What does the color of your stool indicate about your health. How can changes in stool consistency signal potential health issues. When should you consult a doctor about changes in your bowel movements. What are the implications of different stool colors, from green to black.

The Rainbow of Stool Colors: What Each Shade Signifies

The color of our stool can provide valuable insights into our overall health and digestive system functioning. While brown is considered the standard hue for healthy bowel movements, variations in color can occur and may indicate underlying health issues or dietary changes. Let’s explore the spectrum of stool colors and their potential meanings.

Brown: The Healthy Baseline

Brown stool is typically considered normal and healthy. Why is brown the default color. The brown color primarily comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cell breakdown, which is processed in the liver and excreted in bile. As this substance passes through the digestive tract, it undergoes chemical changes that result in the characteristic brown color of stool.

Green: Dietary Influences or Rapid Transit

Green stool is often harmless and can be attributed to dietary factors. What causes green stool. Common culprits include:

• Consuming chlorophyll-rich foods like leafy greens, kale, and spinach
• Ingesting foods with green food coloring
• Taking iron supplements or certain medications

In some cases, green stool may indicate that food is moving through the digestive tract too quickly, not allowing enough time for bile to break down completely.

Yellow: Potential Digestive Issues

Yellow or greasy stools may signal problems with fat absorption or issues affecting the pancreas or gallbladder. Can yellow stool indicate a serious condition. While occasional yellow stools might not be cause for concern, persistent yellow bowel movements could indicate:

• Celiac disease
• Giardiasis (a parasitic infection)
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Gilbert’s syndrome

Black: Potential Bleeding in the Upper GI Tract

Black, tarry stools (medically known as melena) can be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Why do black stools indicate upper GI bleeding. As blood passes through the digestive system, it gets chemically altered, resulting in a black, sticky appearance. Potential causes of black stools include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Esophageal varices
• Gastritis
• Certain medications (e.g., iron supplements, bismuth subsalicylate)

It’s important to note that black stools due to upper GI bleeding are usually accompanied by a strong, distinctive odor. If you experience persistent black stools without an explainable cause, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider promptly.

Red: Lower GI Tract Concerns

Bright red blood in the stool or on toilet paper can be alarming, but it’s not always a sign of a serious condition. What causes red stools. Possible reasons for red-tinged stools include:

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Diverticulosis
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Colorectal polyps or cancer (in more serious cases)

While small amounts of bright red blood are often due to benign causes like hemorrhoids, it’s always best to consult a healthcare provider to rule out more serious conditions, especially if the bleeding is persistent or accompanied by other symptoms.

White or Clay-Colored: Liver or Biliary Issues

Pale, clay-colored, or white stools can indicate a lack of bile in the stool, which may point to problems with the liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts. Why do white stools signal liver or biliary issues. Bile, produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, is responsible for giving stool its characteristic brown color. When bile production or flow is impaired, it can result in light-colored stools. Potential causes include:

• Hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Gallstones
• Pancreatic cancer
• Certain medications

If you notice persistent white or clay-colored stools, especially if accompanied by dark urine or yellowing of the skin (jaundice), it’s important to seek medical attention promptly.

Stool Consistency: What Your Poop’s Texture Tells You

Beyond color, the consistency of your stool can provide valuable information about your digestive health and overall well-being. The Bristol Stool Chart, a medical aid designed to classify the form of human feces, categorizes stool consistency into seven types. Understanding where your bowel movements fall on this scale can help you gauge your digestive health.

Types 1 and 2: Hard and Lumpy

Stools that are hard, separate lumps (Type 1) or sausage-shaped but lumpy (Type 2) often indicate constipation. What causes hard, lumpy stools. Common factors contributing to constipation include:

• Insufficient fiber intake
• Dehydration
• Lack of physical activity
• Certain medications
• Underlying health conditions

Chronic constipation can lead to complications such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or fecal impaction. If you frequently experience hard, difficult-to-pass stools, it’s important to address the underlying causes and consult a healthcare provider if the issue persists.

Types 3 and 4: Ideal Consistency

Types 3 and 4 on the Bristol Stool Chart are considered ideal. Type 3 is described as sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface, while Type 4 is smooth and snake-like. Why are these consistencies considered optimal. These types of stools are easy to pass and indicate a healthy balance of fiber and water in the diet, as well as proper digestive function.

Types 5, 6, and 7: Loose to Watery

Stools that are soft blobs with clear-cut edges (Type 5), mushy consistency with ragged edges (Type 6), or entirely liquid (Type 7) may indicate diarrhea. What causes loose or watery stools. Common causes of diarrhea include:

• Viral or bacterial infections
• Food intolerances or allergies
• Certain medications
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Stress or anxiety

While occasional loose stools are usually not a cause for concern, persistent diarrhea can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. If diarrhea lasts more than a few days or is accompanied by severe symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention.

Frequency Matters: How Often Should You Go?

The frequency of bowel movements can vary widely from person to person, and what’s normal for one individual may not be normal for another. How often should you have a bowel movement. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, most health experts agree that a healthy range is anywhere from three times a day to three times a week.

Factors that can influence bowel movement frequency include:

• Diet and fiber intake
• Hydration levels
• Physical activity
• Age
• Medications
• Underlying health conditions

It’s important to pay attention to your own patterns and be aware of any significant changes. If you experience a sudden change in bowel movement frequency that lasts more than a few days, it’s worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

When to Seek Medical Attention: Red Flags in Stool Changes

While occasional changes in stool color, consistency, or frequency are often harmless, certain symptoms warrant prompt medical attention. When should you consult a doctor about changes in your stool. Be on the lookout for the following red flags:

• Persistent black or tarry stools
• Large amounts of bright red blood in the stool
• Ongoing diarrhea lasting more than a few days
• Severe abdominal pain or cramping
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chronic constipation not relieved by lifestyle changes
• Persistent changes in bowel habits
• Pale or clay-colored stools accompanied by dark urine or jaundice

These symptoms could indicate underlying health issues ranging from inflammatory bowel diseases to gastrointestinal cancers. Early detection and treatment of these conditions can significantly improve outcomes, so it’s essential not to ignore persistent changes in your bowel habits.

The Gut-Brain Connection: How Stress Affects Your Stool

The intricate relationship between our gut and brain, often referred to as the gut-brain axis, plays a significant role in our digestive health. How does stress impact bowel movements. Stress and anxiety can have profound effects on our gastrointestinal system, leading to changes in stool consistency, frequency, and even color.

During periods of stress, the body releases hormones and neurotransmitters that can:

• Alter gut motility, potentially leading to diarrhea or constipation
• Increase inflammation in the digestive tract
• Affect the balance of gut bacteria
• Increase sensitivity to pain in the gut

For some individuals, stress-induced changes in bowel habits can be severe enough to trigger or exacerbate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Managing stress through techniques such as mindfulness, regular exercise, and adequate sleep can help maintain a healthy gut-brain balance and promote regular bowel movements.

Diet and Stool Health: Eating for Optimal Digestion

What we eat plays a crucial role in determining the health of our stools and overall digestive function. How can diet influence stool characteristics. A balanced diet rich in fiber, adequate hydration, and mindful eating habits can promote regular, healthy bowel movements.

The Importance of Fiber

Dietary fiber is essential for maintaining healthy stools and regular bowel movements. Why is fiber crucial for digestive health. There are two main types of fiber, each with important roles:

• Soluble fiber: Absorbs water and forms a gel-like substance, helping to soften stools and regulate blood sugar levels
• Insoluble fiber: Adds bulk to stools and helps food move through the digestive system

Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Aim for at least 25-30 grams of fiber per day for optimal digestive health.

Hydration and Stool Consistency

Proper hydration is crucial for maintaining healthy stool consistency. How does water intake affect bowel movements. When you’re dehydrated, your body absorbs more water from your colon, leading to harder, more difficult-to-pass stools. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, and more if you’re physically active or in hot weather.

Probiotics and Gut Health

Probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, play a vital role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. How do probiotics influence stool health. These friendly bacteria can help:

• Improve digestion and nutrient absorption
• Regulate bowel movements
• Strengthen the immune system
• Reduce inflammation in the gut

You can incorporate probiotics into your diet through fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, or through high-quality probiotic supplements.

The Impact of Medications on Stool Characteristics

Many common medications can affect stool color, consistency, and frequency. How do different medications influence bowel movements. It’s important to be aware of these potential effects, especially when starting a new medication. Some examples include:

• Iron supplements: Can cause dark or black stools
• Antacids containing bismuth subsalicylate: May lead to black stools
• Antibiotics: Can alter gut bacteria balance, potentially causing diarrhea
• Opioid pain medications: Often cause constipation
• Certain blood pressure medications: May lead to diarrhea or constipation

If you notice persistent changes in your stool after starting a new medication, it’s important to discuss these side effects with your healthcare provider. They may be able to adjust your dosage or recommend alternatives to minimize gastrointestinal effects.

Understanding the various factors that influence stool characteristics can help you better monitor your digestive health and overall well-being. By paying attention to changes in color, consistency, and frequency, and making informed lifestyle choices, you can promote optimal digestive function and catch potential health issues early. Remember, while occasional variations are normal, persistent changes or concerning symptoms should always be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Stool Changes and What They Mean

When should I see my doctor about changes in stools?

You should talk to your doctor if you have stool changes in any of the following:

Color

The color of stools varies, but typically falls within the spectrum of brown color, depending on the foods you eat. You should be concerned if your stools are deep red, maroon, black, or “tarry,” especially if they have a noticeable odor. This may mean that there is blood in the stool.

Small amounts of bright red blood on stool or toilet paper are likely caused by hemorrhoids or a scratch in the rectal area, and generally should not cause concern. However, if more than a few bright red streaks are visible in the stool or on the toilet paper, or you develop bloody diarrhea, you should tell your healthcare provider.

In addition, pale stools that are clay or white in color and often accompanied by a change in urine color (dark urine) could indicate a problem with your biliary tree, such as bile duct stones, or liver-related issues. You should notify your healthcare provider or go to your local Emergency Department if you develop fevers, chills, right-sided upper abdominal pain, or yellowing of the skin.

Consistency (degree of firmness)

Stools should be soft and pass easily. Hard, dry stools might be a sign of constipation. You should notify your healthcare provider if constipation lasts longer than two weeks. Also, if you have nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and have not been able to pass gas or stools, this could mean that there is an obstruction (blockage). You should tell your provider or go to your local Emergency Department.

If stool becomes impacted (lodged) in the rectum, mucus and fluid will leak out around the stool, leading to fecal incontinence. Call your healthcare provider if you have mucus or fluid leakage from the rectum.

Diarrhea is bowel movements that are loose and watery. Diarrhea is a common condition and is usually not serious. You should call your healthcare provider if:

• You have severe abdominal pain or discomfort with your diarrhea that does not go away when you pass stools or gas.
• Diarrhea is accompanied by fever of 101 degrees or higher, chills, vomiting, or fainting.
• Severe diarrhea lasts longer than two days in an adult, one day in a child under age 3, or eight hours in an infant under 6 months.
• You develop severe diarrhea and have taken antibiotics recently.
• You are elderly, were recently hospitalized, pregnant, or immunocompromised (take steroids, TNF-alpha inhibitors such as infliximab [Remicade®] or etanercept [Enbrel®], or transplant rejection medications).
• You have diarrhea that lasts for more than two weeks.

Frequency

The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements several times a day, others only once or twice a week.

Going longer than three days without having a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass. Constipation then occurs as bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. If you have constipation for more than two weeks, you should see a doctor so that he or she can determine what the problem is and treat it.

Only a small number of patients with constipation have a more serious underlying medical problem (such as poor function of the thyroid gland, diabetes, or colon cancer). For a patient who has colon cancer, early detection and treatment might be lifesaving.

You should also contact your healthcare provider if you have unexplained, sudden urges to have a bowel movement. This could be a sign of a mass in the rectum or inflammatory bowel disease.

What Does Stool Color Mean?

We can learn a lot from poop. Seriously, hear me out. What comes out can tell us a lot about what’s going on inside. Color, consistency, appearance, and odor are all indications of how healthy, or unhealthy, you are. Think of it like reading tea leaves, except with hard science to back it up.

So What Can We Learn from Stool Color?

Brown might be the standard color of bowel movements, but it’s not the only color. Actually, if it comes out another color, it’s a good idea to start asking questions. While it’s probably nothing, you can’t be too cautious. The human body isn’t like a machine where you can simply take a look under the hood to make sure everything is functioning properly. What you excrete is one of the best indicators of your wellness. Let’s take a look at what some common “alternative” colors can mean.

