What do different poop colors indicate about your health. How can diet affect stool color. When should you be concerned about changes in bowel movement appearance. What are the potential causes of red, black, or pale stools.

The Spectrum of Stool Colors: What Your Poop Is Telling You

Stool color can provide valuable insights into your digestive health and overall well-being. While variations in poop color are often harmless and related to diet, certain hues may signal underlying health issues that require medical attention. Understanding the meaning behind different stool colors can help you monitor your digestive health more effectively.

Normal Stool Color: What to Expect

Typically, healthy poop is brown in color. This characteristic hue results from a combination of what you eat and the presence of bile in your stool. Bile, a fluid produced by the liver to aid in fat digestion, starts as a yellowish-green liquid. As it travels through your digestive system, it undergoes chemical changes, ultimately turning brown.

Green Poop: Causes and Considerations

Green stools are generally not a cause for concern and can be quite common. Several factors can contribute to green-colored poop:

• Consumption of green vegetables like spinach or kale
• Ingestion of foods containing green food coloring
• Use of iron supplements
• Rapid transit of food through the digestive system

In cases of green diarrhea, the color may result from food moving too quickly through the gut, preventing bile from completing its color-changing process.

Yellow Stools: When to Be Concerned

Yellow poop can be normal for many individuals, particularly in breastfed infants. However, if your stool appears greasy, has a foul odor, and is consistently yellow, it may indicate excess fat content. This could suggest problems with fat digestion or absorption.

Celiac Disease and Yellow Stools

For individuals with celiac disease, consuming gluten-containing foods can lead to intestinal malfunction, potentially resulting in yellow, greasy stools. If you experience persistent yellow poop and suspect gluten sensitivity, consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and guidance.

Pale or Clay-Colored Stools: Potential Red Flags

Pale or clay-colored stools can be a sign of more serious health issues. While certain medications like bismuth subsalicylate or barium used in diagnostic procedures can cause light-colored stools, persistent paleness may indicate a lack of bile in the stool.

Possible Causes of Pale Stools

1. Liver diseases such as hepatitis
2. Blockages in the bile ducts
3. Gallstones
4. Tumors
5. Biliary atresia (a congenital condition)

If you notice consistently pale or clay-colored stools, it’s crucial to seek medical advice to rule out underlying health problems.

Black Stools: Dietary Influences vs. Health Concerns

Black stools can result from dietary choices or indicate potential health issues. Common dietary causes of black poop include:

• Consumption of black licorice
• Eating blueberries
• Taking iron supplements
• Using medications containing bismuth subsalicylate

However, black, tarry stools can also be a sign of bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Possible causes of such bleeding include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Esophageal sores from acid reflux
• Bleeding from non-cancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If black stools persist and cannot be attributed to dietary factors, it’s essential to consult a healthcare provider promptly.

Red or Reddish Stools: Benign Causes and Warning Signs

The appearance of red or reddish stools can be alarming, but it’s important to consider dietary factors before assuming the worst. Several foods can impart a reddish hue to your stool:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Red-colored gelatin desserts
• Red drinks

However, if dietary causes can be ruled out, red stools may indicate bleeding in the lower digestive tract. Potential causes of such bleeding include:

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Colorectal polyps or cancer

Any unexplained or persistent red stools should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.

Orange Stools: Dietary Influences and Potential Health Implications

Orange-colored stools are often the result of dietary choices or supplements. Common causes of orange poop include:

• Consuming foods high in beta-carotene (e.g., carrots, sweet potatoes)
• Eating processed foods with artificial orange coloring
• Taking supplements containing beta-carotene

In some cases, orange stools may indicate issues with bile production or release. If orange stools persist and are accompanied by other digestive symptoms, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider for further evaluation.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Stool Color Changes

While many stool color changes are harmless and temporary, certain situations warrant medical attention. Consider consulting a healthcare professional if you experience:

• Persistent changes in stool color lasting more than a few days
• Black, tarry stools not explained by diet or medications
• Bright red blood in the stool
• Pale or clay-colored stools
• Changes in stool color accompanied by abdominal pain, fever, or unexplained weight loss

Early detection and treatment of underlying health issues can significantly improve outcomes and prevent complications.

Monitoring Your Digestive Health

Regular observation of your stool color and consistency can provide valuable insights into your digestive health. Keep a log of any persistent changes and discuss them with your healthcare provider during routine check-ups. Remember that occasional variations in stool color are normal and often reflect dietary choices.

