

Internal hemorrhoids are found in the rectum. You usually can’t see or smell them and they rarely cause discomfort. However, stress or irritation during bowel movements can cause: Painless bleeding during bowel movements.

At what stage does colon cancer bleed?

Ribbon Like Stool

Blood in the Stools: Haemorrhoids or Colorectal Cancer?

Last updated on 18 November 2020

Haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer

Haemorrhoids (piles) and colorectal cancer are very different conditions, but they can both produce blood in the stools, according to Dr Mark Wong, general surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

Similar symptoms between haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer

Rectal bleeding

Both haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer can cause rectal bleeding. They may be noticed when you wipe with a toilet paper or in your stool after a bowel movement. Blood coming from haemorrhoids is usually bright red while blood from cancer in the rectum and colon is usually darker red in colour.

Rectal and anal itching

Rectal and anal itching can be present in both haemorrhoids and rectal cancer. It is caused by mucus and stool that irritate the sensitive skin around the anus. The itchiness may worsen at night.

Lump in the anus

A lump at the anal opening may be noticed when you have large haemorrhoids or rectal cancer. The lump may be hard and painful.

Differences in symptoms between haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer

Change in bowel habits

A change in bowel habits is a common warning sign of colorectal cancer. This may include changes to the frequency of your normal bowel movements, or the consistency (hard, soft) and caliber (narrow and pencil-thin) of the stool.

Abdominal discomfort

Colorectal cancer can cause persistent abdominal pain or discomfort, in the form of bloating and cramps, which may suggest impending blockage of the intestines.

Unexplained weight loss

People with colorectal cancer, like most other cancers, may experience unexplained weight loss.

Feeling of incomplete bowel emptying

People with colorectal cancer sometimes may feel that they want to pass stools even though their bowels are empty. This is usually due to the cancer in the rectum mimicking stool, which in this case cannot be passed out.

Weakness or fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom of cancer. Additionally, bleeding in the intestinal tract can cause anaemia, which also result in fatigue and weakness.

Anal and rectal pain

The presence of pain is more often related to large congested haemorrhoids. Colorectal cancer is often painless, but when in advanced stages, cancer can also result in pain due to the size and invasion to surrounding organs.

What are haemorrhoids?

Haemorrhoids, or piles, as they are more commonly known, are normal structures in the anus, comprising mainly blood vessels that help to preserve continence and prevent our stools from leaking.

Haemorrhoidal disease

They start to become bothersome when they swell, and this may result in bleeding, pain and itching. This is termed haemorrhoidal disease.

Symptoms of haemorrhoids

Most people will experience such problems at some point in their lives either due to:

• Straining on the toilet because of constipation
• Bouts of diarrhoea
• During pregnancy
• Result of poor toileting habits such as sitting on the toilet bowl for too long (often more than 10 minutes at a time)

When should I be concerned about colorectal cancer?

There are certain ‘red flag’ symptoms which could suggest that bleeding from the bottom may be due to a more serious condition like cancer.

Symptoms of colorectal cancer

• Signs of ongoing blood loss, where you become pale, tired and breathless with minimal exertion such as simply walking on flat ground
• A significant loss of weight and appetite
• Passage of mucus and pain when opening your bowels
• Passage of narrow or pencil-thin stools
• Changes in bowel habits like alternating constipation and diarrhoea

You should always seek medical attention early when there is bleeding from below, especially when it is accompanied by the symptoms mentioned above, as the treatment and outcomes of piles and cancer are vastly different.

A colonoscopy is the gold standard of checking the colon and rectum to confirm the cause of bleeding as it is accurate and also allows for a biopsy to confirm any abnormality. Furthermore, polyps can be removed which can prevent cancer from forming. A colonoscopy can save your life.

Learn more about colonoscopy and make an appointment with a doctor to find out more.

How are haemorrhoids treated?

Treatment of hemorrhoids comprises of 3 aspects: lifestyle modifications, medications and surgery. Treatment should be individualised and, depending on the severity of symptoms, surgery is not always needed.

Treatment is aimed at reducing the swelling and returning the piles to their normal size and position in the anus and not removing them entirely, because doing so would cause the patient to have stool incontinence.

An important factor for the success of any treatment lies in identifying the underlying cause and triggers for the bleeding and ensuring this is corrected.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle modifications include relief from constipation or diarrhoea, ensuring you do not strain excessively or sit for too long on the toilet bowel (usually not more than 10 minutes).

Remember, do not sit on the toilet bowl to wait for stool, only go when there is already an urge. Also, you do not need to move your bowel daily, as the normal bowel pattern can range anywhere between 3 times per day to once in 3 days.

Medication

Medications usually consist of Daflon to reduce swelling as well as either stool softeners when constipated, or fibre supplements to increase stool bulk when stools are loose.

Surgery

Only when the above measures fail or when symptoms are severe at the onset (eg. severe pain, swelling or bleeding) is surgery needed.

The type of surgery should be tailored based on the symptoms of the piles, which can include cutting, sealing or stapling the swollen haemorrhoidal tissue.

How is colorectal cancer treated?

In the majority of cases, the most effective treatment for colorectal cancer is surgery. If detected early, colorectal cancer in the early stages has very promising cure rates.

Minimally invasive surgery

Nowadays, keyhole or minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic or robotic) is regarded as the standard of care. This allows us to remove the colorectal cancer more effectively through smaller incisions, potentially resulting in smaller wounds, less pain and a quicker recovery for the patient.

Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but this is generally reserved for more advanced cancers that have spread beyond the colon and rectum.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be administered in several ways to treat colorectal cancer:

• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used before surgery to shrink a tumour so that the surgeon can remove it completely with fewer complications. This usually refers to cases of advanced rectal cancer.

• Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after surgery to remove a tumour to kill any remaining cancer cells that cannot be seen that may still be circulating in the body. This is usually for more advanced cases of colon and rectal cancer.

• Palliative chemotherapy is given when colorectal has spread to other parts of the body. It is aimed at easing symptoms (such as pain) and improving quality of life.

There are many types of chemotherapy drugs available. Sometimes, 2 or more are given in combination. They may be administered as a tablet or through a drip, or in combination, and are usually given in cycles of 2 or 4 weeks.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy refers to treatment using high energy X-rays and electron beams being targeted at certain spots on the body to kill cancer cells.

To learn more about piles and colorectal cancer, consult a doctor to learn about the treatments available.

If you’re worried about the cost of surgery, Mount Elizabeth Hospitals offer price guarantee for your haemorrhoidectomy so you can budget for the procedure without any bill shock afterwards. This will give you the peace of mind you need to go ahead without any unwanted surprise fees. Learn more about Price Guarantee Procedures.

The improvement on your quality of life can be dramatic, so it’s important to prioritise treatment if you need it.

Article contributed by Dr Mark Wong, general surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital

References

Hemorrhoids vs. Colorectal Cancer: Comparing Symptoms (2019, April 26) Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/can-hemorrhoids-cause-cancer#differences

Colorectal Cancer. (2020, September 17) Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/guide/colorectal-polyps-cancer#4-10

Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer. (2019, November 10) Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/chemotherapy#2

What Gen-Xers and Millennials Need to Know > News > Yale Medicine

Nobody in their 20s, 30s or 40s gets colorectal cancer, right? Wrong. The truth is that colorectal cancer is on the rise in young adults and has been for years. That’s why Yale Medicine surgeons who treat it are urging people younger than 50—even college students—to talk to their doctors about any suspicious symptoms, such as constipation, rectal bleeding, or sudden changes in bowel movements.

Yale Medicine Colon & Rectal Surgery
 doctors report seeing young patients with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer more often these days. A few months ago they diagnosed colon cancer in a father of four in his 30s who thought for months that his rectal bleeding was caused by hemorrhoids. During a recent week, all of the seven patients the practice saw who were diagnosed with rectal cancer were young; the oldest was 35. The youngest colorectal cancer patient diagnosed at this location in recent months was 18.

In early 2018, the American Cancer Society reported on the largest analysis of the trend so far in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. They found people born in 1990—who would be 31 years old this year—have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to people born around 1950.

“We are seeing a clear uptick in colorectal cancer in younger generations,” says Haddon Pantel, MD, a Yale Medicine colorectal surgeon. 

What makes the increase particularly mysterious is the fact that the overall incidence of colorectal cancer has dropped by 45 percent since the mid-1980s. While the cancer is still most frequently diagnosed in people over 55, the study found that patients younger than 55 were 58 percent more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease.  

If anyone has any change in their bowel habits, if they have any bleeding—even if they think it’s a hemorrhoid, and it doesn’t go away—just get a colonoscopy.