Green Stool

Green stool is not usually a cause for concern; it’s probably just something you ate. Foods high in chlorophyll, like kale and spinach, can lend your voidings that viridian hue. Certain types of algae or other supplements can also cause stool to be green. ^[1]

If you’re sure, however, that such foods aren’t the culprit, it’s time to start looking into possible digestive concerns. The liver produces bile, which is green in color, and uses it to break down fats. Stool should pass from the small intestine to the colon, changing color along the way from green to yellow to brown. Green stool could mean that food is passing through the digestive system too quickly and the color change doesn’t finish. ^[1]

It’s worth noting that infants have a much faster bowel transit time than adults. Green stool is common in breastfeeding infants and usually nothing to worry about.^[2]

White Stool

Mucus is the most common cause of white stool and it’s not unusual. Mucus traps bacteria and helps waste pass through the colon. If the white disintegrates into the water, it’s likely just mucus. It can also be a sign of fast bowel transit time. ^[3][4] However, kidney health concerns or issues in the biliary system are serious causes of white stool.

Yellow Stool

Like green stool, yellow stool is common and benign with newborns and something that will pass, pardon the pun. ^[2] Yellow stool is not normal for adults. The lone exception to this would be a situation in which a massive amount of yellow food coloring had been recently ingested. If you see yellow stool, organs such as the stomach, liver, large intestine, or small intestine, may be experiencing trouble. See a health professional sooner than later. ^[5]

Red Stool

A reddish color can indicate a few things, among them and most important, the presence of blood in your stool. The hue or tone of red in your stool can tell you something about its source. For example, a bright red color may be caused by hemorrhoids or an anal fissure. Other reasons for a red color can be foods like beets and blueberries or excess iron. ^[8]

Other Stool Colors

A dark black can indicate that the source of blood is the upper digestive tract. If your stool is dark black, you should seek immediate medical attention. ^[6][7]

Dark brown can result from red wine, excess salt, or not eating enough vegetables.

References (8)

1. Picco, Michael F., M.D. “Stool Color: When to Worry.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
2. den Hertog J, van Leengoed E, Kolk F, van den Broek L, Kramer E, Bakker EJ, Bakker-van Gijssel E, Bulk A, Kneepkens F, Benninga MA. The defecation pattern of healthy term infants up to the age of 3 months. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2012 Nov;97(6):F465-70. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-300539. Epub 2012 Apr 20.
3. Shah I, Bhatnagar S, Dhabe H. Clinical and biochemical factors associated with biliary atresia. Trop Gastroenterol. 2012 Jul-Sep;33(3):214-7.
4. Bakshi B, Sutcliffe A, Akindolie M, Vadamalayan B, John S, Arkley C, Griffin LD, Baker A. How reliably can paediatric professionals identify pale stool from cholestatic newborns? Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2012 Sep;97(5):F385-7. doi: 10.1136/fetalneonatal-2010-209700.
5. Morris, Susan York, and Natalie Butler, RD, LD. “Why Is My Stool Yellow?” Healthline. Healthline, 21 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
6. Witting MD1, Magder L, Heins AE, Mattu A, Granja CA, Baumgarten M. ED predictors of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding in patients without hematemesis. Am J Emerg Med. 2006 May;24(3):280-5.
7. Huang J, Zhong M, Tang Y, Lu J, Li X, Li G. Clinical features of 50 cases of primary gastric lymphoma. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2012 Oct;37(10):997-1002. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7347.2012.10.005.
8. Lancaster J, Sylvia LM, Schainker E. Nonbloody, red stools from coadministration of cefdinir and iron-supplemented infant formulas. Pharmacotherapy. 2008 May;28(5):678-81. doi: 10.1592/phco.28.5.678.

†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.

This entry was posted in Cleansing, Colon Cleanse, Constipation, Digestive Issues, Gut and Digestive Health, Gut Flora, Health
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Causes and When to See a Doctor

Black stool can be caused by eating certain foods, taking certain medications or supplements (like iron), or it can be the result of something more serious. Stool is also known as bowel movements, feces, or poop, and bodily waste left over after digestion.

See a doctor if you have a history of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, your stool has an especially foul smell, or the problem lasts longer than a few days.

This article explores the symptoms and causes of black stool.

Verywell / Laura Porter

Quick Facts About Black Stool

• Most cases of black stools are from eating black foods or iron supplements.
• Stool that is black due to blood indicates a problem in the upper GI tract.
• Blood in the stool can be detected through a stool test.
• See your doctor right away if you have black stool along with pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• If you suspect there is blood in your stool, contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Food and Supplements

Black stools could be caused by food, supplements, medication, or minerals. Iron supplements, taken alone or as part of a multivitamin for iron-deficiency anemia, may cause black stools or even green stools.

Foods that are dark blue, black, or green may also cause black stools. Substances that are often found to cause black stools include:

If you’re seeing black stools and can trace it back to a food you ate, that’s OK. However, you should consult with a doctor immediately if black stools cannot be traced back to a food, an iron supplement, or Pepto-Bismol.

If there’s no obvious reason for a black stool, it could be time to look for blood in the stool. A variety of medical reasons can cause black stools that are also tarry with a foul smell.

Blood in the Stool (Melena)

Blood that comes from the upper GI tract—such as the esophagus or the stomach—may turn the stool black. This is a condition called melena. If you have melena, you may also notice that your stool has a tarry texture or is similar to coffee grounds.

As the blood passes through the body and interacts with enzymes in the digestive process, the blood changes from red to black. This makes it a bit more difficult to tell if there is red blood in or on the stool.

Bright red blood in or on the stool is typically blood from the lower GI tract, such as the rectum or the colon. This is a condition called hematochezia. Blood stemming from this region will be more red in appearance, because it will be exposed to less of the digestive process.

If the black stool appears tarry, or you also have other symptoms such as fainting or near-fainting, dizziness, pain, or vomiting, contact a doctor immediately, as it could be a medical emergency.

Some people may have a known risk factor for bleeding in the GI tract. Talk to a doctor about the potential for bleeding and blood in the stool if any of these potential risk factors apply to you:

• Liver disease
• Cancer
• Dieulafoy lesion (a rare condition of the stomach)
• Erosive esophagitis (inflammation in the esophagus)
• Erosive gastritis (inflammation in the stomach)
• Intestinal ischemia (blood supply to the intestines is cut off)
• Peptic ulcers (sores in the stomach lining or upper part of small intestine)
• Tear in the esophagus (Mallory-Weiss tear)
• Varices (abnormally large veins) in the esophagus or stomach

Diagnosis

The black color alone is not enough to determine whether or not there is blood in the stool. Remember, it could be caused by food or iron supplements. Therefore, a doctor will need to confirm if there is blood, which may require various tests.

Your doctor may have you collect a small stool sample at home using a special kit, which is then sent to a lab for evaluation.

If you are diagnosed with melena, a physician may order further diagnostic tests to determine the cause and the exact location of the bleeding.

In particular, your healthcare provider may conduct an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD, or upper endoscopy). This procedure involves inserting a flexible tube with a camera down your throat so that your doctor can inspect the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine.

Aside from an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), other tests that might be done include:

• X-rays
• Blood tests
• Colonoscopy (an internal examination of your large intestine)
• Stool culture (a test that looks for bacteria in a sample of your stool)
• Barium studies (X-rays taken after a chalky liquid is ingested)

Causes of Blood in Stool

Stool that is visibly black and tarry typically indicates the presence of an acute condition in the upper GI tract. After the bleeding has stopped, stool may continue to appear black and tarry for several days.

Possible causes of melena include a bleeding ulcer, gastritis, esophageal varices (enlarged veins), or a tear in the esophagus from violent vomiting (Mallory-Weiss tear).

Ulcer

An ulcer is a type of sore on the lining of the stomach that can cause bleeding and result in melena. Contrary to popular belief, stomach ulcers are not usually caused by stress or spicy food, although these can aggravate an already existing ulcer.

In fact, stomach ulcers are usually caused by an infection with bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection. Your doctor may also recommend an acid reducer.

Long-term use of pain medications, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are another cause of stomach ulcers. NSAIDs include common over-the-counter drugs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and aspirin. Some NSAIDs are prescribed by physicians.

NSAIDs can irritate the stomach by weakening the lining’s ability to resist acid made in the stomach. For this same reason, NSAIDs have an adverse effect on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—conditions that cause ulcers and inflammation of the GI tract.

Stomach ulcers caused by NSAIDs usually heal after the offending drug is discontinued.

Gastritis

Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. This inflammation can be caused by too much alcohol, eating spicy foods, smoking, infection with bacteria, or by the prolonged use of NSAIDs. Gastritis can also develop after surgery or trauma, or it may be associated with already existing medical conditions.

Gastritis that is left untreated can lead to stomach ulcers and other complications. Some people have no symptoms, while acute, suddenly occurring cases of gastritis may only result in tarry, black stool.

Persistent bleeding can lead to more severe symptoms like:

• Abdominal pain
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Indigestion

If your doctor suspects gastritis, they may prescribe antacids or proton pump inhibitors, antibiotics that treat H. pylori infection, or sucralfate—a drug that helps the stomach heal by soothing irritation.

If these treatments fail to resolve your symptoms, your doctor may order an upper endoscopy to take a closer look at your stomach and small intestine.

Esophageal Varices

Esophageal varices are enlarged veins in the wall of the lower esophagus or upper stomach. When these veins rupture, they may cause bleeding and lead to blood in the stool or in vomit.

Esophageal varices are serious complications resulting from high blood pressure brought on by cirrhosis of the liver.

Most people with esophageal varices experience no symptoms unless the veins rupture. Symptoms of bleeding esophageal varices include:

• Melena
• Vomiting blood
• Lightheadedness
• Fainting

These symptoms warrant immediate medical attention, as bleeding esophageal varices are life-threatening.

Mallory-Weiss Tear

This is a tear in the mucous membrane that joins the esophagus and the stomach. If this tear bleeds, it can result in melena.

This condition is fairly rare. It only only occurs in about seven out of 100,000 people in the US and may be caused by violent vomiting, coughing, or epileptic convulsions. About 5% of people with a Mallory-Weiss tear do not survive.

Like other conditions that cause melena, symptoms of a Mallory-Weiss tear may not be obvious. Along with tarry, black stool, some people may experience any of the following:

• Vomiting tarry blood
• Lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain

For most people, the tear will heal on its own. If it does not resolve itself, you may need endoscopic treatment to seal the lesion. This may either take the form of a medication that is injected internally, or a type of heat therapy known as electrocoagulation.

Summary

Stool that appears black is not always a sign of a bigger health problem. Your stool can look black as a result of food or iron supplements you have eaten. If that’s the case, the color will return to normal within a day or so.

If it doesn’t, and if you cannot trace it back to something you have eaten, ask yourself:

• Does the stool have a tarry appearance, somewhat like coffee grounds?
• Is there an especially foul smell that has not gone away?
• Does my medical history place me at risk for gastrointestinal bleeding?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, or if you are experiencing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or lightheadedness, you should contact your healthcare provider.

A Word From Verywell

Though it may be surprising to see, occasional black stool is not something to worry about so long as it occurs after you eat dark-colored foods or take an iron supplement.

That said, if black or tarry stools cannot be attributed to something you have consumed, or you simply feel like something is off, it’s best to get checked out. Some of the conditions that cause GI bleeding can be life-threatening unless treated promptly.

What Poop Can Tell You About Your Gut Health

Pooping. We all do it! But have you ever experienced a sudden change in your stools?

Maybe they turned green or black one day?

Or you went three days without pooping – when you usually go at least once a day!

Maybe it’s lumpier than usual?

Or maybe it has a foul odor – and not even the air freshener can mask it!

Amazingly, your poop can tell us a lot about your health and what’s going on in your gastrointestinal tract – and whether you should go see a GI doctor.

Understanding the Bristol Stool Scale

The Bristol Stool Scale is a useful reference for patients and healthcare professionals to check if the form of poop is healthy – looking at size, shape and consistency. In case you’re wondering, the chart is named after the hospital at which it was developed – The Bristol Royal Infirmary, a teaching hospital in England.

The Bristol Stool Scale depicts 7 types of stool, ranging from the hard and difficult to pass to the liquid form of diarrhea. Your poop is made up of waste products your body needs to remove, which may include undigested food (such as fiber, which cannot be digested), bacteria and salts.