The Role of Diet in Stool Color

Your diet plays a significant role in determining stool color. Consuming a varied, balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can contribute to healthy, normal-colored stools. If you’re concerned about how your diet might be affecting your stool color, consider keeping a food diary to identify potential correlations.

Importance of Proper Hydration

Adequate hydration is crucial for maintaining healthy bowel movements and normal stool consistency. Drinking enough water can help prevent constipation and ensure that your digestive system functions optimally. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day, adjusting your intake based on activity level and climate.

The Impact of Medications on Stool Color

Certain medications can affect stool color. Common examples include:

• Iron supplements (black or dark green stools)
• Antidiarrheal medications containing bismuth (black stools)
• Antibiotics (various color changes)

If you’re taking medications and notice changes in your stool color, consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist to determine if the medication could be the cause.

The Gut Microbiome and Stool Color

The balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome can influence stool color and consistency. A healthy, diverse gut microbiome contributes to normal digestion and stool formation. Factors that can affect your gut microbiome include:

• Diet
• Stress levels
• Antibiotic use
• Probiotic consumption

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome through a balanced diet and lifestyle can contribute to regular, normal-colored bowel movements.

Stool Color in Infants and Children

Stool color can vary significantly in infants and young children, particularly as their diets change. Breastfed infants often have yellowish, seedy stools, while formula-fed babies may have darker, firmer stools. As solid foods are introduced, stool color and consistency will continue to change.

Parents should be aware of potential red flags in infant and child stool color, such as:

• White or very pale stools
• Black stools (after the newborn period)
• Red stools not explained by diet

Any concerns about a child’s stool color should be discussed with their pediatrician.

The Connection Between Stool Color and Digestive Transit Time

The time it takes for food to pass through your digestive system can affect stool color. Rapid transit times may result in greener stools, as bile doesn’t have time to break down completely. Conversely, slower transit times can lead to darker stools. Factors influencing digestive transit time include:

• Diet (particularly fiber intake)
• Hydration levels
• Physical activity
• Stress
• Certain medical conditions

Understanding your typical digestive transit time can help you interpret changes in stool color more accurately.

The Role of Liver Health in Stool Color

The liver plays a crucial role in producing bile, which gives stool its characteristic brown color. Liver diseases or conditions affecting bile production or flow can result in changes to stool color, particularly pale or clay-colored stools. Maintaining liver health through a balanced diet, moderate alcohol consumption, and regular exercise can contribute to normal stool color.

Stool Color and Cancer Screening

While changes in stool color can sometimes indicate serious conditions like cancer, it’s important to remember that many color changes are benign. However, certain screening tests for colorectal cancer involve examining stool samples for hidden blood, which may not be visible to the naked eye. Regular cancer screenings as recommended by your healthcare provider are essential for early detection and treatment of potential issues.

The Psychological Impact of Stool Color Changes

Noticing changes in stool color can be anxiety-inducing for many individuals. It’s important to approach such changes with a balanced perspective, considering dietary and lifestyle factors before assuming the worst. If you find yourself excessively worried about stool color changes, consider discussing your concerns with a healthcare provider or mental health professional.

Future Developments in Stool Analysis

Advances in medical technology are leading to new ways of analyzing stool samples for health information. Future developments may include:

• More sophisticated at-home stool analysis kits
• Improved methods for detecting early signs of digestive diseases
• Enhanced understanding of the relationship between stool characteristics and overall health

As research progresses, our ability to glean health insights from stool analysis is likely to improve, potentially leading to earlier detection and treatment of various health conditions.

What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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Red feces – causes, diagnosis and treatment

Red feces – this is the appearance of a reddish color of stools, which is often accompanied by pain and dyspeptic disorders. The symptom occurs with hemorrhoids, severe intestinal infections, inflammatory bowel disease and malignant tumors. To determine the cause of staining excrement in red, a coprogram, colonoscopy, and contrast radiography of the digestive tract are performed. To eliminate the identified pathology, antibiotics, anesthetics, and surgical methods of therapy are prescribed.

Causes of red stool

Use of coloring foods

Most often, the appearance of red stool in adults is associated with eating large quantities of foods of the corresponding color – beets, tomatoes, berries. The reddish tint of stool is caused by artificial dyes in the composition of candy, carbonated drinks. In this case, the stool has a normal consistency, the frequency of defecation does not change. There are no other discomforts from the gastrointestinal tract. Normalization of the color of feces occurs in 1-2 days.

Hemorrhoids

Blood from dilated hemorrhoids is excreted in drops already at the onset of the disease. In this case, the feces have a normal color, but red streaks become noticeable on its surface. The frequency of stools with hemorrhoids is reduced to 3-4 times a week, which is due to reflex spasm of the muscles of the rectal sphincter. Characterized by pain in the anus, which sharply increases with defecation.