Vikram Reddy, MD, PHD, colorectal surgeon

Even though colorectal cancer is often highly treatable, the diagnosis can be a major ordeal for Millennials and Generation Xers, who range in age from their early 20s to just over 50. It can interrupt careers and damage personal finances. Young people diagnosed with colorectal cancer may need to make quick, critical decisions about such matters as preserving sperm or eggs in case treatment impacts their fertility.

About a decade ago, Yale Medicine surgeon, Vikram Reddy, MD, PhD, conducted one of the first studies identifying the rising incidence of colorectal cancer among young people. “We’re still seeing the trend, so it wasn’t temporary,” says Dr. Reddy.

Dr. Reddy and his colleagues are passionate about educating people so the cancers will be diagnosed early, when they are most treatable. “If anyone has any change in their bowel habits, if they have any bleeding—even if they think it’s a hemorrhoid, and it doesn’t go away—just get a colonoscopy,” Dr. Reddy says.

At Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale Medicine’s colorectal surgeons treat a high volume of patients for all types of cancers of the colon and rectum. They work closely with other specialists, including oncologists, geneticists, gastroenterologists, and radiologists to determine the best treatment.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) | Cedars-Sinai

Not what you’re looking for?

What is IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a
disorder that affects your lower GI (gastrointestinal) tract. This includes the small
intestine and large intestine (colon). It is diagnosed when a person has belly pain
or
spasm associated with a change in the appearance or frequency of their bowel movements.
It causes:

• Belly cramps
• Gas
• Swelling or bloating
• Changes in your bowel habits, such as
  diarrhea or constipation

When you have IBS, your colon looks
normal. But it does not work the way it should.

Health experts have not been able
to find an exact physical cause for IBS. It is often thought that stress is one cause.
Stress may make IBS symptoms worse.

IBS is a long-term, chronic
condition. It can be painful. But it doesn’t cause lasting harm to your intestines.
And
it doesn’t lead to serious disease such as cancer.

There is no link between IBS and
Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or other inflammatory bowel diseases. However,
people with inflammatory bowel disease can also have IBS.

What causes IBS?

The exact cause of IBS isn’t known.
There are many possible causes of IBS, and they differ from person to person. This
means
that some people can have the same symptoms but different causes of their IBS. Some
experts think that if you have IBS, your colon or small intestine may be more sensitive
than normal. That means it has a strong reaction to things that should not normally
affect it.

When you have IBS, your colon muscles begin to move and tighten uncontrollably (spasm)
after only mild stimulation or after normal events such as:

• Eating
• Swelling or bloating from gas or other material in the colon
• Some medicines
• Some foods

Women with IBS seem to have more symptoms during their periods. This could mean that
the chemicals (reproductive hormones) released during a woman’s menstrual cycle may
increase IBS symptoms.

Some things can make IBS symptoms
worse. The two things most likely to make your IBS symptoms worse are the foods you
eat
and having emotional stress.

• Diet. Eating makes your colon muscles move or contract.
  This normally gives you an urge to have a bowel movement 30 to 60 minutes after a
  meal. Having fat in your diet can cause contractions in your colon after a meal. With
  IBS, the urge may come sooner. You may also have cramps or diarrhea. Common foods
  that cause IBS are dairy products with lactose and poorly digested carbohydrates
  called FODMAPs (fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and
  polyols).
• Stress. If you have IBS, stress can make your colon move
  uncontrollably or spasm. Experts don’t fully understand why. But they believe this
  happens because the colon is partly controlled by the brain and spinal cord (nervous
  system). The nervous system controls how your body moves and reacts to things. Going
  for counseling or therapy and trying to reduce your stress can help to ease IBS
  symptoms. But this doesn’t mean that IBS is caused by a mental or emotional disorder.
  IBS is caused in part because of a problem with how the muscles of the colon
  move.

Who is at risk for IBS?

You are more likely to be at risk for IBS if you:

• Are young. Most people first get IBS before they are 45 years
  old.
• Are a woman. Women get IBS almost twice as often as men.
• Have had recent gastroenteritis

What are the symptoms of IBS?

Each person’s symptoms may vary. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Having belly pain
• Having painful constipation or diarrhea
• Going back and forth between having constipation and having diarrhea
• Having mucus in your stool

The symptoms of IBS may look like
other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider to be sure. IBS does not
cause rectal bleeding. Discuss any bleeding with your healthcare provider.

How is IBS diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will look
at your past health and give you a physical exam. You may not need any specific testing.
Your provider will decide how much testing you need depending on your age and symptoms.
They will also do lab tests to check for infection and for redness and swelling
(inflammation).

There are usually no physical signs
to tell for sure that you have IBS. There are also no exact tests for IBS.

Your healthcare provider will do lab tests and imaging tests to make sure that you
don’t have other diseases. These tests may include the following:

• Blood tests. These are done to see if you are lacking
  healthy red blood cells (anemia), have an infection, or have an illness caused by
  inflammation or irritation.
• Urinalysis and urine culture. These help to see if you
  have an infection in any part of your urinary system (urinary tract infection or
  UTI). This includes your kidneys, the tubes that send urine from the kidneys to the
  bladder (ureters), your bladder, and the urethra, where urine leaves your body.
• Stool culture. This test checks for any abnormal bacteria
  or parasites in your digestive tract that may cause diarrhea and other problems. To
  do this, a small stool sample is taken and sent to a lab. Other infections can also
  be evaluated by a stool sample.
• Stool testing for blood (fecal occult blood test). This
  test checks for hidden blood in your stool that can only be seen with a microscope.
  A
  small amount of stool is tested in a lab. If blood is found, it may mean you have
  redness and swelling (inflammation) in your GI (gastrointestinal) tract.
• Upper endoscopy, also called EGD
  (esophagogastroduodenoscopy).
  This test looks at the inside or lining of your
  food pipe (esophagus), stomach, and the top part of your small intestine (duodenum).
  This test uses a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. The tube has a camera at
  one
  end. The tube is put into your mouth and throat. Then it goes into your esophagus,
  stomach, and duodenum. Your healthcare provider can see the inside of these organs.
  They can also take a small tissue sample (biopsy) if needed.
• Abdominal X-rays. This test makes images of your internal
  tissues, bones, and organs.
• Abdominal ultrasound (sonogram). If your symptoms seem
  like they may be coming from the liver or gallbladder area, an ultrasound can check.
  It can also check how blood is flowing through different blood vessels.
• Colonoscopy. This test looks at the full length of your
  large intestine. It can help check for any abnormal growths, red or swollen tissue
  (inflammation), sores (ulcers), or bleeding. A long, flexible, lighted tube called
  a
  colonoscope is put into your rectum up into the colon. This tube lets your healthcare
  provider see the lining of your colon and take out a tissue sample (biopsy) to test
  it. They may also be able to treat some problems that may be found.
• Breath test. This test may diagnose bacterial overgrowth
  in the intestines that some believe can lead to IBS.

How is IBS treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend
on
how severe the condition is.

Treatment for IBS may include:

• Changes in your diet. Eating a proper diet is important if
  you have IBS. In some cases, a high-fiber diet can reduce symptoms. Some people get
  symptoms from lactose and should eat lactose-free dairy products. Some people get
  symptoms from poorly digestible carbohydrates and fructose. Some people are
  intolerant to gluten even though they may not have celiac disease. Many people get
  symptoms from large and fatty meals. Keep a list of foods that cause you pain, and
  talk about this with your healthcare provider. Also talk with your healthcare
  provider about FODMAPs and ways to reduce and eliminate them from your diet.
• Medicines. Your healthcare provider may prescribe fiber
  supplements or have you take something now and then to loosen your stool (a
  laxative). Different medicines are used for IBS, depending on your symptoms. They
  include medicines to prevent constipation, diarrhea, pain, and spasm.
• Antibiotic. A poorly absorbed antibiotic is used in
  certain situations to improve IBS symptoms, especially symptoms of bloating,
  distention, and loose stool.
• Natural supplements. Some people feel better on various
  natural supplements called probiotics. Others get relief with peppermint oil
  capsules.
• Manage stress. Hypnosis, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral
  therapy, yoga, regular exercise, relaxation, and other mindfulness activities can
  help some people with IBS.

Good fiber sources may include:

What are possible complications of IBS?

The diarrhea and constipation that happen with IBS can cause hemorrhoids. If you
already have hemorrhoids, they may get worse.

Your quality of life may be
affected by IBS, as the symptoms may limit your daily activities.

What can I do to prevent IBS?

Health experts don’t know what causes IBS. They also don’t know how to stop it from
happening.