Type 1 – Separate hard lumps, often difficult to pass and sometimes described as resembling nuts in shape and size.
Type 2 – A lumpy sausage shape that can also be difficult to pass.
Type 3 – Sausage-shaped, but with several cracks running across the surface.
Type 4 – A smooth long snake shape, no cracks or lumps.
Type 5 – A series of soft blobs with well-defined edges
Type 6 – Mushy consistency with ragged edges, looking more like a pile than clear separate stools.
Type 7 – Liquid in form, containing no solid pieces.

But what can the Bristol Stool Scale tell you about your health?

If Bowel Movements Could Talk

The reason the Bristol Stool Scale is so useful is that it indicates when poop is normal and – alongside some additional monitoring on color, smell and frequency – when it’s abnormal. Knowing if your stools are not normal enables us to investigate the possible underlying causes of your poop issues.

6 Things Your Bowels Are Trying To Tell You:

1. Signs of Healthy Digestion
The good news is that if you have Bristol Type 3 or 4 – your poop is normal! You’re getting enough water and fiber, and your stools are healthy.

2. Indicator of Constipation
Bristol Type 1 or 2, where the poop is hard and difficult to pass, are indicative of constipation. Often, these types of stool can be painful to pass. Short-term constipation is nothing to sweat about – but if you’ve been experiencing it for weeks or even months, it’s time to see a gastroenterologist to get checked out.

Constipation can be an indicator of the following conditions:

• Poor lifestyle choices – A sedentary lifestyle, a diet lacking in nutrition or simply not drinking enough plain water.
• Diabetes – Poorly managed diabetes can damage the nerves supplying the digestive tract, causing constipation.
• Thyroid conditions – Low levels of thyroid hormone often leads to chronic constipation.
• Pregnancy – An increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy relaxes the muscles in the lining of the digestive tract, leading to more sluggish movement of the bowels and constipation.
• Bowel obstruction – When a blockage inside your colon prevents your waste from passing through your digestive tract, constipation can be one of the first signs, but abdominal pain or cramping and a bloated stomach are other important indicators. You must contact your doctor immediately if you suspect bowel obstruction – it’s very serious.

3.Indicator of Diarrhea
Bristol Types 5 through 7 are consistent with diarrhea. Type 5 suggests that a lack of fiber is the main problem, while 6 and 7 suggest an inflammatory process. When there’s too much water but not enough fiber in your stool, it causes your poop to become too soft – usually, the fiber in your poop soaks up the water.

Inflammatory diarrhea occurs as a response to food poisoning, other severe infections or as a result of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis).

4. Stool Color
The color of adult poop can also reveal a lot about your health:

Dark brown – A healthy color caused by bilirubin – a pigment released by the breakdown of old red blood cells.

Black – Iron supplements and certain foods and medications can cause black stools, but a black, sticky, tar-like appearance may be due to gastrointestinal bleeding.

White – A lack of bile caused by issues with the gallbladder, liver or pancreas can cause pale grey or white stools.

Green – Certain plant foods can cause your poop to turn green. Green poop can also be due to too much bile or too little bilirubin.

Red – Certain red foods can cause your poop to turn red, but red-colored poop can also be the result of intestinal bleeding or hemorrhoids.

Orange – Foods rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots, can turn your stools orange. Blocked bile ducts and certain medications can cause your poop to turn orange as well.

Yellow – A yellow or greasy-looking stool may contain too much fat — due to malabsorption or due to a lack of certain enzymes (including bile).

5. Pooping Frequency
Bowel frequency varies from patient to patient, but a 2010 study shows that most people poop anywhere between 3 times a day to 3 times a week! Everyone has their own routine and typically you may find yourself passing stools at the same time every day. If there is no pattern to your pooping then there may be an underlying gastrointestinal issue.

6. Odor
Poop should smell bad, as it’s made up of all the stuff your body needs to get rid of including bacteria that give off strong smelly gases. However, truly foul-smelling stools may be the result of an infection, Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Celiac Disease.

Bowel Movements and Colon Cancer

There are several bowel movement characteristics that are red flags for colon cancer. Colon cancer is a form of cancer that is easier to treat the sooner it’s detected. So, if you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s worthwhile visiting a gastroenterologist for peace of mind.

Symptoms of colon cancer include – but are not limited to:

• blood in your stool
• diarrhea
• constipation
• change in frequency – needing to poop more or less than you’re used to
• change in consistency
• incomplete bowel movements – where you feel like your bowels don’t empty completely

These changes by themselves may not mean anything but two or more of these differences in pooping should be checked out by a digestive health expert.

When to See a Doctor About Your Poop

Either due to embarrassment or minimizing their symptoms, many patients wait before booking an appointment with a gastroenterologist – often taking months to give us a call. But pooping is natural – everybody does it – and making an appointment sooner rather than later can be absolutely beneficial to your health.

Still wondering if you should book an appointment?

Have you experienced:

• Blood in your stool or in the toilet bowl?
• A significant change in bowel movements – for example, have you gone from two daily bowel movements to only going every other day?
• Chronic diarrhea?
• Chronic constipation?
• Very foul-smelling stools?
• Bowel incontinence?

If so, then you need to book an appointment with a gastroenterologist who can help you determine what’s going on with your gastrointestinal health and come up with a course of treatment to get you feeling more like your regular self.

If you’re concerned about a change in your stools or other gastrointestinal symptoms, or you’re looking for a board-certified gastroenterologist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, don’t hesitate to get in touch. It’s my passion to help patients find long-term lasting relief for their gastrointestinal issues. You can request an appointment by calling (817) 267-8470 or filling out a form online.

What the different colours of poop mean

While the shape of your poop is important, the colour of your stool can reveal underlying health issues. Here is what the colour of your poop is trying to tell you.

Green poop

Green poop can be an indicator that your stool is moving too rapidly through your digestive tract which leaves more bile salts than bilirubin.

A green colour can also be caused by eating green foods such as spinach.  You can also experience green poop if you eat food that has a lot of green food colouring in it. Some iron supplements can also cause a green hue in your stool.

Red poop

Sometimes when you eat beetroot it can create a red hue in your stool and may even cause red urine, so don’t panic if that is the case. Red poop can however be of concern as it can indicate rectal or gastrointestinal bleeding.

If you notice light, bright red blood in your stool it could be a result of haemorrhoids (piles) or an anal fissure. When there is a larger amount of darker blood present this could be a result of bleeding in the lower intestinal tract.

Other medical reasons could be:

• Noncancerous tumours
• Polyps, which are growths in your colon
• Colitis, which is the inflammation of the colon
• Diverticular disease, which causes small sacs in the wall of the colon.
• Cancer

If bleeding light persists and is accompanied by excessive pain or if large volumes of blood are present in your stool, you should visit your healthcare provider immediately.

Black poop

In new-born babies, greenish-black poop (known as meconium) is normal for the first few days after birth. In adults, the appearance of black coloured stools occur when dark-coloured foods (such as liquorice and blueberries) are consumed in large amounts or certain medications (those containing bismuth subsalicylate) and supplements (especially iron supplements) are taken.

If you have not ingested any of the above, a black coloured, stool that is hard and tar-like could mean you have more serious health issues. If the texture of your poop is in granule form (like ground coffee) it can be an indication of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This could be caused by: 

• Sores that are bleeding in the oesophagus due to acid reflux.
• Ulcers
• Noncancerous tumours
• Cancer

It is best to consult your doctor for a thorough evaluation.

Yellowish poop

In breastfeeding babies yellow poop is completely normal. For many adults, this shade can be quite normal too as long as there is no foul stench attached to it (other than the normal smell). However, if your stool is a combination of yellow and  greasy and smells more than usual, it could be a result of the fat present therein and a sign that your body is not properly digesting food and absorbing nutrients.

In diseases such as celiac disease, where the body cannot absorb the nutrients from certain foods, this shade of poop can be common. Occasionally the yellow hue may be due to dietary causes, with gluten often being the culprit. You should consult with your doctor if your stool is commonly yellow.

White, grey or pale

When you have a lack of bile (which gives poop its healthy brown colour), it can cause a white, grey or pale stool. This is an indication that there might be an issue with your gallbladder or liver (which are responsible for secreting bile).Hepatitis, which is a liver disease can stop bile from entering your body’s waste. A blockage in the bile ducts that are responsible for carrying bile, can also keep bile from reaching the body’s waste products. This could be caused by a tumour, gallstones or Biliary atresia, a medical condition that some are born with.

Certain medications for diarrhoea, heartburn and nausea are also known to cause a pale-hued stool. Barium, which is ingested before taking x-rays of the upper part of your digestive system, can also cause white coloured stools.

Orange poop

Orange coloured poop is mostly caused by beta-carotene, which a common compound found in grains, vegetables, and fruits. For example, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and carrots.

Taking certain medications like the antibiotic rifampin, those used for heartburn, acid indigestion or stomach upset that contain aluminium hydroxide and certain orally ingested tanning pills may cause an orange stool.

Health wise, blocked bile ducts  can also cause orange hues in your poop.

Is My Dog’s Poop Abnormal?

Dog poop: it may not be the most pleasant topic, but healthy dog poop is often an indication of a healthy pup. Keeping an eye on the characteristics of your dog’s poop can be a good way to track any health problems they might be experiencing. Let’s take a look at what differentiates healthy dog poop vs. abnormal poop that could be a sign of underlying health problems.

What Does the Perfect Poop Look Like?

Dog poop has four main “C” characteristics: color, content, consistency, and coating. Color is related to what your pet eats; ranging in shades from golden brown to darker mahogany, depending on the ingredients in your pet’s food. For the content part of the poop, you may want to let your veterinarian do the “dirty” work. Most people won’t see much of anything inside the poop without a microscope. Healthy dog poop should also be a little firm in consistency, like play dough. Ideally, it should be in log shapes with little cleaves in it that if you were to roll it, it would break into smaller pieces. Finally, healthy poop does not have a coating on it at all. So, if your pooch has a chocolate-brown, somewhat firm, coating-free poop with nothing noticeably sticking out of it, you are all clear. However, read on for signs that could indicate a health issue.

When to be Alarmed by Your Pet’s Poop

Again, the four Cs of pet poop can help you determine when your dog may be sick. Although it may not be pleasant, observing your dog’s stool while it is fresh is the easiest time to catch irregularities.

Content Concerns

• Worms: These could be long and skinny or look like little pieces of rice. Again, you should only be concerned if these appear in the fresh sample. If stool sits outside for a while, worms may find their way to it.
• Fur: Big clumps of fur in the stool could be a sign of over grooming, allergies, or skin disease. Keep an eye on how often you are seeing fur in the stool and discuss it with your vet.
• Foreign materials: Grass, plastic, rocks, cloth and even money can sometimes be found in your dog’s stool, after all dogs can sometimes ingest some odd things. Although what goes in often comes out, if you notice strange items in your dog’s stool, you may want to call your vet to confirm whether they want to do a thorough check or X-ray. In some cases, dogs have gotten foreign objects stuck in their digestive tract and they need to have them surgically removed. This is why it is best to call your vet immediately if you notice bits of cloth or plastic in your dog’s poop.

Coating Clues

If you’re picking up your pet’s stool off the grass, there shouldn’t be any sort of trail left behind. A coating of mucus often accompanies large bowel inflammation and usually occurs concurrently with diarrhea. If you notice this mucus in your dog’s stool for more than one day, you should contact your vet to gauge your next steps.

Color Key

Below is a simple guide of what healthy dog poop looks like vs. unhealthy based on color.

• Brown: A healthy pup’s bowel movements should be chocolate brown in color.
• Green: Green stool could indicate that your dog is eating grass, perhaps to soothe an upset stomach.
• Black or maroon: This could be a sign of bleeding in the stomach or the small intestines.
• Red streaks: This is another sign of bleeding, probably in the lower gastrointestinal tract or colon.
• Yellow: Yellow stool could mean problems with the liver, pancreas or gallbladder.
• White spots: Your pup might have worms if you notice small white spots in their stool.

Consistency

When evaluating the consistency of stool, most vets use a scale from one to five, one being very runny or liquid and five being firm and cylindrical in shape. Appropriately, the optimal consistency falls at a number five on the scale. However, if your dog’s stool is a little loose, don’t get alarmed. Just monitor your dog’s poop to see if it keeps getting softer and softer, and keep samples refrigerated in case you do need to take them to the vet.

It’s important to take healthy stool samples to wellness visits for your pet, so that if your pet does start to show signs of an unhealthy stool, your vet has some past records to compare it to. If your dog is experiencing what seems to be healthy stools, but has other signs of illness (not eating, vomiting, lethargy, etc.), it is still a good idea to take a stool sample anytime you need to take your pet to the vet. Many times, bits of information can be discovered by putting the stool sample under a microscope or running other tests.