As the disease progresses and the venous nodes increase in size, hemorrhoidal bleeding becomes more frequent. The stool becomes greasy or liquid and reddish in color due to the large amount of blood. In severe situations, with ulceration of the hemorrhoidal veins, profuse bleeding begins, in which the stool loses its fecal character, bright red blood is released from the anus.

Other diseases of the rectum

The appearance of red inclusions in the stool is caused by inflammatory causes. In acute erosive proctitis, blood is released from the affected mucosa, which stains the stool. In the case of a bacterial infection, feces of a liquid consistency with abundant bloody-purulent inclusions are observed. Also, patients experience constant pain in the anal area with irradiation to the perineum and sacrum.

Red stools provoke anal fissures. They are characterized by the occurrence of severe sharp pain during defecation, then stools appear mixed with blood. Symptoms often develop with prolonged constipation, when a person has to strain hard, and dry, hard feces injure the intestinal mucosa. The formation of an anal fissure is possible in women after childbirth.

Infections

Red streaks in stools are a characteristic symptom of dysentery (shigellosis). Bacterial toxins lead to damage to the intestinal walls, from which blood is excreted. At the beginning of the disease, the stool is liquid, has a fecal character with separate bloody inclusions. In severe cases, the number of bowel movements increases to 10-12 times a day, stools are scanty in the form of mucus mixed with blood. Patients complain of severe abdominal cramps, especially in the left sections.

Abundant red stools sometimes occur at 3-4 weeks in a typical course of typhoid fever, which is associated with bleeding from a deep typhoid ulcer. Liquid mucous stools with a lot of blood in the type of “raspberry jelly” is a pathognomonic sign of amoebiasis. In addition to the reddish color of feces, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting are disturbing. With such symptoms, emergency medical care is indicated.

Inflammatory bowel disease

In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, deep ulcerative defects are formed that bleed. Red stool is more characteristic of UC because it causes damage to the distal intestine. Against the background of painful imperative urge to defecate, there is a release of scanty feces with impurities of scarlet blood. Exacerbations are provoked by such causes as stress, errors in diet, concomitant intestinal infections.

Neoplasms

Rarely, reddish coloration of stools is observed in colonic polyps and other benign tumors, which eventually become covered with ulcers due to constant traumatization by hard feces. The red color of feces is more common in cancerous tumors of the intestine, since they ulcerate faster and disintegrate with the involvement of blood vessels in the process. Disturbed by dull pains in the abdominal cavity, prolonged constipation, progressive weight loss.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

Stool staining is most common with long-term treatment with the anti-tuberculosis drug rifampicin. It has a red color and, when ingested, turns into metabolites, which are excreted in different ways. Therefore, not only feces acquire a reddish color, but also urine, lacrimal fluid, and sweat. Atypical staining of feces is sometimes possible with long-term use of high doses of vitamin A, which contains carotene pigments.

Diagnostics

If red stool is combined with complaints of pain and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient should consult a gastroenterologist. Diagnostic search involves a comprehensive examination of the digestive system using laboratory and instrumental methods. The most informative are:

• Coprogram . To confirm the presence of blood in the feces, the Gregersen reaction is necessary. Microscopic analysis assesses the amount of undigested food, the presence of leukocytes. If infectious causes of red stools are suspected, bacteriological culture of feces on nutrient media is recommended. To diagnose UC, determine the level of fecal calprotectin.
• Endoscopy . Endoscopic examination has the greatest diagnostic value in organic diseases of the lower gastrointestinal tract. To study the state of the distal colon, it is enough to prescribe sigmoidoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. Colonoscopy allows you to view the entire large intestine. During the procedure, a biopsy is taken from suspicious areas.
• X-ray method . For the purpose of a comprehensive assessment of the state of the digestive tract, radiography of the passage of barium is shown, with the help of which destructive changes in the intestine, neoplasia are revealed. If it is impossible to perform a colonoscopy, irrigography with double contrast is used to diagnose the pathology of the colon.
• Laboratory tests . In the general blood test, there are signs of anemia, the severity of which correlates with the degree of blood loss. To confirm the inflammatory cause of the appearance of red feces, a biochemical analysis and an extended immunogram are used. It is possible to establish bacterial infections in which the intestine is affected by the detection of specific antibodies in plasma.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Discharge of atypically colored feces, which is caused by excessive consumption of red foods and proceeds against the background of good health, does not require therapeutic measures. If the symptom is observed simultaneously with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, you need to see a doctor to find out why the red stool appeared. Intestinal bleeding requires emergency medical attention.