Living with IBS

IBS symptoms can affect your daily activities. It’s important to work with your
healthcare provider to manage the disease. You may need a plan to deal with issues
such as
diet, work, lifestyle, and emotional or mental health.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider right away if your symptoms get worse or if you have
new
symptoms.

Key points about IBS

• IBS is a disorder that affects your
  lower GI tract. This includes the small intestine and large intestine (colon).
• It is a long-term, chronic disorder.
• The exact cause of IBS is not known. There are probably many different causes in
  different people.
• When you have IBS, your colon looks
  normal. But it does not work the way it should.
• The things most likely to worsen symptoms of IBS are diet and emotional stress.
• Treatment may include changing your diet and taking medicines.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider
  tells you.
• At the visit, write down the name of a
  new diagnosis and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new
  instructions your provider gives you.
• Know why a new medicine or treatment
  is prescribed and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
• Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or
  procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that
  visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.

Medical Reviewer: Jen Lehrer MD

Medical Reviewer: Ronald Karlin MD

Medical Reviewer: Raymond Kent Turley BSN MSN RN

© 2000-2021 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional’s instructions.

Not what you’re looking for?

Online consultation with a coloproctologist – page 17

Hello! Excuse for troubling. I am looking for different options for help in my illness, as I have already despaired of this struggle, but I still try to control myself and cope with this problem.
It all started about 10 years ago. And now I am trying to rethink all this, to become attached to some moments, although this may not be correct.
So 10 years ago I had a hernia in the lumbar spine and somehow in the wake of this, I don’t know exactly how long after, anal itching appeared. It is of such a character that the skin around the anus itches and the anus itself is 1/4 of the phalanx, as it were around the circumference. Moreover, there is no itching during the day, it comes in the morning and evening. But sometimes it happens during the day, but very rarely. Strong always in the evening. There is hair in the anal area, this is my physiology. But I don’t know if it’s annoying, because it doesn’t go deep, but it itches there too. Tests with dermatologists for candida, the result was negative, no parasites were detected in enfictionists, allergists prescribed antipruritic drugs like claritin and did not help either, proctologists did a colonoscopy and did not find anything, except that after defecation, the intestine takes a long form back, this is deletant, but they said after drinking some pills that it was insignificant, as they said, urologists put prostatitis but did not find infections (although it can be scratched in the perineum, testicles and the penis itself), gastroenterologists put gallbladder dyskinesia. In general, for 10 years there are no results, as the itching was so it remained. Maybe something with my nerves, but in general I am like an ordinary person, I work, I am friends with my head and I don’t understand why I suffered such an ailment. Yes, there is a problem, I do not have a sex life until it worked out, I did not meet a girl. I’m 31, weight 104.5. I also thought on weight. What a night I rest, I sleep and there is no load on the muscles of the anus, I kind of relax and last for the whole day, and in the evening there is tension and itching because of this. Maybe all the same some kind of infection in the prostate or intestines.Do not know. Here is such an introspection. Maybe you can advise something, help solve this problem? After all, because of this, my quality of life has deteriorated greatly and I am smacking. I don’t want anything. I’m afraid to start a relationship with a girl, get married, sometimes it’s not comfortable with friends, somewhere to spend the night, etc., a lot of such thoughts that follow. Really looking forward to your reply. Thank you and ask you not to post my question publicly. Sincerely! 90,000 Feces are not dense. Ribbon stools: causes, treatment

Reasons why thin feces appear

Thin feces can form in a person in the following situations:

One of the causes of thin feces is hemorrhoids

• Hemorrhoids.
• The appearance of parasites in the body.
• In case of spasm of the sphincter of the rectum.
• Development of neoplasms.
• Colitis.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the uterus enlarges and presses on the rectum, the lumen decreases and therefore the feces come out in the form of a tape.
• If a person drinks little liquid or abuses fast food.
• Prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate gland in men causes a narrowing of the rectal lumen.

Ribbon stool as a symptom of hemorrhoids

The disease occurs as a result of inflammatory processes. This contributes to the appearance of blood clots in the veins of the colon. Due to thrombosis, nodes are formed that lead to a thinning of the stool passing through it.

The formation of a banded feces is accompanied by the following points:

• improper nutrition;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• pregnancy;
• frequent constipation and diarrhea;
• alcohol abuse;
• heredity.

Hemorrhoids, polyps, giardiasis in the initial stage are easily treatable, but if a person does not take any measures, this can lead to serious consequences.

If hemorrhoids are not treated, then paraproctitis occurs – a purulent inflammation of the rectum, which destroys the tissues of the organ. This leads to malignancy of the formed fistulas.

The symptoms of hemorrhoids are:

Stages of hemorrhoids

• thin feces;
• lump formation;
• fecal retention;
• Feces may contain impurities of blood, mucus.

The next stages of development of hemorrhoids are accompanied by itching, pain, nodes fall out during bowel movements or during physical exertion.

Further, the inflammatory process of the nodes occurs, purulent fistulas are formed, the temperature in a person rises. If you do not start treatment, it will lead to the death of a person due to blood poisoning.

Thin feces with IBS

If the functional activity of the lower gastrointestinal tract is disturbed, but the areas remain intact, then they talk about irritable bowel syndrome.

Symptoms accompanying diseases are divided into 3 groups:

• intestinal;
• Causes associated with other digestive organs;
• Unrelated gastrointestinal symptoms.

The first group is characterized by pain in the lower abdomen on the left side. Feelings can be varied: aching, burning, constant, cutting, dagger. In this case, other symptoms arise: banded stool with mucus, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.

The second group includes a reaction from other organs of the gastrointestinal tract: vomiting, nausea, sour belching, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

Third group: anxiety, anxiety, sleep disturbance, depression.

The main causes of IBS are:

Stress is the main cause of IBS

• unhealthy diet;
• heredity;
• poisoning;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• stress;
• intestinal infections.

To start treatment, it is necessary to diagnose the disease in time. To confirm the diagnosis, you need:

• to do general and biochemical blood tests;
• to conduct colonoscopy and FGDS;
• pass a general urine test;
• make coprogram.

Treatment involves diet and medication that relieves symptoms. If TFR arose as a result of the stress suffered, then it is worth contacting a psychotherapist.

The most common causes of ribbon-like stool

Let us analyze in which diseases thin feces appear. It occurs with hemorrhoids, in the presence of parasites in the body, spasm of the sphincter of the rectum, the development of neoplasms, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome. When people consume little liquids, abuse fast food, too thin feces may also appear.
The appearance of a tapered stool is often observed in pregnant women. Why this happens can be explained very simply. Due to the fact that the fetus grows intensively during pregnancy, the uterus expands very much and presses on the rectum. Thus, it reduces its clearance. Therefore, the feces come out from the rectum in the form of a ribbon.

In men, sometimes stool looks like a pencil, with prostatitis. This is an inflammation of the prostate gland, which also results in a narrowing of the lumen of the small intestine.

Hemorrhoids are inflammation of the hemorrhoidal veins in the lower rectum. As a result of this inflammation, the blood flow in the veins is disrupted, they stretch and nodules form. Depending on their location, there are three forms of hemorrhoids: internal, external and combined.

Reasons:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• frequent constipation and diarrhea;
• pregnancy;
• alcohol abuse;
• improper nutrition;
• heredity.

In the early stages, hemorrhoids do not cause any sensations, but only with the development of the disease does the symptomatology increase.

Manifestations of hemorrhoids: very pronounced pain that occurs during the act of defecation, cutting and burning. Due to the formed nodules, which have narrowed the lumen of the small intestine, excrement cannot normally leave the body. They are compressed and with difficulty pass through the intestinal tract, therefore constipation and ribbon-like feces appear.

With constipation, the stool is often not soft, it can be either long, in the form of a sausage, or intermittent.The patient after emptying the rectum is very itchy in the anal area. Anal fissures can occur due to prolonged constipation. If the form of hemorrhoids is external, then bumps are visible within the anus.

A digital examination of the rectum by a proctologist and sigmoidoscopy will help to diagnose the disease. These methods make it possible to identify the presence of nodules and examine the intestinal mucosa.

Constipation, ribbon-like feces can also occur when polyps or other neoplasms grow on the intestinal mucosa.The most dangerous condition is the development of malignant processes.

In rectal cancer, ribbon-like feces are observed, the more the tumor grows, the thinner the feces become. Dark blood appears, which mixes with feces, prolonged constipation. The secretion of mucus occurs before the beginning of a bowel movement. You can also note the common symptoms that occur with any malignant formation – weight loss, fatigue, lethargy, anemia, decreased immunity.