Collecting the Stool Sample

It’s very likely that you have found many different ways to clean up poop around your yard or while out for a walk. From pooper scoopers to special biodegradable bags, when it comes to cleaning up dog feces, there is no shortage of equipment. So, when you’re collecting a healthy dog poop or even an unhealthy stool sample to take to the vet, be sure to use a clean bag, pick the sample up gently, and place into a clean, shallow plastic container with a lid. Refrigerate the sample until you are able to get it to the vet. If the poop is too watery to pick up, be sure to take a few clear photos with your smartphone to show the consistency. You can also try to get some of the wet poop into a container using a clean craft stick or plastic spoon. Never take a stool sample that has been sitting in the heat or in the grass for long periods of time. These samples could have dirt or parasites that were not part of the stool. One last thing to note: cleaning up dog poop quickly is also beneficial to your dog. Too much feces lying around in the backyard could lead your dog to start eating their own poop. There are also issues with public health where dog feces can seep into the water table and contaminate water sources. It should also be mentioned that you should wash your hands after picking up any poop even if you wear gloves or use the bag over your hand just to be safe.

Final Poop Pointers

Remember, your dog’s stool tells a lot about their health. Follow these tips to better understand their dog and their health:

• When your dog poops, look for the four Cs: color, content, consistency, and coating.
• Always take fresh stool samples to every vet appointment.
• Clean up dog poop immediately whether on walks or in the backyard.
• If your dog has an accident in the house, get them outside right away and try to positively reinforce proper poop procedure.
• Notify your vet immediately if your dog’s stools change drastically, your dog starts eating their own poop, having frequent accidents in the house, or if they’ve gone more than 24 hours without pooping.

Dog poop isn’t a subject matter that we all enjoy talking about, but it can be a good indicator of your dog’s overall health. Catching signs early can help ensure you keep them healthy.

Contributor Bio

Chrissie Klinger

Chrissie Klinger is a pet parent that enjoys sharing her home with her furkids, two of her own children and her husband. Chrissie enjoys spending time with all her family members when she is not teaching, writing or blogging. She strives to write articles that help pet owners live a more active and meaningful life with their pets.

A Complete Guide To Dog’s Stool (Color, Shape, & Consistency)

When your pooch is ill, we know it can be tough to figure out the best course of action. Sometimes, it can be just as tricky to figure out when there’s a problem. After all, pets aren’t always able to tell us when they aren’t feeling their best.

In addition to regular checkups at the vet, there are a few things you can do as a responsible owner to monitor your pet’s health. One of the most effective measures you can take? Observe your dog’s stool.

Importance of Dog Stool Monitoring

The sight might put you off, but it is incredibly important when it comes to safeguarding your pet’s health. In this blog post, you’ll learn what different colors and shapes mean, and what the presence of fluids such as blood, saliva, and mucus in dog stool can indicate.

Read on to educate yourself about how to decode your dog’s stool and catch a potentially dangerous health problem early.

Healthy Dog’s Poop: What Should It Look Like?

Before we get into the possible problems that can come from abnormal dog stool, let’s first take make sure you have a clear understanding of what “normal” looks like.

The definition of “normal” dog stool varies from breed to breed. As a result, it’s crucial that you get to know your dog’s bathroom habits. However, there are a few more general indicators of normal dog stool that can help determine whether there is an underlying issue. Watch the video below:

Normal Color of Dog’s Poop

As you might have guessed, the normal color for dog stool is a medium shade of brown. What makes that brown color? Usually, it’s something called Bilirubin, which is formed in the dog’s liver and broken down into Stercobilin. However, depending on your dog’s breed and diet, brown may not always be the most common color of dog stool. The color can also be an indication of your dog’s regular diet.

The best way to know what’s normal, once again, is to get up close and personal with your pet. You can use our dog poop color chart in this guide below.

Normal Shape & Texture of Dog’s Stool

No matter what dog breed you have, for the most part, the shape of your dog’s stool will be something like a log. Again, this depends on your dog’s size and diet. When it comes to the consistency and thickness of the stool, there is also an average.

In general, it shouldn’t be too much trouble for you to pick up. Usually, the stool won’t stick to the grass, but will be easy to lift and won’t come apart as you do so. A healthy dog’s poop shouldn’t have any fluids such as blood, frothy saliva and any form of mucus. Lastly, it shouldn’t have any parasites or foreign objects.

Dog Stool Abnormalities

Now that we’ve established what makes for normal dog stool, let’s take a look at some of the most common abnormalities, and what they might indicate. We know this isn’t the most pleasant topic in the world, but for the sake of your pet, we urge you to keep on reading.

Dog Poop Size

Essentially, to figure out if your dog’s stool size is abnormal, take a look at it in comparison to how much they’re eating. If they haven’t touched as much of their food as they usually do, but are frequently asking to be taken out, there’s likely a problem. It is the same with the size of the stool itself. If it doesn’t seem to “match up” with how much they’re eating, a trip to the vet may be in order.

Take some time to examine your dog’s diet. A food that is high in carbohydrates and most notably high in fiber will result in a bulkier stool. This is also especially the case for dog foods with plenty of fillers, by-products and non-chelated minerals. These ingredients pass through the digestive tract and straight out as waste.

Dog Poop Color Guide

Below is dog poop color chart you can learn from refer to:

Why Is My Dog’s Poop Yellow?

If you’ve noticed that your dog’s stool has a yellowish tint to it or a mustard-yellow shade, this can signify a problem in the intestines.

Commonly, a dog’s poop is yellow because it has moved so quickly through your dog’s digestive system (i.e., feeding chicken and rice) that it never came into contact with Stercobilin, what gives that brown color to stool. Usually, this is a sign of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in dogs or issues within the pancreas.

If the stool is a bright yellow shade, you might be dealing with liver problems or issues within your dog’s gallbladder. The same goes if you notice an orange tone to the color.

Dog Poop With Yellow Mucus

Canine stool with yellow mucus indicates health problems related to the digestive organs specifically an inflammation or an infection present in the gastrointestinal tract. Ask your Vet to check your dog for Colitis.

Why is My Dog’s Stool Purple?

If you notice a purplish tint (think blueberry jam) color in your dog’s stool, there’s a serious issue. It could be a cause of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. This happens when the lining of your dog’s intestines are clogged with pieces of tissue also resulting to excessive release of gas.

Why Is My Dog’s Poop Grey?

If your dog’s stool is somewhat grey in color, it’s likely your pet is experiencing liver issues (pancreas of biliary) due to inflammation caused most often by a high-fat diet. It may also be having trouble properly absorbing nutrients.

Why Is My Dog’s Poop Green?

Some dogs love to munch on grass, but this behavior causes your dog to produce a green stool. Another reason why dogs have green poop is due to a high-chlorophyll diet consisting of green leafy vegetables. Lastly, if food intake is not the cause, it could also be due to a gallbladder issue.

Why Is My Dog’s Stool White?

If your dog stool is white or chalky, it could be from eating a diet high in minerals (most notably with calcium), from eating raw a food consisting of bones and meat. Lastly, your dog’s poop may be white because of a bile-duct obstruction caused by antibiotics and other medication.

Why Is My Dog’s Poop Black?

Here are several reasons why your dog’s poop is black. It could be a result of hemorrhage which leads to a blood in the stool. Health conditions such as Addison’s Disease, liver and kidney diseases also produces black stool in dogs. 

Why Is My Dog’s Stool Orange?

Just like the case for yellow stool, dog’s poop may be orange due to the food moving too quickly in the digestive system. However, on a more serious note, orange stool indicate serious health problems such as pancreatitis and liver problems.

We’ll talk more about abnormal dog stool color in the section below, relating to blood in the stool. For the most part, if you notice abnormalities in the color of your dog’s stool for several days, it’s time to schedule a trip to the vet. Don’t forget to refer to our dog poop color chart.

Canine Stool Shape

Finally, let’s take a look at abnormal stool shapes and consistency for dogs. Below is a general dog poop consistency chart:

Why is My Dog’s Poop Thin?

A dog that has a thin stool, and are coming out in smaller strips (we apologize for that visual), it might mean that your dog has a rectal injury. It could also mean there’s an issue in your dog’s intestine’s that causing them to become narrower. If your male dog is older and experiencing those thin strips, they may have an enlarged prostate, which means you need to head to the vet ASAP.

Understand Why your Dog’s Poop is Round

Sometimes, the shape of your pet’s stools might be nothing more than a result of occasional constipation. If they are more round than usual, and a bit smaller in size, that’s probably what’s going on.

Just make sure your dog stays hydrated at all times, and consider giving them a laxative. However, if your dog is older, this could be a sign of developing kidney disease or arthritis.

Why Does My Dog Have Diarrhea?

If your dog is suffering from digestive problems such as diarrhea, it may hide an illness that’s that can indicate Colitis. This is because the dog’s bowel is overactive, and makes a lot more mucus than it usually does. In this case, it’s also time to see a vet.

Dog diarrhea is also caused by the following:

• Change of diet
• Eating food that upsets the stomach
• Viral infection, fungal, parasites or presence of bacteria
• Stress
• Antibiotics and other medication
• Liver, pancreatic and kidney disease

Blood in Dog’s Poop

Why Is There Blood in Dog Stool?

Of course, seeing blood in dog stool is a huge cause for concern for all pet owners. However, there are actually two different types of bloody stool: Hematochezia and Melena. Read on to learn about the differences between them.

Hematochezia in Dogs

Hematochezia is easily recognized because of its bright red color. This means that it hasn’t been in your dog’s system for that long. It originates in your pet’s lower intestines, colon, and rectal area.

While in humans, Hematochezia might be a symptom of hemorrhoids; this isn’t the case for your pet. However, there are other diseases the presence of Hematochezia can indicate. Your best bet is to get to the vet as soon as possible so that you can start on early treatment.

Some of the most common diseases brought on by, and causes of Hematochezia include:

1. Parasites

The presence of parasites is likely the reason for bright red blood in dog stool. There are many different types of dog parasites, but the most common options include:

• Hookworms
• Whipworms
• Roundworms

It’s important that you seek treatment from a professional, so you can be sure to get the right prescription.

2. Parvovirus

Parvovirus usually occurs in puppies, especially if your dog is black or tan (think Rottweilers and German Shepherds.) In addition to the bright red blood in dog stool, you may notice your dog is throwing up, not eating as much as usual or just isn’t as active as they normally are.

If left untreated, Parvovirus can be fatal, so get to the vet ASAP.

3. Anxiety

Believe it or not, dogs get anxiety just like humans do! And, just like in humans, there are all kinds of possible causes for this anxiety:

• Have you recently moved?
• Did you get a new roommate or end a relationship?
• Was there a serious storm yesterday?
• Are you feeling stressed out yourself?
• Is there a loud, monotonous sound around the environment?

All of this can impact your dog’s stress levels. If your vet has ruled out more serious causes, it might be time for you and your dog to relax a little.

4. Poor Diet

The food could be spoiled, your dog could be allergic to some of its ingredients, or it could just have a stomach ache. Before you change your dog’s diet, always make sure you do so slowly, introducing the food little by little.

• Was there a recent change in your dog’s food brand?
• Have you made a change in your dog’s standard diet? (i.e. kibble to wet, raw)
• Have you noticed that your dog is eating a lot more than they usually do?
• Have you checked if your dog’s food ingredients do not contain allergens?
• Is there a loud, monotonous sound around the environment?

Melena in Dogs

Melena is the second type of blood in dog stool, and is usually recognized by its darker shade and somewhat tarry texture. This means that this blood originated from the upper intestines, and has been in your dog’s system for a bit longer.

What is Melena?

Often, it’s much more serious than Hematochezia. You may find that while Hematochezia stool is usually a one-time thing, Melena persists for several days. However, because of its darker color, it can sometimes be hard to detect. If your pet is acting strange, or if you think their stool looks abnormal, take them to a vet.

Read on to learn about the health complications Melena can cause.

1. Reactions to Medications

Sometimes, your dog is prescribed medicine it has a serious reaction to.

Dog aspirin or other non-steroidal drugs can sometimes cause your dog to develop ulcers. Especially when your dog gets on a new medication, make sure to keep a close eye on their bathroom habits.

Sometimes, vets will recommend that you give your dog Pepto-Bismol to help with an upset stomach. In some cases, this can impact the color of dog stool. This is a normal side-effect. Stop the medication and see if you notice a change.

2. Problems after a Surgery

Sometimes, darker stool can be an indication that a recent surgical procedure your dog had done has caused internal bleeding. This is, of course, a very serious situation. You need to bring your dog to an emergency clinic if this happens. Closely monitor your dog’s stool for three days after a major procedure to check for signs of internal bleeding.