Conservative therapy

Medical tactics depend on the cause of red coloration of the feces. In intestinal infections, along with medications, therapeutic fasting or a sparing diet with strict restrictions is indicated; oral rehydration is recommended to correct water-salt metabolism. The purpose of drugs is aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology that caused red feces. Most commonly used:

• Antibiotics . Drugs are selected that selectively affect the bacteria of the intestinal group. For the best effect, they are combined with local antibacterial agents that act only in the intestinal lumen. In amebiasis, specific antiprotozoal drugs are indicated.
• Anesthetics . With hemorrhoids, anal fissure, pain syndrome comes to the fore, for the relief of which suppositories and ointments with local anesthetics are used. The drugs improve the well-being of patients and create conditions for the rapid healing of mucosal defects.
• Derivatives of 5-aminosalicylic acid. These drugs are essential for the treatment of UC and Crohn’s disease. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, stimulate the regeneration of the epithelium and the healing of intestinal ulcers. In severe forms, immunosuppressants are added to the therapy regimen.
• Plasma substitute solutions . Infusion therapy is carried out with massive intestinal bleeding to restore bcc and maintain heart function. Infused solutions contain optimal concentrations of basic electrolytes. Colloidal preparations, fresh frozen plasma are also administered.

Surgical treatment

In case of hemorrhoids, such types of surgical interventions as ligation of nodes with elastic rings, sclerotherapy, radical removal of the main internal nodes are widely used. In severe recurrent inflammatory diseases of the colon, removal of the affected part of the intestine with the formation of an anastomosis is indicated to prevent bleeding and perforation. For colon cancer, a hemicolectomy or total colectomy is performed.

Red stools – Quanta-System

Red stools are reddish stools that are often accompanied by pain and dyspeptic disorders. The symptom occurs with hemorrhoids, severe intestinal infections, inflammatory bowel disease and malignant tumors. To determine the cause of staining of feces in red, a coprogram, colonoscopy, and a contrast radiograph of the gastrointestinal tract are performed. To eliminate the identified pathology, antibiotics, painkillers and surgical methods of therapy are prescribed.

90 047 care

• Pre-diagnosis help
• Conservative therapy
• Operation

Contents

• 1 Causes of red stool
  • 1. 1 Use of coloring products
  • 1.2 Hemorrhoids
  • 1.3 Other diseases of the rectum
  • 1.4 Infections
  • 1.5 Inflammatory bowel disease
  • 1.6 Neoplasms 90 050
  • 1.7 Complications of pharmacotherapy
• 2 Diagnosis
• 3 Treatment
  • 3.1 Help before diagnosis
  • 3.2 Conservative therapy
  • 3.3 Surgical treatment

Causes of red stool

Consumption of coloring products

Most often, the appearance of red stool in adults is associated with the consumption of large amounts of food of the corresponding color: beets, tomatoes, berries. The reddish hue of the stool is caused by the artificial colors found in sweets and sodas. At the same time, the stool is of normal consistency, the frequency of bowel movements does not change. There are no other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Normalization of stool color occurs after 1-2 days.

Hemorrhoids

Blood from enlarged hemorrhoids is excreted in drops already at the onset of the disease. In this case, the feces have a normal color, but red streaks are noted on its surface. The frequency of stool with hemorrhoids is reduced to 3-4 times a week, due to reflex spasm of the rectal sphincter muscles. Characterized by pain in the anus, sharply aggravated by defecation.

As the disease progresses and the size of the venous nodes increases, hemorrhoidal bleeding becomes more frequent. The stool becomes oily or liquid and reddish in color due to the large amount of blood. In severe situations, with ulceration of the hemorrhoidal veins, profuse bleeding begins, in which the feces lose their fecal character, bright red blood is released from the anus.

Other diseases of the rectum

The appearance of red inclusions in the stool causes inflammation. In acute erosive proctitis, blood is released from the affected mucosa, which stains the stool. In the case of a bacterial infection, a liquid consistency of the stool with abundant bloody patches is observed. In addition, patients experience constant pain in the anal area during irradiation of the perineum and sacrum.

Red stool causes anal fissures. They are characterized by the occurrence of severe acute pain during defecation, so the stool is mixed with blood. Symptoms often develop with prolonged constipation, when a person has to make a lot of effort and dry, hard stools injure the intestinal mucosa. Perhaps the formation of an anal fissure in women after childbirth.