Polyps are benign growths on the intestinal mucosa.They also serve as the cause of the appearance of ribbon-like feces, since, in the same way, they narrow the lumen of the intestine. By themselves, polyps are not dangerous, but they can become malignant, which is worth fearing. This is the process of converting a benign formation into a malignant one.

If an adult is suspected of developing an oncological process in the rectum, the following research methods are used:

• digital examination;
• anascopy – insertion of an anascope into the anus to examine the anal canal surface;
• sigmoidoscopy;
• ultrasound;
• fecal occult blood test;
• general blood test;
• biochemical blood test.

Treatment consists of stopping the growth of the tumor with radio and chemotherapy. Often, doctors resort to surgical intervention.

Thin feces in a child may be due to infection of the body with parasites. For example, with giardiasis, an inflammatory process of the intestine occurs, as a result of the presence of lamblia in it, because of this, the feces become ribbon-like. Inflammation of the rectal mucosa can also occur in children due to infectious processes.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the functioning of the intestine in humans without violating its integrity.

Symptoms arising from IBS are divided into the following groups:

• intestinal;
• associated with other digestive organs;
• unrelated to the digestive tract.

Intestinal – pain in the lower abdomen on the left side is characteristic. The nature of the pain is different: cutting, burning, dagger, constant, aching. There is bloating, diarrhea, constipation, ribbon-like or pea-like stools with mucus, without admixture of blood and pus.

Symptoms from other organs of the gastrointestinal tract – nausea, vomiting, sour belching, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. Other complaints are sleep disturbances, anxiety, and pre-depression conditions.

There are various causes of irritable bowel syndrome. Among them there are:

• heredity;
• postponed stressful situations;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• improper nutrition;
• transferred infectious bowel diseases;
• poisoning;

IBS diagnostics:

• general blood test;
• biochemical blood test;
• general urinalysis;
• coprogram;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
• colonoscopy;
• FGDS.

In the treatment of the syndrome, the appointment of a diet, drugs, which are aimed at combating symptoms, is used. They resort to psychotherapy sessions when depression has become the cause of the development of IBS.

In order that you do not have thin feces, you must first monitor your diet. The diet should be balanced, liquid food should not be neglected. You need to eat often, in small portions. You should limit the use of harmful foods, do not eat dry food, drink enough liquid.

Avoiding stressful situations is also an important preventive measure. If possible, you need to be less nervous. Stress and anxiety are the causes of various pathological processes.

Should go in for sports, lead an active lifestyle. Quitting bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol will also lower your risk of illness.

Do not panic when a ribbon-like stool appears. After all, the reason for this may not necessarily be cancer or other dangerous diseases.Sometimes it’s just the result of poor diet or stress. But in order to protect yourself, when such changes appear in the stool, you still need to contact a specialist. If the cause of the change in the shape of feces was a disease, then the earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.

You already know from previous articles what a normal stool should look like and what a change in its color means. Now I will tell you why it becomes thin, and how it can threaten.

If you notice that there have been changes, and the stool looks thin, listen to your condition, and watch carefully for additional symptoms:

• Streaks of scarlet blood,
• Stool became more frequent.

The presence of such additional factors clearly indicates that it is time to see a doctor. These are the symptoms of such diseases as:

1. Rectal polyps,
2. Hemorrhoids.

Most often, these diseases do not manifest themselves for a long time, and do not bother a person in any way. An indicator of their occurrence is only a change in the shape of the stool (it becomes, for example, thin).

It may be objected to me that these diseases are not dangerous and can be easily treated.It is absolutely right to get rid of both polyps and hemorrhoids is not difficult, if you do not start the process.

Both of these diseases are harbingers of rectal cancer, and this is already a very dangerous disease. Therefore, the sooner you notice that the feces are thin, pencil-shaped, and check with a gastroenterologist, thereby saving yourself from more serious troubles.

Ribbon feces

Very rarely, cancers grow on their own, most often they are preceded by harmless small growths – polyps.They do not harm, and do not bother a person, while developing, they do not develop into a malignant tumor.

Gradually, growing, the tumor blocks the lumen of the intestine, and the output is thin feces. Leaving this fact unattended, after a while you will feel:

• Mild pain radiating to the sacrum,
• Frequent urge to defecate,
• Constipation.

Further development of cancerous formation will give a ribbon stool, intensification and spread of pain, as well as a feeling of a foreign body in the rectum.

Today’s medicine successfully treats rectal cancer, but why bring the situation to such a state?

I would like to dwell on one more point. Sometimes childhood illnesses are paving the way for the development of serious illnesses in adulthood. For example, lamblia.

They live and develop in the small intestine and bile ducts. Attaching to the intestinal walls, they irritate the thin mucous membrane and cause inflammation.

Constantly inflamed intestinal walls, is this not an excellent environment for the growth of polyps or malignant tumors?

It is almost impossible to determine the presence of lamblia without analysis, they do not manifest themselves.Parents should be alerted by the child’s poor weight gain, as well as frequent bouts of nausea for no particular reason.

Detaching themselves from their place, they are able to “travel” through the intestines in order to attach themselves to a new place, and become an adult lamblia. The presence of cysts or adult motile individuals in the stool is shown by the analysis of feces for Giardia.

For a more reliable result, you need fresh morning stools. It is collected in a special container with a preservative, received the day before in the clinic.In the laboratory, the presence of cysts is checked under a microscope. Their visual detection is an indisputable result.

I hope I was able to convince even the most fastidious people that it is necessary to monitor the condition of your chair. If you find you have thin feces, do not postpone your visit to the doctor, check your health.

Currently, modern medicine distinguishes several types of clinical syndromes that have obvious and characteristic signs. One of the most common is the ribbon chair.This ailment manifests itself in the form of feces and its porous texture. In order to determine (diagnose) the presence of this stool, it is not at all necessary to resort to the help of doctors, it is enough just to make sure that some symptoms appear (they can appear both simultaneously and separately).

Also, a disorder of the body can show symptoms that are completely far from the classic ones. Indeed, it very often happens that a completely healthy person, in connection with any disturbing processes in the intestinal tract, becomes prone to the appearance of this disorder syndrome, but all analyzes and indicators refute this.

Changes in feces with neoplasms in the intestine

Changes in feces can be observed when neoplasms and polyps appear on the intestinal mucosa. Malignant tumors are the most dangerous.

Polyps can cause thin feces

Polyps forming on the intestinal mucosa are considered benign growths. They are the cause of tape feces, since they reduce the lumen of the intestine.

Polyps are harmless to humans, but over time they can become malignant. This means that a benign tumor develops into a malignant tumor.

Pathological growths spread along the intestinal mucosa, which contributes to the narrowing of the passage for feces. This leads to constipation and thinning of the stool.

Cancer in the intestine is a dangerous disease. It is accompanied by false urge to empty, pain in the anus and constipation.In bowel cancer, feces are excreted with blood, pus, or mucus. The disease may not make itself felt for a long time. Therefore, it can be difficult to diagnose oncology in the early stages. If cancer is detected in the latter stages, then this leads to a decrease in the chances of recovery.

Macroscopic examination

Macroscopic examination includes an assessment of the amount of feces, its physical properties (consistency and shape, color, odor), as well as visible impurities.

There is no strictly defined amount of daily feces.For example, with the predominance of plant foods in the diet, its amount increases, and with the predominance of protein foods, it decreases.

When using the Schmidt diet, the amount of feces is normally 200-250 grams. In some diseases of the intestine, pancreas, accompanied by impaired absorption processes, there may be a significant increase in the daily amount of feces (polyfecal).

The consistency of the stool (shaped, mushy, watery) and its shape depend on the food consumed.This indicator is usually assessed according to the Bristol scale.

Stool color

Stool color is determined by the presence of pigment stercobilin, in healthy people it should be in the range from light to dark brown. However, the color can change significantly when taking certain types of food and a number of drugs (bismuth and carbolene, as well as blueberries cause black feces, iron – greenish-black, beets – red, etc.).

Discoloration of stool is a valuable diagnostic feature in many diseases.

When the flow of bile into the intestines ceases, feces become discolored, with bleeding from the upper digestive tract – black tarry feces – melena, with bleeding from the colon, feces can be mixed with unchanged blood and becomes red.

In some intestinal infections, the stool has pronounced characteristic features. For example, with cholera, the bowel movements resemble rice water, with typhoid fever, pea soup.

Stool odor

Stool smell is caused by organic compounds formed during the breakdown of food proteins.The main constituents are aromatic substances such as skatole, indole, phenol, hydrogen sulfide and methane.