3. Blood Clotting

Though darker stools can indicate blood clots in your dog, there are a few other signs you should look out for. Has your dog’s skin, especially on its paws and mouth, turned a slightly purple color? If you see this combined with dark stool, call your vet immediately.

Your dog could have eaten rat poison. This can cause serious blood clots and a whole host of other problems. If this is a possibility, take your dog to an emergency clinic.

Dog Stool: Ensure Your Pet Is Healthy

Thanks to this post, you now have a clear indication of what is and isn’t normal when it comes to your pet’s bathroom habits. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the look and size of your pet’s stool. See how many times a day, on average, they go to the bathroom. Knowing what’s normal for your pet can help you to catch a problem early.

Your pet needs you to help them stay healthy. In addition to monitoring your dog’s stool, make sure you take them out on frequent walks, get necessary nutrients and vaccines, and most importantly, the love they deserve. Happy paw day!

90,000 Is it possible to determine bowel disease by stool?

During a visit to a gastroenterologist, to the question: “How long have you paid attention to the result of the work of the gastrointestinal tract?”, Many patients, blushing, avert their eyes. It’s not a shame!

In our opinion, it is much sadder if you have never looked at your feces. Such observations are a very important method of self-diagnosis and diagnosis in general. It is the periodic observation that prevails, and not one single glance at the stool in the morning before visiting the doctor.

Changes in stool parameters are one of the main symptoms of most diseases of the intestines and the gastrointestinal tract in general.

Indicators to watch out for when self-diagnosis on a chair :

• frequency per day and per week;
• consistency and volume;
• Changes in stool frequency and consistency, compared to how it was before, when the stomach was calm and peaceful;
• impurities in feces and its color;

90,015 cases of unsuccessful or excessive urge to empty the bowels;

• No urge to defecate or a feeling of incomplete bowel movement.

There is no need to look for a problem where it does not exist, and you certainly should not turn a blind eye to alarming symptoms. To determine what is the norm, it is important to understand that each organism is different!

Normal stool characteristics

1. Frequency – usually 1-2 times per day, 3 to 7 times per week.
2. Stool consistency, for quick orientation of the patient and the doctor in it, the Bristol scale is used, which was published back in 1997.Let’s get to know her better. Depending on the diet, the amount of fiber, water, the normal stool can vary from 3 to 5 types.
3. Stool stability, perhaps, has the most difficult explanation: there should be no abrupt changes in consistency, stool frequency during the week, +/- one type on the Bristol scale. Also important is the subjective feeling before, during and after the act of defecation. Here is a place of satisfaction and quiet joy, I am quite serious!
4. Stool color varies depending on the diet.Brown in different shades is considered optimal. We make an amendment to the color of the food: a lot of dairy products in the diet – the stool will be lighter. Darker if you ate a dish with nori, a black burger. In addition, it is worth thinking about drugs or dietary supplements that you can take – preparations of bismuth, iron give dark, closer to green stools.

Alarming symptoms that cannot be ignored

1. Reduced stool (frequency less than 1 time in 2 days or 3 times a week) or frequent stool (frequency more than 2, occasionally 3 times a day).
2. Changes in shape and consistency. We will continue to get acquainted with the Bristol scale, not the norm in it: fragmented, “sheep” or dense, feces type 1–2 and, in contrast to it, mushy or watery stools, stool in separate flakes – type 6–7.
3. Unstable stool – alternation of its consistency and frequency without any regularity, then once a day, then 5, then type 3 on the Bristol scale, then 6. It is also important to notice what sensations accompanied the alternation of stool (good / bad).
4. Color change. Look for very light, gray-colored stools or very dark, black stools. Often, yellow stools are also a sign of abnormalities.
5. The appearance of impurities in the feces is perhaps the most formidable, but clear symptom:

   🔸Blood. It can be scarlet, dark, it can be altered black. It can be in a scanty amount, only on a piece of paper or on the surface of a chair, it can be mixed with feces. It may drip or stand out excessively, but here you yourself call an ambulance without further thought.

   There are many diseases, an alarming symptom, however, one should not be afraid of examination, it is better than reaping the fruits of inaction.

   🔸 Slime. Repeatedly we are faced with a misunderstanding of this term. I would describe it as follows: a transparent viscous liquid that resembles saliva can be mixed with the stool, it can separate on its own. May stand out as foam.

   🔸 A yellow-green impurity in the stool can be a sign of the presence of pus, which means inflammation, or the accelerated movement of bile through the gastrointestinal tract.

   🔸Undigested pieces of food are the result of accelerated gastrointestinal tract and incomplete processing of food, pay attention to their composition (meat / vegetables), it is especially alarming if you see food consumed during the day.

6. Unsuccessful or excessive urge to stool, as well as the lack of urge to stool, cannot be the norm, pay attention to this.

If there are abnormalities, consult a gastroenterologist.

Stool analyzes for the diagnosis of intestinal diseases

Stool tracking is a simple and effective method that can be used for preliminary diagnostics. If there are deviations from the norm, in addition to consulting a gastroenterologist, fecal analyzes will be required, which will help establish the cause of these deviations. Stool tests are powerful tools for non-invasive diagnosis.

Coprogram or total stool analysis is the most famous, proven analysis.It investigates the processing components of all food products (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), mucus, visible blood, inflammatory cells, sometimes even protozoan cysts or helminth eggs can be identified and described.

Feces for occult blood is a more accurate method for determining blood in the stool, including modified stool, from the upper gastrointestinal tract, in minimal amounts.

Fecal calprotectin – an assay for detecting inflammation in the intestine. It is especially interesting as screening in older people in conjunction with feces for occult blood.

Eosinophilic neurotoxin is an indicator of an allergic reaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

Pancreatic elastase is useful for patients with chronic pancreatitis to clarify the degree of enzyme production by the pancreas.

Sowing feces for dysbacteriosis to identify deviations in the composition of microflora, the growth of pathogenic and opportunistic flora.

Also feces analyzes for helminths and protozoa do not lose their relevance.There are many of them, starting with microscopic examination by the Parasep enrichment method, up to high-precision PCR reactions separately for each type of pathogen or a panel of the most common ones.

To interpret the analyzes, I recommend that you consult a doctor.

How to take stool tests correctly?

Proper preparation and collection of stool samples will ensure correct results. All feces tests must be taken in a special container, on the day of collection, the collected tests must be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 6-8 hours.The collection of feces tests is carried out in a natural way, without the use of enemas and laxatives, urine should not get into the analyzes. The container must be 1/3 full. Some stool tests require special preparation before taking them.

Skip a week or more after taking antibiotics to prepare for the coprogram. Before the analysis, do not take laxatives, enzymes, sorbents, do not use rectal suppositories and ointments.

Before analyzes to detect hidden bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract, a 4-5-day diet is recommended with the exclusion of meat, by-products (liver, heart), fish, as well as preparations of iron, magnesium and bismuth.However, when analyzing feces for occult blood by the Colonview method, only limiting the above drugs is recommended.

For analyzes of helminth eggs, cysts and vegetative forms of protozoa, as well as for sowing for intestinal dysbiosis, a special container is used.

At GC Expert, you can get advice from a gastroenterologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal diseases, pass all of the above tests or undergo a comprehensive diagnosis using the “Check-up intestines” program in two days.

Be healthy! Best regards, gastroenterologist-nutritionist Kovaleva Svetlana Igorevna.

Blood in the stool: what to do?

The occurrence of blood in the stool is considered one of the most alarming and serious symptoms of bowel disease. This is the first signal about a violation of the integrity of the vessels of the intestine and mucous membrane.

But do not forget that the presence of red liquid in feces is not necessarily blood. In some cases, discoloration of the stool is the reason for the consumption of various foods, such as gelatinous desserts, beets, tomatoes, hot or sweet peppers.Therefore, if a red color appears in the stool, then you should not immediately start to panic. To begin with, it is recommended to think about what foods have been consumed over the past two to three days.

Blood in the stool comes from the intestinal tract, which runs to the rectum. But due to the fact that there are several types of bloody feces, the symptoms of diseases can be varied.

For example, blood is mixed with stool, stool may contain several small blood stains, blood covers the last part of stool.

If blood in the stool appears after a recent stomach disease, then it is characterized by a dark, almost black color.

Any of the considered symptoms may be a symptom of a specific disease that needs individual treatment. That is why, before making preliminary conclusions, it is necessary to carefully examine the chair and pass the appropriate tests.

Probable causes of blood in the stool

Bright red blood, which is most clearly visible in the last part of the stool, as well as on toilet paper, is probably a sign of a fissure or tear in the skin of the outlet (anal) opening.As medical practice shows, this is the most common cause of blood in the stool. Its source is constipation (the result of a solid mass of feces scratching the opening), damage to the anus with fingers, hemorrhoidal ruptured formation, insufficient accuracy during temperature measurement with a thermometer that is inserted into the anus. It is worth noting that in these situations, bowel movements are accompanied by painful sensations.

An allergic reaction can also cause blood to appear.In this case, a small amount of blood will be observed, which takes on a dark red tint.

Intestinal infections – one of the causes of blood in the stool

The next reason for the presence of blood in the stool is an infection of the intestinal tract or stomach, resulting from exposure to parasites or bacteria. The most dangerous disease caused by intestinal infection is dysentery. Dysentery is a disease caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella.In most cases, they affect the lower colon, thereby causing disturbances in the mucous membrane, which manifests itself in the form of frequent loose stools (ten to twenty times a day) mixed with dark blood, a significant amount of pus and mucus. Please note that this disease is also characterized by cramping painful sensations in the abdomen, tenesmus – painful false urge to defecate; in addition, there is a serious intoxication – fever, weakness, chills, pain in joints and muscles.

Also, amoebiasis can be attributed to the infectious causes of the appearance of blood in the feces. This unpleasant disease is a protozoal infection, in other words, its causative agent is the simplest – amoeba. Scientists have shown that amoebas can infect the large intestine, which causes frequent, loose stools in small portions with little blood, pus and mucus. If you do not take timely measures to cure, then amebiasis can become chronic, which ultimately will lead to the formation of intestinal ulcers.

A small volume of red blood with diarrhea and no pain in the stomach indicates the presence of polyps in the intestine – benign tumor-like formations on a sessile base or a leg hanging from the walls.

Intestinal obstruction is another likely cause

Blood in the stool can also appear due to the fact that some intestinal loop gets into another part of the intestine, which leads to intestinal obstruction. If this condition continues for several days, it means that blood may appear in the stool, and the stool itself will take the form of jelly.If there is an intestinal obstruction, then the person will feel painful sensations in the lower abdomen. It should be noted that in most cases there is an instantaneous outbreak of pain followed by a short period of pain-free. This disease requires immediate medical attention. A barium enema can be used as a treatment. If this method does not help, then you may need surgery.

A few more causes and likely consequences

Also, a large amount of blood can occur if a person has a disease, which is called Meckel’s diverticulum.It is characterized by inflammation and protrusion of the walls of the small intestine. Other signs of this disease: the patient looks very pale, painful sensations occur periodically.

Another source of bloody stools can be ulceration or inflammation of the colon (rectum), ulcers, Crohn’s disease, which is a recurrent inflammation of the lower parts of the small intestine, and inflammation of various parts of the alimentary tract, such as the esophagus. In most cases, there is pain, especially while eating.

Do not forget that the above list of possible causes of the appearance of blood in the feces is far from complete, since there are a huge number of situations that can lead to this.

That is why at the first signs of blood in the stool, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. It is important to accurately describe what the stool looks like, what symptoms of a possible disease are observed. The most dangerous situations are those when accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, the color of the stool is very black.

In the case of a systematic appearance of blood in the stool, a consultation with a specialist – a coloproctologist or a proctologist will be required.

Do not neglect your health – seek immediate medical attention! Experienced specialists of the EMC will immediately provide you with all the necessary assistance: 7 days a week, without queues, registration by phone. 8 (343) 379-07-70 or through the clinic’s website www.ekamedcenter.ru

There are contraindications. Read the instructions or consult a specialist.

Colorless feces: causes of appearance – “GEPATIT.RU”

In the hustle and bustle of life, we do not always pay attention to the signs that the body gives us, moreover, we do not immediately notice even his requests for help. One of the common symptoms of many diseases is colorless stool. Below we will consider the main reasons for its appearance, but note: most often, colorless feces appear in serious liver diseases, including hepatitis, being one of its characteristic signs.And for any of the types of hepatitis, it is important to start treatment on time in order to avoid the transition of the disease into a chronic form, the consequence of which can be cirrhosis of the liver. It is better to play it safe and consult a doctor right away, without expecting that all the unpleasant signs of the disease will go away by themselves.