Infections

Red streaks in the stool are a characteristic symptom of dysentery (shigellosis). Bacterial toxins damage the walls of the intestines, from which blood is excreted. At the beginning of the disease, the feces are liquid, fecal in nature with single bloody inclusions. In severe cases, the number of bowel movements increases up to 10-12 times a day, defecation is difficult in the form of mucus mixed with blood. Patients complain of severe abdominal cramps, especially in the left sections.

Abundant red stools sometimes occur after 3-4 weeks in the typical course of typhoid fever, which is associated with bleeding from a deep typhoid ulcer. Liquid mucus stools with a large amount of blood of the “raspberry jelly” type is a pathognomonic sign of amoebiasis. In addition to the reddish color of the stool, there are severe pains in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting. With these symptoms, emergency medical attention is indicated.

Inflammatory bowel disease

In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, deep ulcerative defects are formed, bleeding. Red stool is more common in NUC because it damages the distal bowel. Against the background of a painful urgent urge to defecate, there is a passage of a scanty stool with mixtures of scarlet blood. Exacerbations provoke such causes as stress, inaccuracies in nutrition, concomitant intestinal infections.

Neoplasms

Occasionally, reddish stools are seen with colon polyps and other benign tumors that ulcerate over time due to constant trauma from hard stools. The red color of the stool is more common with cancerous tumors of the intestine, as they ulcerate and disintegrate faster with involvement of the vessels in the process. Disturbed by dull pain in the abdominal cavity, prolonged constipation, progressive weight loss.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

Most often, stool staining occurs during long-term treatment with the anti-tuberculosis drug rifampicin. It has a red color and, when ingested, turns into metabolites, which are excreted in different ways. Thus, not only feces acquire a reddish color, but also urine, lacrimal fluid, and sweat. Atypical coloration of the stool is sometimes possible with long-term use of high doses of vitamin A, which contains carotene pigments.

Diagnosis

If red stools are combined with complaints of pain and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient should consult a gastroenterologist. Diagnostic research involves a comprehensive examination of the digestive organs by laboratory and instrumental methods. The most informative are:

• Coprogram. To confirm the presence of blood in the stool, a Gregersen test is needed. Microscopic analysis assesses the amount of undigested food, the presence of leukocytes. If an infectious cause of red stool is suspected, bacterial culture of the stool on nutrient media is recommended. To diagnose OC, the level of calprotectin in the feces is determined.
• Endoscopy. Endoscopic examination has the greatest diagnostic value in organic diseases of the lower gastrointestinal tract. To study the state of the distal colon, it is enough to prescribe sigmoidoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. A colonoscopy examines the entire large intestine. During the procedure, a biopsy is taken from suspicious areas.
• X-ray method. For the purpose of a comprehensive assessment of the state of the digestive system, an X-ray of the passage of barium is shown, with the help of which destructive changes in the intestine and neoplasms are revealed. If it is not possible to perform a colonoscopy to diagnose colon pathology, double contrast irrigation is used.
• Laboratory test. In the general blood test, signs of anemia are revealed, the severity of which is associated with the degree of blood loss. To confirm the inflammatory cause of the appearance of red stools, biochemical analysis and an expanded immunogram are used. It is possible to establish bacterial infections in which the intestine is affected by detecting specific antibodies in the plasma.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Discharge of atypically colored feces caused by excessive consumption of red foods and proceeding against the background of good health does not require therapeutic measures. If the symptom is observed simultaneously with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, you should consult a doctor to find out why the red stool appeared. Intestinal bleeding requires emergency medical attention.

Conservative therapy

Treatment depends on the cause of the red color of the stool. In intestinal infections, along with drugs, therapeutic fasting or a sweet diet with strict restrictions is indicated; To correct the metabolism of water salts, oral rehydration is recommended. The purpose of the drugs is aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology that caused red stools. The most commonly used are:

• Antibiotics Selected drugs that selectively affect the bacteria of the intestinal group. For the best effect, they are combined with local antibacterial agents that act only in the intestinal lumen. In amebiasis, specific antiprotozoal drugs are indicated.
• Anesthetics. With hemorrhoids, an anal fissure comes to the fore, pain, for the relief of which candles and ointments with local anesthetics are used. Medicines improve the well-being of patients and create conditions for the rapid healing of mucosal defects.
• Derivatives of 5-aminosalicylic acid. These agents are essential for the treatment of UC and Crohn’s disease. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, stimulate the regeneration of the epithelium and the healing of intestinal ulcers. In severe forms, immunosuppressants are added to the treatment regimen.
• Plasma Replacement Solutions.