A change in smell can be due to the following reasons:

• fetid feces are observed during putrefactive processes in the intestine – dyspepsia, tumor decay, etc.,
• sour with fermentative dyspepsia,
• the smell of rancid oil during accelerated evacuation from the large intestine.

From pathological impurities in the feces, you can find mucus, blood, pus, helminths, etc.

Symptoms of bowel cancer

In rectal cancer, small feces are observed. As the tumor grows in size, the feces become thinner.

Bowel cancer symptoms:

A sharp weight loss is a sign of bowel cancer

• Abdominal pain radiating to the sacrum and perineum.
• Hardening of stool, prolonged constipation.
• Feeling of incomplete emptying.
• The shape of the chair resembles a thin pencil.
• Dark blood excreted in the feces.
• Decreased immunity.
• Constant weakness.
• Decreased and lack of appetite.
• Dramatic weight loss.
• Anemia.

When the first signs of the disease are found, you must contact a specialist. An experienced doctor can recognize the development of pathology and prescribe the necessary studies.

Methods for determining the oncological process in the rectum:

To detect pathology, ultrasound is used

• Biochemical and general blood tests.
• Ultrasound.
• Sigmoidoscopy.
• Fecal occult blood test.
• Anoscopy – examination of the anal passage using an anoscope.

Treatment of rectal cancer consists in stopping the growth of the tumor. For this, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are used. Doctors also use surgery to combat this disease.

to cure in order to return the normal functioning of the body.First of all, you must adhere to a strict diet, which will be the first and decisive and effective step towards recovery, even if the causes of stool are somewhat different.

To improve your general condition, you should include foods high in fiber in your daily diet. Along with this, you must consume at least 2-2.5 liters of water (daily rate; urination should occur every 4-5 hours). As for drug treatment, in this case, drugs such as loperamide should be used.

In practice, drugs are also widely used that help inhibit and prevent the development of microorganisms that can cause this type of stool. No less important in treatment are the so-called prebiotics (beneficial bacteria that fight foreign bodies) and small doses of tricyclic antidepressants.

Colon cancer of right-sided localization is primarily characterized by pain syndrome without pronounced signs of impaired movement of the intestinal contents.The syndrome of intestinal discomfort occurs quite early. At first, this is a feeling of heaviness of distention and rumbling in the intestines, arising 3-5 hours after eating;

later flatulence, belching, nausea, and then severe pain in the right and in the middle of the abdomen join. Weakness grows relatively early, anemia develops without visible. intestinal blood loss. An increase in body temperature is often noted, sometimes even with periodic chills. For cecum cancer with a tendency to ulceration, signs of general intoxication are characteristic, due to the absorption of decay products.

In about a third of cases, it is possible to palpate the tumor “in the form of a lump of various sizes of dense consistency, usually not particularly sensitive, in its outline does not resemble a single organ” (VP Obraztsov). When localized in the right and left bends of the colon (as well as in the region of the ascending and descending colon), the tumor is usually difficult to palpate.

In the blood, a decrease in erythrocytes and hemoglobin is usually noted quite early, and with the disintegration of a tumor – moderate leukocytosis and an increase in ESR.

Left-sided colon cancer is characterized by a relatively long asymptomatic or, more precisely, asymptomatic course and less frequency and degree of pain, although the latter in many cases can be intense. More often and sharply expressed violation of intestinal patency, up to the development of partial or complete obstruction, necessitating urgent surgical intervention. In about half of the cases, constipation is noted, but constipation and diarrhea often alternate.

More than a quarter of patients have blood in the feces (on the surface of feces). Often, in this case, in contrast to hemorrhoids, blood is released even before stool discharge, sometimes outside the act of defecation in the form of “spitting” of bloody mucus, which is especially often the case with rectosigmoidal localization of cancer.

When localized in the sigmoid colon, the tumor is palpated relatively often, in the descending – less often and in the left flexure of the colon – very rarely.

It should be remembered about the possibility of probing the tuberosity in the sigmoid colon in the presence of fecal stones in it, and therefore, in doubtful cases, palpation should be repeated after a cleansing enema.

Rectal cancer is characterized by a violation of the act of defecation: constipation, pain, false desires. The feces are often excreted in small “nuts” (“sheep feces”) and in the form of a thin ribbon (ribbon-like feces). On its surface, blood is usually visible, often mucus and pus. In some cases, there is an alternation of diarrhea and constipation, as well as “constipation diarrhea”.

In some cases, there is a release of blood and mucus when passing gases and outside the act of defecation, and sometimes “bloody mucous spitting”.Digital examination is of decisive importance in the diagnosis of rectal cancer.

Laboratory tests indicate increasing anemia, a constant increase in ESR, there is a positive reaction to the presence of occult blood in the feces.

All doctors have repeatedly stressed that any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure. Diseases that cause the appearance of thin feces in humans are no exception.

First of all, you should reduce the load on the intestines, that is, reduce to a minimum the amount of harmful products for it.

Doctors do not recommend eating fast food, eating dry food, chewing food in a hurry. It is advisable to drink as much liquid as possible, at least plain water.

A large amount of dry food leads to hardening of the stool, which, in turn, can disrupt the intestinal wall and cause inflammation.

The nature of the food taken is of great importance – at least once a day it is advisable to eat the first course (soup, borscht, broth). The frequency of food intake is also considered important – it is not recommended to eat too often, and very rarely.

In addition, you need to take a variety of medications with caution – do not exceed the dosage, watch for side effects.

Lifestyle is also very important. It is recommended to go in for sports, take walks in the fresh air, sit less still. You should give up bad habits – smoking, drinking alcohol.

Thin feces due to parasite infestation

Thin feces can occur in humans if their body is infected with parasites.Giardia is considered one of the main ones. They live in the small intestine and bile ducts. They live and develop there.

Being on the intestinal walls, they cause irritation of the mucous membrane. The main symptoms of parasite infestation are:

• nausea; 90,016 90,015 people are not gaining weight well;
• violation of intestinal microflora;
• fine stool;
• pain in the abdomen;
• diarrhea or constipation.

For the detection of parasites it is necessary to make a stool coprogram.These are tests for the presence of clostridia, lamblia and iodophilic flora.

Coprogram helps to identify changes in the functioning of the intestines, bladder, pancreas, stomach and liver. And also to detect the onset of inflammation or choose the right treatment option.

Prevention and treatment of thin feces

To prevent the appearance of thin feces, several recommendations should be followed.

Diet advice:

To prevent thin feces, eat a healthy diet

• stick to a balanced diet;
• Add liquid dishes to the diet: hot soups and broths;
• Diversify the menu with fresh fruits and vegetables;
• refuse to eat dry food, fast foods;
• Limit the number of on-the-go snacks;
• drink the recommended rate of clean water;
• stop smoking and alcohol;
• The optimal number of meals is 3-5 times.

Additional advice:

A very important recommendation to prevent thin feces is to exercise.

• Stressful situations should be avoided. You need to try to be less nervous and worried.
• Sports recommended.
• Monitor the quantity and quality of the drugs used. It is important to avoid drug overdose.
• Take care of yourself, carry out personal hygiene.
• Seek medical help in time for poisoning with mushrooms, medicines and other means.
• Do not forget about the preventive examination at the clinic.

If during the examination the doctor noticed symptoms of the disease, then you must immediately start treatment.

At the initial stage of the development of the disease, the doctor prescribes ointments, creams or suppositories for hemorrhoids.

If polyps are found or the disease is advanced, surgery may be required.

Thin stool is a symptom that should alert a person. If it appears, then you need to see a doctor to prevent the development of serious diseases.

Worms in a child

Children are most often infected with helminthiasis. Babies pull dirty hands and objects into their mouths, and this increases the risk of worm infestation. How to determine if a child is infected at home? One way is to examine your baby’s stool.

Some types of worms can be found in a child’s poop without special devices. Usually, children have pinworms or roundworms. But other types of parasites are not excluded.

Worms in a child’s feces look like this:

• pinworms – thin white worms, 1 cm in size;
• roundworms are also thin white worms, but they are much longer than pinworms, their sizes vary from 1 to 40 cm, live roundworms move in the feces;
• whipworms come out in the form of a white worm, the length of which is 5 cm, pointed at one end;
• toxocara – long worms, 18 cm in size;

The presence of black thin threads in the stool is mistaken by many parents for worms.In fact, this is what an overcooked banana looks like in feces. There is no cause for concern.