In order to answer the question of why colorless feces suddenly appeared in a person, it is worth figuring out how it is colored. It is considered normal if the stool is brown (light brown, dark brown).This is due to its composition, which includes digested food and processed bilirubin. In the event that the process of excretion of bilirubin from the body is disturbed, the feces become discolored. The fact is that bilirubin comes from the liver to the intestines along with bile. There it is transformed into a new substance, a pigment – stercobilin, which has a golden brown hue. If the flow of bilirubin ceases, then the pigment substance ceases to be produced, the feces lose their brown color.

Power supply

However, when you see colorless feces in yourself, you should not immediately start to panic.Its appearance can be caused by various reasons, some of them are completely harmless. For example, having come to rest in the village in the summer, everyone threw themselves at the fat cottage cheese, sour cream, cream. And also homemade butter, and lard … And now there is a deviation from the norm. Therefore, having noticed the changes, it is worth thinking about the diet and observing the changes in stool color for several days. If you change the food, everything will return to normal in a couple of days.

Medicines

Affects stool color and medications.This is due to the fact that some of them negatively affect the state of the liver, gradually destroying it. There are several groups of medicines, the intake of which can cause the appearance of colorless feces:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory;
• antifungal;
• antibiotics;
• drugs for tuberculosis, gout and epilepsy;
• oral contraceptives;
• paracetamol, aspirin (drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid), etc.

In the event that, when taking drugs of these groups, the stool becomes discolored, it is imperative to consult a doctor in order to check the condition of the liver and, if necessary, start its treatment on time. Especially if the medication is stopped, and the normal color of the stool does not return.

Diseases

More serious causes of stool discoloration are diseases, primarily liver disease. If, simultaneously with colorless feces, pains appear in the right hypochondrium, temperature, urine has acquired a brown color, then it is quite possible that it is hepatitis, cholecystitis or problems with the biliary tract.In this situation, an urgent need to consult a doctor. Often, colorless feces accompany diseases, the signs of which are clearly visible in the photo, for example, yellowness of the skin and sclera in hepatitis.

Discolored or light yellow stools also occur with pancreatitis. The pancreas becomes inflamed due to improper diet, alcohol abuse, taking certain medications, infections. Symptoms of this disease during exacerbation are cutting sharp pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, vomiting.
If discolored feces appeared one-time, and then everything quickly returned to normal, then there is no reason for concern. But in the event that this phenomenon is repeated, accompanied by other symptoms of malaise, then it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible and find out the cause of the pathology.

If you notice signs that indicate problems with the functional state of the liver, make an appointment with an experienced hepatologist and get tested.

Sign up for a consultation by phone: +7 495 255 10 60

90,000 Yellow fatty stools in an adult.What does yellow feces mean in an adult? Treatment of yellow-green feces

You don’t even need to be a qualified doctor to be able to determine the state of health of any person by his appearance.

But at the same time, there are various factors and symptoms described in medical reference books, knowing which you can make a clear diagnosis. Among them are various painful sensations, the general condition of the patient, his appearance. And yellow feces gives information about the performance of internal organs, which are responsible for metabolic processes in the body.

What affects the color of feces in an adult?

The color and consistency and odor of healthy adult stool may vary. Normally, it can be of various shades of brown and change to almost black. But if changes are noticed in the agreed indicators, then you should pay closer attention to the work of internal organs.

And although dietary changes, the use of certain medications, stressful situations affect the state of feces, it is often a symptom of a manifest pathology of the digestive tract.

In order to have an idea of ​​the reasons that affect the color of feces, you need to know the very process of color formation, which is significantly influenced by bilirubin. It is contained in bile, which helps to remove waste from the digestive system from the body and is excreted along with it.

It is emanating from hemoglobin, which is obtained during the breakdown of red blood cells, replaced by newly formed ones. If there are no disorders in the body, then it produces self-regulation of this function, which ensures a certain rate of excretion of bilirubin.

It is normal if the feces are dark brown, this indicates a good condition of the entire digestive system in a person, whose diet contains food of both plant and animal origin. Vegetarians have light brown stool, which is also considered normal.

Those who follow a milk diet have a light yellow excrement.

But if an unreasonable, at first glance, liquid yellow stool is noticed in an adult, an examination by specialists is necessary, since there is not so much the effect of bilirubin as other factors, including:

• Possible internal bleeding;
• Certain disorders originating in the gastrointestinal tract;
• Intestinal congestion and others.

If yellow stool appears, it is important to check liver function, as some forms of hepatitis have this symptom. Among them are autoimmune and toxic. These diseases are not contagious, but require some therapy. You should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication, you cannot do without medical help.

Yellow diarrhea in an adult indicates the presence of a pathological infection. At the same time, one should pay attention to the fact that in this case, the stool is immediately green, and in the process of the development of the disease, it changes to yellow.This transformation depends on how fast the excrement passes through the digestive tract.

Main causes of fecal discoloration

Mostly light yellow stool in an adult is considered abnormal and indicates problems in the gastrointestinal tract. If this is the result of a dairy diet, then the color change process occurs gradually. But in the case of a sharp and unfounded such phenomenon, it is simply necessary to be examined by a specialist.

The causes of yellow feces in an adult can be different, among them it is worth highlighting the following:

1. Occurrence of disorders in the functioning of the pancreas, as a result of which there is a lack of a certain enzyme.Therefore, fats are not processed and come out with feces, giving them a yellow color;
2. The presence of such dangerous pathologies as Crohn’s disease and the like can also lead to the appearance of a light yellow stool. As a result of such diseases, the digestive tract cannot process fats, so they are excreted together with feces;
3. If yellow stools appear in an adult, the causes may be hidden in the gallbladder and liver. Often it is the diseases of these organs that contribute to the occurrence of this problem.And this happens due to a violation of the process of bile secretion, which affects the change in bilirubin. Also, urine has a more saturated color. With such symptoms, you need to immediately go to the clinic and undergo an examination, since such violations pose a great threat to the body;
4. If yellow stool is detected in an adult, and besides it, pain symptoms are felt in the digestive tract, constipation or diarrhea, frequent vomiting, as well as a lack of appetite and a sharp, unreasonable weight loss, then in this case it is possible to assume the development of oncological pathology in the digestive organs.Since they, as a rule, do not appear in the early stages of the disease, then, only having felt them, you need to urgently contact the clinic to make an accurate diagnosis and start a therapeutic effect;
5. Yellow diarrhea in an adult, but more often in a child, may be a signal for the development of intestinal flu. It is possible to become infected with it in case of non-observance of basic hygienic requirements. Eating unwashed fruits or vegetables is also one of the ways of infection. Very often people who love raw homemade milk, cottage cheese or sour cream get sick with it.

The reasons that cause diarrhea of ​​a bright yellow color in an adult indicate the severity of this symptom, so there is no need to hope that the pathology will soon disappear, but it is necessary to be examined and undergo a course of treatment.

What methods of treatment of pathology are there?

Before prescribing treatment, the doctor will conduct a full examination and, based on the results of the picture obtained, he will be able to make the correct diagnosis of the disease that caused the light yellow stool in an adult. If pancreatitis or hepatitis is detected, the patient is hospitalized urgently and therapy is performed under the strict supervision of specialists.

In case of formation of stones and tumors, surgical intervention will be indicated, without which recovery is impossible. For this, special modern techniques are used that allow the procedures to be carried out more efficiently. And in some cases, removal is performed using ultrasound.

If food is the cause of bright yellow feces, then you just need to apply some kind of diet, excluding provocateurs of yellow stool from your diet. These include milk and dairy products, beets and legumes.

You also need to refrain from eating bread, cabbage, fatty and spicy foods, because, getting into the digestive tract, they contribute to the intensification of the fermentation process, which gives the effect in question.

But in most cases, drug therapy is indicated. It includes antiviral drugs, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs.

Yellow stool in an adult, which is the result of poor functioning of the pancreas, requires complex treatment.In this case, antibiotics and antispasmodics are used. Also, without fail, anti-inflammatory drugs are needed.

An unexpected change in the color and character of the stool in both an adult and a child is in most cases a cause for concern. Moreover, if in some situations the changed color may indicate the use of certain products, then sometimes it can also indicate the presence of certain diseases in the body.

Often the appearance of yellow stools becomes the cause of concern for their health in adults.In this case, panic is not devoid of meaning, because in some situations such a symptom can really indicate the development of pathological processes in the body.

Causes of yellow stool in adults 90 140

In most cases, bilirubin is responsible for the appearance of a yellow feces. Normally, this element promotes the release of stercobilin, which gives human feces the familiar reddish-brown color.

If an insufficient amount of this substance is produced in the body, the feces lose their color and an unpleasant yellow tint may occur.

Under these circumstances, it is common to suspect liver diseases such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.

However, with such diseases, in most cases, the feces acquire a light yellow tint, and after a while they finally lose their color and become white or slightly grayish. If an adult has a bright yellow stool, most likely, we are talking about completely different ailments.

As a rule, yellow stool in an adult is caused by the following reasons:

• The most commonplace and harmless reason is eating a lot of fresh milk;
• violation of the process of digestion of carbohydrates or fermentation dyspepsia;
• pancreatic insufficiency;
• Poor digestion of food in the large intestine.

All these reasons are not associated with serious diseases of the human body, but in some cases require treatment under the supervision of a gastroenterologist. If diarrhea joins the unusual color of stool, most likely, we can talk about the presence of rotavirus infection.

In addition, the following factors can cause liquid yellow stools in an adult:

• diabetes mellitus and other disorders of the thyroid gland;
• hormonal disruption in women associated with the onset of menopause, pregnancy and other reasons;
• bowel disorder due to long-term use of antibiotics or other drugs;
• severe nervous tension, severe stress, excessive anxiety, pathological depression and other neurological problems;
• also periodic yellow diarrhea can occur in the presence of chronic ailments of the digestive tract, for example, stomach ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis, and so on.If, at the same time, the processes of decay and fermentation of the food consumed are actively proceeding in the body, the feces can acquire a yellow-green tint;
• lack of bile salt in the body;
• rehabilitation period after undergoing surgery on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

All of the above causes can cause an adult’s stool discoloration from light yellow to yellow-green. Despite the fact that some of these factors are not particularly harmful to the body, and the bowel movements take on their usual shade on their own within a few days, in some cases the help of a specialist may be required.

When to see a doctor for yellow stool in an adult?

Treatment of yellow stool directly depends on the reason for the change in their shade.

• Of course, first you need to adjust your diet and for a while completely exclude milk and dairy products from it.
• Also, if possible, you should stop taking all medications for at least a few days in order to see how the stool reacts to this.
• If the situation does not change within a week, you should consult a doctor for a detailed examination.

A qualified doctor will offer you the necessary tests and, based on their results, will identify the true cause of yellow stool in an adult and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

In addition, if a bright yellow stool is accompanied by persistent loose stools, fever, nausea and vomiting, general weakness, malaise and excessive drowsiness, seek medical attention immediately.

In the presence of such symptoms, it is possible to assume the development of an infectious process in the body, as well as severe inflammation in the intestines, stomach or gallbladder.

All these conditions can be very dangerous for humans, as they can provoke severe complications, up to and including death. Don’t ignore the signals your body is giving to keep you alive and healthy.

The materials on this page are for informational purposes only and are intended for educational purposes.Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. The determination of the diagnosis and the choice of the method of treatment remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician.

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If yellow stools are found, try to pay more attention to the liver. If the stool is dark in color, this is not a sign of a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Clayy, pale color suggests a medical examination
.

Almost a third of the feces consist of useful or pathogenic microorganisms. Their color depends on which ones prevail at the moment.

Yellow feces signals a malfunction in the functioning of systems or individual organs, but it may also be the result of excess in the diet
milk, cottage cheese, kefir or sour cream.Most often, the root of the problem lies in the pathologies of the liver, stomach or pancreas.

Lack of enzymes
. When the pancreas produces few active substances, the feces are yellowish in color.

These are fats not digested by the body, for which there were not enough enzymes. If the process of their production is disrupted, some compounds are not broken down in the stomach and are not absorbed by the intestines.

Crohn’s disease
. With it, malfunctions begin in the entire digestive system, not a single organ is affected, but all at once
.The process of digesting food becomes difficult, fats cannot be digested in full. The intestines are especially affected.

Inflammation of the gallbladder
. With a violation of the process of bile secretion, when the bilirubin pigment enters the intestine in its original form, the stool becomes yellow, but due to this, darkening of urine occurs. The body is in danger and needs help.

Intestinal flu
. Infection with them occurs if you eat dirty vegetables, fruits
.Unwashed hands also contribute to this.

You can get infected with homemade milk, drinking it raw, or sour cream, cottage cheese. The disease is airborne.

If you have yellow stools without signs of pain?

Not always a change in its color is accompanied by pain. In some cases, the process is painless. Feces are colored in a golden yellowish tint:

1. with a predominance of carrots, oranges, yellow apples, pears, melons, persimmons, dried apricots and other vegetables and fruits containing carotene in the menu;

90,015 from dairy products;

2. when fermentation occurs in the intestines
   ;
3. if peas are present in the diet;

90,015 after being unable to digest gluten – this is a fairly rare disease;

4. during hormonal imbalance, which has a heavy effect on the body and the work of its systems;
5. for reasons of a neurological nature – after overexertion, excitement, stressful situations or depression;

90,015 due to the use of contraceptives, vitamins, antibiotics as a side effect of their use.

Even if these reasons seem harmless to you, it is better to pay a visit to the doctor in order to eliminate the risk of developing more serious pathologies.

What if the stool is deep yellow?

After you notice that the faeces have become light, remember what your menu consisted of in the last few days
. If it contains a lot of fatty foods, the body may not be able to cope with its processing. Then the feces will also have an unpleasant odor.This is a signal that the pancreas is poorly functioning. Here you cannot do without medical intervention.

When a change in stool color in an adult is associated with taking medications – birth control pills, antibiotics, drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis, inflammation or epilepsy, you need to temporarily stop using them
.

Medicines can have a bad effect on the functioning of the liver, which leads to lightening of the stool.

Eliminate yellow and orange foods from your diet for a while, especially if some of them contain dyes – juices, carbonated drinks, sweets.This also applies to milk, kefir, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese and yogurt. Within a couple of days, the color of the stool will return to normal.

If not, visit the doctor’s office, but do not self-medicate and diagnose yourself, this can lead to serious consequences.

If the ailment appeared during pregnancy?

When the sacrament of conceiving a child occurs, the female body is intensively rebuilt
to ensure that the baby has a comfortable stay in the mother’s womb.The changes are quite extensive and cover many systems.

The hormonal background changes in the first place. This cannot but affect the color of the stool – it becomes pale yellow or bright yellow.

Much depends on the diet. When a woman eats a large amount of fatty foods, foods with excess cholesterol or dairy products, feces will be lighter than usual.

It is important to be careful when taking vitamins, antibiotics or anti-inflammatory
preparations.They are also capable of repainting the stool in shades of yellow.

Much more dangerous is the change in the color of feces due to illness. Then the treatment process will be complicated by the fact that many medicines are destructive for the baby, and not all folk remedies are suitable.

When the fetus puts pressure on the internal organs, digestive problems may begin, or those that already exist – pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, gastritis or hepatitis – may worsen.

In any case, you cannot do without medical intervention, but you do not need to panic.If fecal clarification is not accompanied by alarming symptoms
– abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, then the likelihood of developing pathology is small.

What does this mean and how to deal with the problem?

The color of stool in an adult depends on a special substance that is part of the blood – stercobilin. It is the final product obtained as a result of the metabolic process from hemoglobin. It gives the stool a brownish tint.

Bilirubin is responsible for pigment production.When the blood does not contain enough of it, the feces turn golden yellow.

Sometimes the normal color of feces is impossible during the rehabilitation period following surgery on the organs of the digestive system.

Do not forget that health also requires your attention and needs to be taken care of, then problems with yellow stools will not cause concern.

Changing the usual brown shades of stool to lighter ones suggests that we have a digestive disorder.Why did the feces become lighter? Is yellow stool serious or not? Let’s talk about this in more detail.

What determines the color of feces?

The color of feces is largely due to the presence of bilirubin in it, which is part of bile. It is released in the liver during the destruction of red blood cells, from where it enters the duodenum in the form of bile. The food bolus moves through the small intestine, where food is absorbed. Water is absorbed in the large intestine, bilirubin is oxidized to stercobilin (it is this that causes darkening of feces), and a shaped stool is obtained from food debris, digestive enzymes and fragments.

By the color of the feces, one can judge what exactly the person ate, and how well the digestion process went. The appearance of yellow feces in an adult is possible in the following cases:

• eating certain foods,
• taking certain drugs,
• violation of the motor and excretory function of the intestine,
• metabolic disorder,
• after alcohol,
• diseases of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas.

Color variations in yellow stool in children and adults are different, depending on the specific reason – from white-yellow shades to rich golden or bright orange.

Yellow chair without complaint

Having found out the clarification of fecal masses in the absence of deterioration of health, remember what exactly you ate 1-2 days ago. Eating a variety of foods requires a long processing time, while dark brown feces are excreted.

If your diet is distinguished by the predominance of products of vegetable or dairy origin, then this is always reflected in the color of the stool.Key foods that can turn feces yellow:

• orange, carrot, melon, dried apricots, yellow apples, persimmon, pear (feces turns orange),
• Dairy products in large quantities (light brown feces),
• peas,
• baked goods for gluten intolerance (celiac disease).

If in recent days you have not been addicted to such food, then perhaps the yellow color of the feces is due to some medicines. Yellowing of feces, as a side effect, is observed when taking antibiotics, anti-tuberculosis drugs, laxatives (magnesium sulfite, Senade), birth control pills, anti-gout drugs (Allopurinol), anti-inflammatory drugs, Fortrans.

The appearance of yellow stool in an adult is associated with the rapid movement of food (stressful situations, neuroses, depression) or a large amount of feces passing through the intestines per day.

In this case, there is a relative deficiency of the coloring pigment of bilirubin and yellow feces are excreted, sometimes with a greenish tinge.

Fortrans is prescribed before the colonoscopy procedure. Yellow stool is normal.This drug has an enema effect when taken orally with plenty of liquid. Gradually, the feces become lighter, and at the end, yellow water is released.

Difficulty in digestion: causes and treatment

If, along with the appearance of yellow feces, you have a stomach ache, or there are complaints such as flatulence (bubbling in the intestines), diarrhea or difficult bowel movements, poor appetite, bitterness in the mouth, then this means the presence of serious violations. It is especially dangerous if the pain is paroxysmal.Often these symptoms occur after eating fatty foods and alcohol.

A number of possible reasons for such complaints:

• hepatitis of any origin,
• fermentation dyspepsia,
• gallbladder disease,
• compression of the bile duct,
• biliary dyskinesia,
• pancreatic pathology,
• chronic constipation,
• metabolic diseases.

The liver is considered the laboratory of our body.It not only synthesizes various necessary substances, but also neutralizes toxic slags and substances (for example, alcohol).

When it is defeated or overloaded, one or several functions may suffer.

Problems with the liver disrupt the processing of bilirubin, and it enters the intestines in its raw form. Such bilirubin is a bad dye, so often after alcohol, light yellow loose feces can be released.

Poorly digested, pale gray feces are common in people who are fond of very fatty meats (usually men) or high carbohydrate foods (usually women).This disorder is called dyspepsia. Putrid dyspepsia is a “failure” in the breakdown of proteins. Carbohydrates that have not undergone the necessary enzymatic treatment cause fermentation dyspepsia. Fermented or rotten substances are absorbed in the intestines and have a toxic effect on the entire body. The cause of this disorder can be associated with any digestive organ.

Lack of digestive enzymes

Colorless or yellow-white feces are observed when the process of getting bile into the intestines is disturbed.Moreover, the more serious the problem, the lighter the stool. Obstacles can be all the way from the gallbladder to the duodenum. Violation of the expulsion of bile occurs in the following cases:

• gallbladder dyskinesia (too strong or, conversely, weak contraction),
• constipation (creates tension in the intestinal wall, making it difficult to excrete bile),
• cholecystitis,
• condition after removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy),
• stones in the gallbladder or its ducts,
• compression of the bile duct by the enlarged head of the pancreas (swelling, edema, inflammation), which lies next to it.

A characteristic combination of these disorders is light yellow feces and dark urine. This means that bilirubin, instead of entering the intestines, is absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted in the urine.

After removal of the gallbladder, the control of the flow of bile is impaired, therefore, some portions of feces may be lighter than others. With cholecystitis, as well as gallstone disease, in addition to the discharge of yellow-white feces, there are sharp painful sensations under the ribs on the right side after alcohol or fatty foods.

When eating a large amount of fat or a violation of their splitting (decreased activity of the pancreas), we observe loose yellow feces with the presence of gray plaque. This fatty, oily stool is called steatorrhea. Undigested fat in the intestines envelops the food bolt and prevents enzymes from breaking down proteins and carbohydrates. Therefore, with steatorrhea, creatorrhea often occurs – insufficient digestion of muscle fibers. Feces with pancreatitis have a characteristic shade of gray-green, almost not washed off.

Unhealthy gut?

Among the intestinal causes that lead to a change in the color of feces in an adult, Crohn’s disease is distinguished. It is an autoimmune disease in which ulcers form in the intestinal mucosa. Crohn’s disease is characterized by yellow-gray mushy stools, often offensive with white patches.
If you see balls or lumps in the feces of white color, and at the same time the stool is decorated, then the reasons for such inclusions may also be:

• inflammation of the colon (mucus with white inclusions),
• antibiotics,
• candidiasis (streaks of fungal colonies resemble a whitish bloom),

90,015 dead pinworms.

Gruel-like stool in an adult is observed with intestinal infections of viral origin. The most common causative agent of such an infection is rotavirus. You can “pick up” it when consuming dairy products or in contact with a sick person. Rotavirus also causes acute respiratory infections, so you can get sick by getting infected when you sneeze. The disease begins like a common flu, and then the same symptoms occur as with gastritis or enteritis. This is a seething in the abdomen, with pains of unclear location and of varying intensity, belching.In addition, there is a high fever, and most importantly vomiting and diarrhea.

What to do?

If the stool turns yellow due to the fault of a particular food or medicine, then there is no need to worry. After stopping the course of treatment or after adding variety to your menu, the chair will return to its previous color.

If after alcohol you constantly have yellow feces, do not wait, be sure to consult your doctor.

In case of serious liver damage, hepatoprotector Ursofalk is prescribed, which restores hepatic functions, dilutes bile, and improves the secretion of pancreatic enzymes.However, there is one but. If the very cause of the yellowish stools is not eliminated, then after discontinuation of the drug, yellow feces can be detected again.

Many people hesitate to talk about such a delicate topic as the color of the stool even at a doctor’s appointment. But false bashfulness often leads to serious health problems. For example, yellow feces in adults often indicate a malfunction in the body. If this symptom persists for a long time, it is recommended to see a doctor and have a complete physical examination.

Changes in stool color often indicate malfunctions in the body

Feces of a healthy person

The color of the stool directly depends on the state of the gastrointestinal tract. Often people do not pay attention to the metamorphosis of fecal masses and have no idea what kind of stool they have. But a change in its color or consistency can tell a lot. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the pathology in time and take measures to eliminate it.

Interesting. Stool color depends on stercobilin (bile pigment), which is the end product of the breakdown of the non-protein part of hemoglobin.Therefore, feces of various shades of brown are considered healthy.

Stool color is determined by stercobilin

True, the color of feces may vary slightly. Depending on the diet, medications taken and lifestyle, there are:

1. Dark brown chair. This color is considered to be the norm for an adult. He talks about proper nutrition and good work of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Brown, yellowish stools appear with a lactic acid diet.
3. Light brown cal. It is typical for a vegetarian diet and is not considered a pathology.
4. Feces of a very dark, almost black shade is formed when a large amount of meat products are eaten.

These categories of stool are inherent in a healthy person. If the feces become yellow and this is not a one-time occurrence, you should consult a doctor. The reason for such changes can be a pathological state of the body, which can only be identified after a number of diagnostic measures.

Yellow feces as a symptom of the disease

It’s okay when the chair changes color from time to time. But if this happens unexpectedly and is not explained by food addictions, you should be on your guard. Since several organs take part in the process of staining feces – the pancreas, liver and gallbladder, a visible change in the shade of feces with a high degree of probability indicates a malfunction in one of them.

Below, we will consider diseases that are characterized by the appearance of yellow feces, find out what this means and how dangerous the situation is.

Pathology of the pancreas

It has been proven that the deterioration of the pancreas leads to a change in the color of the stool. Cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, blocked ducts, or cancerous growths can turn stool yellow. This is due to a decrease in the production of digestive enzymes necessary for the assimilation of food, in particular fats.