If, while examining the baby’s feces, parents found worms in it, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician, a parasitologist, if there is such a specialist in a children’s clinic, as well as to any other expert who deals with worms, this may be an infectious disease specialist. The doctor will conduct additional research and advise on what to do next. It is important for parents to understand that helminthiasis is a rather serious disease that can have serious consequences.

https://youtu.be/1z8_sbW7nOw

Feces flat why. Causes and treatment of sheep feces in an adult

Cancer can develop in the small, large or rectum. The neoplasm most often affects the large intestine, or rather, its colon section. Stool color in bowel cancer can have different shades.

Cancer that starts in the colon is called.

Cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is a generic term for the colon and rectum.

Main symptoms

General stomach illnesses or changes in bowel habits are common.
They do not always mean that people have a serious medical condition, such as cancer. However, not all symptoms should be ignored. Learn about the symptoms of cancer that you should see your doctor for.

• Changes in bowel habits.
• Changes in the appearance of bowel movements and bowel movements.
• Color change.
• Blood in stool or rectal bleeding.
• Feeling of intestinal discomfort.
• Cramping pains in the lower abdomen.
• Unintentional weight loss, weakness and fatigue.

Let’s analyze these symptoms in more detail in order to determine what needs to be done next and what to talk about with the doctor.

Changes in bowel habits

A persistent change in bowel habits or blood in the stool can be a symptom of colorectal cancer anywhere in the colon or rectum.

If you notice any of these changes, then this is a signal not only to take note, but to start taking action and changing your lifestyle at the same time.

If the changes continue for a certain time, then it is necessary to consult a therapist and proctologist. The information you provide will help your doctor determine the cause.

Diarrhea. Light stools and diarrhea (multiple loose stools) are common. Changes can be caused by intolerance to certain foods, drugs, stress or travel.Most people have diarrhea several times a year. The danger is diarrhea, which lasts more than three days.

Constipation. Constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements per week and is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints. Constipation does not mean that the patient has. Diet changes, poor and unhealthy diet, stress, dehydration, or lack of physical activity can also cause constipation. Stool deposits in the intestines can trigger cancer. If a person has been constipated for more than two weeks, a doctor should be consulted.

Changes in the appearance of bowel movements and bowel movements

How the bowel looks can be a good indicator of what’s going on inside the intestines.
Small and hard bowel movements are indicative of constipation. You need to see a doctor. Especially if it resembles goat droppings. Or there is no feces at all.

Shape change. If the stool becomes thin, narrow, and tapered, it could be a sign of changes inside the colon. Narrower than usual feces, mucus in the stool – should alert.See your doctor, this condition is being evaluated.

Color change

The color of feces in bowel cancer takes on a reddish tint due to the presence of blood.
If you notice the presence of blood in the stool, or darkened excrement, then this may be evidence of changes in the rectum. Stool that is bright red, black, or very dark in color should never be ignored. A doctor can help determine the cause.

It should be borne in mind that some foodstuffs can also color the stool:

• beets – red;
• carrots and pumpkin – orange;
• activated carbon – black;
• currant – dark.

In this case, you do not need to be afraid, this is normal.

Blood in stool or rectal bleeding

One of the most disturbing symptoms of cancer can be blood in the stool or bleeding from the rectum. Small streaks of blood in the feces should also be alarming. Sometimes they can only be seen under a microscope.

Conditions such as hemorrhoids or fissures can also cause small amounts of blood, so if you notice blood, see your doctor and be sure to explain any other symptoms you may be experiencing at the same time.A large amount of blood may warrant an emergency room visit.

Feeling of intestinal discomfort

Feeling of discomfort in the intestines or desire to “have movement” in the intestines. Feeling that the intestines are not emptying completely. Rectal bleeding / anus pain, or a lump in the rectum / anus. Abdominal pain or swelling of the abdomen. A feeling of fullness in the stomach or flatulence in the intestines or rectum indicates that the intestines were not completely emptied after a bowel movement.

Cramping pain in the lower abdomen

Keep in mind, discomfort that does not go away with time or cramps in the intestines, this is worse. A person can feel frequent pain, flatulence. There is a constant sensation, have a movement in the intestines and the feeling does not disappear in the presence of one of the symptoms, consult a doctor.

Unintentional weight loss, weakness and fatigue

Chronic rectal bleeding can cause iron deficiency. The sufferer may feel tired all the time, and have pale skin. If the energy level drops and the patient begins to lose weight for no reason, it is necessary to see a doctor for an assessment of the diagnosis.

Fear of a cancer diagnosis should not deter you from going to the clinic in a timely manner. If cancer is suspected, the earlier it is detected, the better for the patient. Nearly 90% of bowel cancer cases are treatable and survival is good if diagnosed early.

Keep in mind that not everyone experiences symptoms, especially in the early stages of bowel cancer. Do not wait for symptoms to develop to get screened for cancer if you are over 50 or have a family history of cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information on your due diligence options.

May be provoked by certain drugs and foods. Do not hesitate to see your doctor if you have experienced one of these symptoms for two weeks or more, because if diagnosed early, cancer can be successfully treated.About 55 percent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are men and about 45 percent are women. In a woman, sigmoid colon cancer is very often provoked by ovarian cancer.

Protective factors that reduce the risk of cancer:

• Physical activity
• Aspirin
• Combination of hormone replacement therapy
• Removal of polyps
• Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, foods low in animal fats.
• Regular examination after 50 years.

Nearly all colorectal cancers begin with polyps (growths) in the colon or rectum. Such polyps can be present in the colon for many years before invasive cancer develops.

They may not cause any symptoms. Screening (examination) of colorectal cancer can find precancerous polyps, and timely removal of them will prevent the appearance of a cancerous tumor. This type of treatment will be most effective.Diet can reduce your chances of developing cancer.

Taking low-dose aspirin can help prevent not only bowel cancer but also cardiovascular disease, depending on age and risk factors. Research shows that people can reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer by limiting alcohol consumption and quitting tobacco.

Hemorrhoids can affect different categories of people, the elderly and young, men and women. It can appear for various reasons, but the root of the problem lies in the stagnation of blood in the pelvic region and the weakness of the venous walls.

The symptomatology of such a pathology is extremely unpleasant, and can greatly complicate the existence of a person. Hemorrhoids can manifest themselves in different ways. Burning, anorectal bleeding, and pain are often present. There are also difficulties with bowel movements, the color of the stool changes and its consistency too.

With the expansion of the anal veins, and the formation of hemorrhoids, the feces usually become thin, this is more often observed with internal hemorrhoids.

Why are stool masses getting thinner? What does this mean and what to do?

Hemorrhoids are serious

Hemorrhoids are caused by bulging and blockage of the pelvic veins.

There are three types of disease in total:

1. In the lumen of the anus, you can see a kind of bumps that deform the anus. Gradually, such formations grow and deliver severe pain if touched.
2. Nodules form inside the rectum on its walls. The symptoms are all the same as those of an external ailment, only the bumps are invisible until they become impressive in size. When the nodes grow, they can completely block the lumen of the intestine and even fall out.
3. This type combines both internal and external hemorrhoids. The nodes can be observed both inside the intestinal canal and around the anal ring.

Depending on the size and type of pathological anorectal neoplasms, the shape and nature of the stool usually changes.

Changing the shape of feces

If a person suffers from hemorrhoids, he probably noticed that his symptoms worsen during and after the act of defecation. With external cones, the disease can be observed even visually.The tissues swell, and the nodes themselves are located near the anus.

When the bumps are inside, they may not be visible, but they make big changes in the formation of feces. The rectal lumen narrows, so a very thin and even ribbon-like feces appear.

What should be the norm? In a healthy person, feces have a cylinder-like shape, with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm. Defecation occurs daily.

It happens that emptying is carried out every other day or twice a day, but this is also normal if there is no discomfort, constipation or diarrhea.Stool should be moderately dense.

Hard feces with hemorrhoids may indicate that a person rarely visits the toilet. This happens with frequent constipation or fear of painful bowel movements. Then the patient suffers for a long time, and tries to postpone it as long as possible.

Occasionally, thin, regular stool indicates problems with the pancreas or other digestive organs. Therefore, premature conclusions cannot be drawn.

If you are concerned about any changes in the stool, then you need to seek help from a doctor to find out the cause of the disorders.Only then can the correct therapeutic measures be taken.

Danger of improper stool

With internal hemorrhoids, as with external hemorrhoids, any form of feces that is considered abnormal can be dangerous.

A hard and too liquid consistency is especially undesirable. In the first case, the masses scratch and irritate the inflamed nodes. With diarrhea, the bumps are also very irritated, and the likelihood of their infection increases significantly, this can lead to blood poisoning, especially if the nodules are bleeding.

It is for these reasons that the patient should pay attention to the nature of the bowel movements, and urgently begin to eliminate the problem if it has arisen.

Stool color

Changes in stool color in a disease such as hemorrhoids are also not uncommon:

1. Blood impurities. This is due to the fact that the digested masses passing through the intestines touch the inflamed bumps and cause them to bleed.
2. If the feces with anorectal hemorrhoids have acquired a dark color, then this may indicate intestinal bleeding.Then you should contact a specialist immediately.
3. Yellow color is characteristic of the stool mainly with diarrhea, and this is due to a violation of the digestive function.

If, with hemorrhoids, the stool has acquired an unusual color, and the emptying process causes painful sensations, you need to go to the hospital to find out the cause.

Mucous stool

Sometimes with hemorrhoids, mucus may be present in the feces – this indicates the initial stages of the disease.

Mucous impurities are usually accompanied by a set of additional symptoms of early pathology:

• difficulty with defecation;
• pain syndrome;
• burning.

Feces can be too liquid with mucus, or dense with pieces of mucous elements.

When such violations appear, it is important to pass tests and find out the origin of the mucous substance. Only after that, the doctor will prescribe competent treatment.

Thin feces after surgery

Hemorrhoids in the last stages can only be cured through surgery.

As a rule, the character and shape of the faeces also changes after the operation. The resulting scars can make the stool thin for a while.

In order to avoid complications, it is important to observe proper nutrition, aimed at normalizing the density of stools.

The patient is prescribed a special diet that excludes fixing foods and includes foods that promote softening.

It is important to maintain a balance: the abuse of fresh vegetables, fruits, vegetable oils and fermented milk products can cause diarrhea. Therefore, everything should be in moderation.

In case of too thick stool and serious problems with going to the toilet, the doctor can select for the patient, individually, a pharmacy laxative with a mild effect. This is a very important point during the rehabilitation period.

In no case should you self-medicate and take aggressive laxatives.

Normalization of the shape of feces

It is quite possible to make bowel movements and feces with hemorrhoids normal. To do this, you will need to adhere to proper nutrition – this is a temporary measure.

After the stool is normalized, you can eat your usual food, but not abuse harmful products.

For easy emptying, and the shape of the stool becomes correct, you need:

1. Refuse food containing coarse fiber.
2. Do not eat hard-to-digest foods such as mushrooms, legumes and barley.
3. In case of constipation – do not eat rice porridge, it is a fixing product.
4. Smoked meats and semi-finished products should be removed from the diet in the same way as pickles, marinades, aggressive spices.
5. Do not drink strong black tea, alcohol and carbonated drinks.
6. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.
7. Eat dried fruits regularly, such as dried apricots and prunes.
8. There are dairy products.
9. Diet excludes fresh milk.

Pharmaceutical laxatives with a mild method of action may be suitable for quick relief of constipation:

• Duphalac;
• Senadexin.

These drugs should be used in accordance with the instructions in the package, but only after consulting a doctor. Perhaps he will adjust the intake of funds individually, depending on the severity of the problem and the patient’s personal health indicators.

For diarrhea, doctors often prescribe to patients with hemorrhoids:

• Smecta;
• Imodium.

Funds should be taken also taking into account the doctor’s recommendations.

You should not be worried and afraid to see a doctor. The correct form of stool is a very important point in hemorrhoidal cones.

Timely visit to a medical facility will help to avoid many negative consequences. This will greatly facilitate the life of patients with anorectal nodules.

This is important!

It is not always the internal hemorrhoids that cause the appearance of thin feces.In some cases, bowel movements can change with more serious health problems.

Polyps and all sorts of neoplastic formations in the intestine also affect the formation of feces. Too thin banded feces may indicate a malignant intraintestinal tumor.

In addition, there may be a false urge to defecate, or after a bowel movement, a feeling of incomplete bowel cleansing appears. In some cases, patients complain of a foreign body sensation inside.

When a number of such symptoms are found, it is important to go straight to the hospital and get tested.

Polyps and swellings that are detected late can be fatal.

Cal is a product of our metabolism. It also serves as a basis for doctors to diagnose a variety of diseases. Conversely, some changes in feces may be the reason for examination. So, banded feces may indicate the occurrence of some pathologies.

Reasons for the appearance of thin feces in an adult

The appearance of a tapered stool is often observed in pregnant women. Why this happens can be explained very simply. Due to the fact that the fetus grows intensively during pregnancy, the uterus expands very much and presses on the rectum. Thus, it reduces its clearance. Therefore, the feces come out from the rectum in the form of a ribbon.

In men, sometimes stool looks like a pencil, with prostatitis. This is an inflammation of the prostate gland, which also results in a narrowing of the lumen of the small intestine.

Thin feces for hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are inflammation of the hemorrhoidal veins in the lower rectum. As a result of this inflammation, the blood flow in the veins is disrupted, they stretch and nodules form. Depending on their location, there are three forms of hemorrhoids: internal, external and combined.

Reasons:

• sedentary lifestyle,
• frequent constipation and diarrhea,
• pregnancy,
• alcohol abuse,
• malnutrition,
• heredity.

In the early stages, hemorrhoids do not cause any sensations, but only with the development of the disease does the symptomatology increase.

Manifestations of hemorrhoids: very pronounced pain that occurs during the act of defecation, cutting and burning character. Due to the formed nodules, which have narrowed the lumen of the small intestine, excrement cannot normally leave the body. They are compressed and with difficulty pass through the intestinal tract, therefore constipation and ribbon-like feces appear. It can be mixed with mucus, sometimes with scarlet blood, located in stripes.In this case, the blood does not mix with excrement, but remains on their surface.

In case of constipation, the feces are often not soft, can be either long, in the form of a sausage, or intermittent.
A patient has a very itchy anus after emptying the rectum. Anal fissures can occur due to prolonged constipation. If the form of hemorrhoids is external, then bumps are visible within the anus. With an internal form, blood is observed on linen, feces or toilet paper. Also, when the disease is long-term, during defecation, the internal node from the rectum may fall out.

Hemorrhoids require mandatory treatment, as they can serve as the beginning of the formation of malignant processes in the intestine.

A digital examination of the rectum by a proctologist and sigmoidoscopy will help diagnose the disease. These methods make it possible to identify the presence of nodules and examine the intestinal mucosa.

Rectum neoplasms

Constipation, ribbon-like feces can also occur when polyps or other neoplasms grow on the intestinal mucosa.The most dangerous condition is the development of malignant processes.

In rectal cancer, ribbon-like feces are observed, the more the tumor grows, the thinner the feces become. Dark blood appears, which mixes with feces, prolonged constipation. The secretion of mucus occurs before the beginning of a bowel movement. You can also note the common symptoms that occur with any malignant formation – weight loss, fatigue, lethargy, anemia, decreased immunity.

Polyps are benign growths on the intestinal mucosa.They also serve as the cause of the appearance of ribbon-like feces, since, in the same way, they narrow the lumen of the intestine. By themselves, polyps are not dangerous, but they can become malignant, which is worth fearing. This is the process of converting a benign formation into a malignant one.

If an adult suspects the development of an oncological process in the rectum, the following research methods are used:

• finger examination,
• anascopy – insertion of an anascope into the anus to study the surface of the anal canal,
• sigmoidoscopy,
• fecal occult blood test,
• general blood test,
• biochemical blood test.

Treatment consists of stopping tumor growth with radio and chemotherapy. Often, doctors resort to surgical intervention.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the functioning of the intestine in humans without violating its integrity.

Symptoms that occur with IBS are divided into the following groups:

• intestinal,
• related to other digestive organs,
• unrelated to the digestive tract.

Intestinal – characterized by pain in the lower abdomen on the left side. The nature of the pain is different: cutting, burning, dagger, constant, aching. There is bloating, diarrhea, constipation, ribbon-like or pea-like stools with mucus, without admixture of blood and pus.

Symptoms from other organs of the gastrointestinal tract – nausea, vomiting, sour belching, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. Other complaints are sleep disturbances, anxiety, and pre-depression conditions.

There are various causes of irritable bowel syndrome.Among them are:

• heredity,
• suffered stressful situations,
• sedentary,
• malnutrition,
• transferred infectious intestinal diseases,
• poisoning,

IBS diagnostics:

• general blood test,
• biochemical blood test,
• general urinalysis,
• coprogram,
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity organs,
• colonoscopy,
• FGDS.

In the treatment of the syndrome, the appointment of a diet, drugs, which are aimed at combating symptoms, is used. They resort to psychotherapy sessions when depression has become the cause of the development of IBS.

Prevention of the appearance of fecal tape-shaped

In order that you do not have thin feces, you must first of all monitor your diet. The diet should be balanced, liquid food should not be neglected. You need to eat often, in small portions. You should limit the use of harmful foods, do not eat dry food, drink enough liquid.

Avoiding stressful situations is also an important preventive measure. If possible, you need to be less nervous. Stress and anxiety are the causes of various pathological processes.

Should go in for sports, lead an active lifestyle. Quitting bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol will also lower your risk of illness.

What to do if the shape of the bowel changes?

Do not panic when a ribbon-like stool appears.After all, the reason for this may not necessarily be cancer or other dangerous diseases. Sometimes it’s just the result of poor diet or stress. But in order to protect yourself, when such changes appear in the stool, you still need to contact a specialist. If the cause of the change in the shape of feces was a disease, then the earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.

What is the reason why small feces come out during bowel movements? This question is very worrisome for people who are faced with this pathology.

The reasons for the appearance of thin feces lie in various diseases of the intestines, and some of them pose a threat not only to health, but also to human life.

Why does tapered stool appear?

People generally rarely pay attention to their stools, but changes in faeces can tell a lot.

If the stool has a normal shape, color and consistency for a long time, then everything is in order with human health.

These indicators may change for a short time depending on the diet. If a person’s feces have become thin, like a ribbon or a snake, then this is already a cause for alarm, since it indicates the presence of various diseases.

The most common cause of thin feces is hemorrhoids. If an adult is constantly physically working, suffers from constipation or physical inactivity (deterioration of motor skills due to a sedentary lifestyle), then he may develop such a disease.

The disease develops due to the inflammatory process and the further formation of blood clots in the veins of the colon.

As a result of thrombosis, nodes appear that protrude from the walls of the intestine. Thus, the lumen in the colon decreases, which leads to a thinning of the feces passing through it.

In women, thin feces may be associated with pregnancy. Expanding, the uterus begins to squeeze the intestines, reducing its width.

A similar process can lead not only to thinning of feces, but also to constipation, which suffers from most expectant mothers.

In addition, a decrease in the lumen of the colon and a sedentary lifestyle of pregnant women can lead to hemorrhoids.

When changing the usual thickness of feces, the expectant mother should definitely consult a doctor, since ignoring this symptom is likely to cause a complete stop of feces in the intestines and further intoxication of the body.

The appearance of thin feces is always associated with a decrease in the lumen in the colon. This pathology can occur due to the presence of polyps (growths on the mucous membrane) in the intestine.

In general, such formations are not dangerous and do not cause discomfort at an early stage, but in the future they can cause pain and become malignant (turn into malignant tumors).

Possible complications

A decrease in the lumen in the large intestine occurs due to various ailments – hemorrhoids, polyps, giardiasis.

All these diseases at an early stage do not create any discomfort for the patient, and it is quite easy to cure them.

But if you let the disease take its course, then in the future the consequences will be very sad.

Untreated hemorrhoids can lead to the development of paraproctitis – purulent inflammation of the rectum, which destroys the tissues of the organ. With a long course of the disease, malignancy of the formed fistulas is very likely.

Hemorrhoids are characterized not only by the formation of bumps and the appearance of thin feces.

In the second and third stages of the disease, the patient experiences severe pain, blood is observed in the feces, the nodes fall out during bowel movements and physical efforts.The skin in the anus can turn red and itchy, and often there is a burning sensation.

In the future, the nodes begin to become inflamed, purulent fistulas form, and the body temperature rises. If a patient at this stage of hemorrhoids does not go to the doctor and does not start treatment, then a lethal outcome may occur due to the developed sepsis – blood poisoning.

Initially harmless polyps also do not immediately make themselves felt. If in the future you ignore the emerging symptoms of their presence, then a more terrible ailment that already threatens a person’s life can develop – rectal cancer.This is due to the malignancy of the formations.

The patient needs to pay attention to his feces after a bowel movement – if it has become thin, then it is imperative to consult a doctor.

In the later stages of a bowel movement, blood, mucus, or pus may be present in the feces.

Rectal cancer is characterized by prolonged (more than one week) constipation associated with the growth of tumors.

Each malignant formation grows larger over time.This leads to the fact that the stool becomes even thinner than before.

In the future, in the absence of treatment, the patient in the body appears metastases – secondary foci of cancer, leading to intoxication of the body and deterioration of the condition.

A person’s body temperature periodically rises, weakness, dramatic weight loss, nausea and vomiting are observed.

Life expectancy in the latter stages of cancer is significantly reduced. Thus, at the first appearance of thin feces, you need to contact a doctor who will carry out all the necessary diagnostics and prescribe treatment.

Prevention and treatment of ailments

All doctors have repeatedly stressed that any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure. Diseases that cause the appearance of thin feces in humans are no exception.

First of all, it is necessary to reduce the load on the intestines, that is, to reduce to a minimum the amount of harmful products for it.

A large amount of dry food leads to hardening of feces, which, in turn, can disrupt the intestinal walls and cause inflammation.

To prevent a decrease in the lumen of the colon and the appearance of thin feces, it is recommended to enrich your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs.

The nature of the food taken is of great importance – at least once a day it is advisable to eat the first course (soup, borscht, broth). The frequency of food intake is also considered important – it is not recommended to eat too often, and very rarely.

In addition, you need to take a variety of medications with caution – do not exceed the dosage, watch for side effects.

Experts advise to be as little nervous as possible, since stress and anxiety are also the cause of inflammatory processes in the intestines.

If, during the examination at the hospital, the doctor diagnosed certain ailments, then treatment should be started immediately.

At an early stage of the disease, the doctor may prescribe certain ointments, creams or suppositories for hemorrhoids.

If the disease is neglected or polyps in the intestine are diagnosed, then the treatment will include surgery.

The doctor may prescribe certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs if needed.

The appearance of thin feces is always associated with a decrease in the lumen in the colon. Most often, this occurs due to the presence of hemorrhoids or the formation of polyps in the intestine.

At an early stage, these pathologies are not accompanied by severe discomfort, but if treatment is not started on time, then more serious ailments may develop, for example, paraproctitis or rectal cancer.

Such diseases are already threatening human life, therefore, at the first appearance of thin feces, it is advisable to visit a doctor and examine the intestines.

Currently, modern medicine distinguishes several types of clinical syndromes that have obvious and characteristic signs. One of the most common is the ribbon chair. This ailment manifests itself in the form of feces and its porous texture. In order to determine (diagnose) the presence of this stool, it is not at all necessary to resort to the help of doctors, it is enough just to make sure that some symptoms appear (they can appear both simultaneously and separately).Also, a disorder of the body can show symptoms that are completely far from the classic ones. Indeed, it very often happens that a completely healthy person, in connection with any disturbing processes in the intestinal tract, becomes prone to the appearance of this disorder syndrome, but all analyzes and indicators refute this.

The most common causes of ribbon stool

The cause of stool is nothing more than irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which may not even manifest itself in a pronounced form.As a rule, about 15% of the total population of the planet suffer from this disease every year. These are mainly people of adolescence and adulthood.

The reasons for the ribbon-like stool can also lie in the violation of the physiological process of the body, in the use of foodstuffs that contribute to the induction of the disease, in the use of drugs that are aimed at combating diseases of the colon. In addition, numerous clinical studies have shown that overwork (chronic), stress, changes in the intestinal microflora and hereditary predisposition of the body also affect the normal functionality of the body.

Scientists still cannot associate some of the causes of the disease with the appearance of a ribbon-like chair, but the facts confirming this are undeniable. It is also indisputable that the symptoms, most often, do not indicate an unambiguous disease. They most often give a “call”, which should direct the patient to a doctor and undergo examination.

Treatment of ribbon-like stool with innovative pharmacological preparations

Despite the fact that the disease, as a rule, does not belong to the group of dangerous diseases (in practice, some complications occur), it must be prevented or cured in order to return the body to normal vital functions.First of all, you must adhere to a strict diet, which will be the first and decisive and effective step towards recovery, even if the causes of stool are somewhat different. To improve your general condition, you should include foods with a considerable amount of fiber in your daily diet. Along with this, you must consume at least 2-2.5 liters of water (daily rate; urination should occur every 4-5 hours). As for drug treatment, in this case, drugs such as loperamide should be used.Numerous studies have shown that the use of such drugs in the indicated doses helps to qualitatively eliminate the ailment, and after prolonged use they completely prevent the re-manifestation of the disease.

In practice, drugs are also widely used that help suppress and prevent the development of microorganisms that can cause this type of stool. No less important in treatment are the so-called prebiotics (beneficial bacteria that fight foreign bodies) and small doses of tricyclic antidepressants.