The pancreas is involved in the regulation of fat metabolism

Attention. It is unprocessed fats that give the stool a light yellow color and ointment consistency.The composition of feces also changes.

In addition, digestive enzymes are involved in the general process of food processing. Therefore, the appearance of yellow stool indicates a deterioration in digestion and absorption of nutrients in general.

Pathologies of the liver and gallbladder

The amount of stercobilinogen in feces decreases during inflammatory processes in the biliary tract, which entails a change in the color of feces. With a complete blockage of the bile ducts with a stone or tumor, the coloring pigment may completely disappear.In this case, the chair will acquire a light sandy or clay tint.

Other, more obvious symptoms indicate problems with bile flow:

• Yellowing of the skin and white of the eye;
• hepatic colic;

90,015 itching of the skin.

For reference. are formed with irregular nutrition or frequent diets. For normal bile secretion, the organ must systematically contract, and this happens only during a meal.

In addition, hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver can cause yellow feces in adults. With these diseases, the production of bile acids and salts, which are involved in the digestion process, decreases. A decrease in the amount of bile causes not only a change in the color of the stool, but also severe pain in the right hypochondrium. In this case, the urine acquires a rich dark color, reminiscent of tea or beer.

The liver plays an essential role in the digestion process

If symptoms of liver or gallbladder damage appear, it is advisable to visit a doctor as soon as possible.This will help avoid further development of the disease and the appearance of complications.

Crohn’s disease

Coloration of the stool in a rich yellow color with a greenish tinge can provoke Crohn’s disease. Pathology is characterized by a violation of the functions of the entire digestive system. As a result, food is not processed properly, and fat leaves the digestive tract almost unchanged.

Other causes of yellow feces in adults

Yellow stool can be caused not only by the above-described pathologies, but also by the most harmless reasons.For example, frequent consumption of milk and products from it will sooner or later lead to a change in the color of feces.

Will affect the color of feces and fermentation processes in the intestines. At the same time, yellow feces in adults are accompanied by the appearance of the following digestive problems:

• diarrhea;
• nausea and vomiting;
• flatulence;
• foul-smelling stool;
• intestinal cramps.

Attention. Often, the yellow color of feces appears when taking medications that cause dysbiosis.Especially often, the color of the stool changes against the background of the use of antibacterial drugs in excessive doses or without a doctor’s prescription.

An abrupt change in the set of food products or an unbalanced diet also lead to the formation of light yellow feces. Breaking the table is a kind of stressful situation for the body, which does not slow down to affect the work of the entire digestive tract.

A milk diet can provoke the appearance of yellow feces

Normal emotional stress or prolonged depression can also cause a change in stool color, often leading to a deterioration in food processing.In addition, banal poisoning is often the cause of such metamorphoses. In this case, yellowing of the stool is accompanied by diarrhea and fever.

As you can see, a change in stool color is not always the result of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, you should not diagnose yourself and self-medicate. At best, this will not give any results, and at worst, it will exacerbate the existing pathologies.

What if the stool turns yellow?

If the chair suddenly changed its usual color and turned yellow, you should not be afraid and panic.Perhaps the reason was the diet of the previous days. The abundance of dairy or fatty foods makes feces in adults yellow and bubbly. Changing your diet can quickly bring your faeces back to normal.

The same should be done if the stool turns yellow with medication. After the abolition of drugs that negatively affect digestion and liver function, the stool will quickly return to its normal color.

At the recommended doses, these drugs most often do not have any noticeable effect on the color of the stool.Excessive dosage or prolonged use adversely affects the condition of the liver and leads to yellow stools.

If, after the measures taken, the feces do not return to normal for more than two days and the change in shade is accompanied by additional symptoms, you should visit a doctor. Only the doctor, after the diagnostic measures taken, can tell why the adult’s feces have become light yellow.

Remember, health requires the utmost attention. Do not ignore the first signals of trouble in the body, and then changing the color of the stool will not become a problem for you.

Coprogram

Coprogram is a study of feces (feces, excrement, stool), analysis of its physical, chemical properties, as well as various components and inclusions of various origins. It is part of the diagnostic study of the digestive system and the function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Russian synonyms

General analysis of feces.

English synonyms

Koprogramma, Stool analysis.

Research method

Microscopy.

Which biomaterial can be used for research?

Cal.

How to properly prepare for the study?

Eliminate the intake of laxatives, the introduction of rectal suppositories, oils, limit the intake of medications that affect intestinal motility (belladonna, pilocarpine, etc.) and the color of feces (iron, bismuth, barium sulfate), within 72 hours before the delivery of feces.

General information about the study

Coprogram is a study of feces (feces, excrement, stool), analysis of its physical, chemical properties, as well as various components and inclusions of various origins. It is part of the diagnostic study of the digestive system and the function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Feces – the end product of food digestion in the gastrointestinal tract under the influence of digestive enzymes, bile, gastric juice and the vital activity of intestinal bacteria.

In terms of composition, feces are water, the content of which is normally 70-80%, and a dry residue. In turn, the dry residue consists of 50% live bacteria and 50% of the remains of digested food. Even within normal limits, the composition of feces is largely unstable. In many ways, it depends on nutrition and fluid intake. To an even greater extent, the composition of feces varies with various diseases. The amount of certain components in the stool changes with pathology or dysfunction of the digestive system, although deviations in the work of other body systems can also significantly affect the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, and hence the composition of feces.The nature of changes in various types of diseases is extremely diverse. The following groups of faeces composition violations can be distinguished:

• change in the number of components that are normally contained in the stool,
• undigested and / or undigested food debris,
• biological elements and substances excreted from the body into the intestinal lumen,
• various substances that are formed in the intestinal lumen from metabolic products, tissues and cells of the body,
• microorganisms,
• foreign inclusions of biological and other origin.

What is the research used for?

• For the diagnosis of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: pathologies of the liver, stomach, pancreas, duodenum, small and large intestine, gall bladder and biliary tract.
• To evaluate the results of treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, requiring long-term medical supervision.

When is the study scheduled?

• In case of symptoms of any disease of the digestive system: pain in various parts of the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, discoloration of feces, blood in the stool, loss of appetite, loss of body weight despite satisfactory nutrition, deterioration of the skin condition, hair and nails, yellowness of the skin and / or whites of the eyes, increased gas production.
• When the nature of the disease requires tracking the results of its treatment in the course of the therapy.

What do the results mean?

Reference values ​​

Consistency / shape

Stool consistency is determined by the percentage of water in it.It is considered normal to have a water content of 75% in feces. In this case, the stool has a moderately dense consistency and cylindrical shape, that is, feces decorated . Eating an increased amount of plant foods containing a lot of fiber leads to increased intestinal motility, while the feces become mushy. A thinner consistency, watery, is associated with an increase in water content to 85% or more.

Liquid, mushy stool is called diarrhea.In many cases, the liquefaction of feces is accompanied by an increase in its quantity and frequency of bowel movements during the day. According to the mechanism of development, diarrhea is divided into those caused by substances that disrupt the absorption of water from the intestine (osmotic), resulting from increased secretion of fluid from the intestinal wall (secretory), resulting from increased intestinal motility (motor) and mixed.

Osmotic diarrhea often occurs as a result of a violation of the breakdown and assimilation of food elements (fats, proteins, carbohydrates).Occasionally, this can occur with the use of certain indigestible osmotically active substances (magnesium sulfate, salt water). Secretory diarrhea is a sign of inflammation of the intestinal wall of an infectious and other origin. Some drugs and dysfunction of the nervous system can cause motor diarrhea. Often, the development of a disease is associated with the involvement of at least two mechanisms of the onset of diarrhea, such diarrhea is called mixed.

Hard stool occurs when the movement of feces through the large intestine slows down, which is accompanied by excessive dehydration (water content in feces is less than 50-60%).

Odor

Normal The faint smell of feces is associated with the formation of volatile substances, which are synthesized as a result of bacterial fermentation of protein elements of food (indole, skatole, phenol, cresols, etc.). An increase in this smell occurs with excessive consumption of protein products or with insufficient intake of plant foods.

The sharp fetid odor of feces is due to the intensification of putrefactive processes in the intestines. An acidic odor occurs during increased fermentation of food, which may be associated with a deterioration in the enzymatic breakdown of carbohydrates or their assimilation, as well as with infectious processes.

Color

The normal color of feces is due to the presence of stercobilin in it, the end product of the metabolism of bilirubin, which is excreted in the intestines with bile. In turn, bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin – the main functional substance of red blood cells (hemoglobin). Thus, the presence of stercobilin in feces is the result, on the one hand, of the functioning of the liver, and on the other hand, of the constant process of renewal of the cellular composition of the blood. The color of the stool normally changes depending on the composition of the food.Darker feces are associated with eating meat, dairy and vegetable nutrition leads to lighter stools.

Discolored feces (acholic) – a sign of the absence of stercobilin in the stool, which can result from the fact that bile does not enter the intestines due to blockage of the biliary tract or a sharp violation of the biliary function of the liver.

Very dark stool is sometimes a sign of increased concentration of stercobilin in the stool. In some cases, this is observed with excessive breakdown of red blood cells, which causes increased excretion of hemoglobin metabolic products.

Red color stool may be due to bleeding from the lower intestines.

Black color – sign of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the black color of the stool is a consequence of the oxidation of blood hemoglobin by hydrochloric acid of gastric juice.

Reaction

The reaction reflects the acid-base properties of the stool. An acidic or alkaline reaction in feces is due to the activation of the activity of certain types of bacteria, which occurs when food fermentation is disturbed.Normally, the reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. The alkaline properties of are enhanced by the deterioration of the enzymatic breakdown of proteins, which accelerates their bacterial decomposition and leads to the formation of ammonia, which has an alkaline reaction.

The acid reaction is caused by the activation of bacterial decomposition of carbohydrates in the intestine (fermentation).

Blood

Blood in the stool appears when bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

Slime

Mucus is a product of the secretion of cells lining the inner surface of the intestine (intestinal epithelium).The function of mucus is to protect intestinal cells from damage. Normally, some mucus may be present in the stool. With inflammatory processes in the intestine, the production of mucus increases and, accordingly, its amount in the feces increases.

Detritus

Detritus is small particles of digested food and destroyed bacterial cells. Bacterial cells can be destroyed by inflammation.

Undigested food residues

Food residues in stool may appear with insufficient production of gastric juice and / or digestive enzymes, as well as with acceleration of intestinal motility.

Modified muscle fibers

Altered muscle fibers are a product of the digestion of meat food. An increase in the content of weakly modified muscle fibers in the feces occurs when the conditions for protein breakdown deteriorate. This can be caused by insufficient production of gastric juice, digestive enzymes.

Muscle fibers, unchanged

Unaltered muscle fibers are elements of undigested meat food. Their presence in the stool is a sign of a violation of protein breakdown (due to a violation of the secretory function of the stomach, pancreas or intestines) or the accelerated movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract.

Digestible vegetable fiber

Digestible vegetable fiber – cells of the pulp of fruits and other plant foods. It appears in feces in violation of the conditions of digestion: secretory insufficiency of the stomach, increased putrefactive processes in the intestine, insufficient secretion of bile, and indigestion in the small intestine.

Fat neutral

Neutral fat is the fatty components of food that have not undergone breakdown and assimilation and therefore are excreted from the intestines unchanged.For normal fat breakdown, pancreatic enzymes and a sufficient amount of bile are needed, the function of which is to separate the fat mass into a fine-droplet solution (emulsion) and to multiply the area of ​​contact of fat particles with molecules of specific enzymes – lipases. Thus, the appearance of neutral fat in the feces is a sign of insufficient function of the pancreas, liver or impaired flow of bile into the intestinal lumen.

In children, small amounts of fat in the stool may be normal.This is due to the fact that their digestive organs are still underdeveloped and therefore do not always cope with the load of assimilating adult food.

Fatty acids

Fatty acids are products of the breakdown of fats by digestive enzymes – lipases. The appearance of fatty acids in the stool is a sign of a violation of their absorption in the intestine. This can be caused by a violation of the absorption function of the intestinal wall (as a result of the inflammatory process) and / or increased peristalsis.

Soaps

Soaps are modified residues of undigested fats. Normally, 90-98% of fats are absorbed in the process of digestion, the rest can bind with calcium and magnesium salts, which are contained in drinking water, and form insoluble particles. An increase in the amount of soap in the stool is a sign of a violation of the breakdown of fats as a result of a lack of digestive enzymes and bile.

Intracellular starch

Intracellular starch is a starch enclosed within the membranes of plant cells.It should not be detected in feces, since during normal digestion, the thin cell membranes are destroyed by digestive enzymes, after which their contents are broken down and absorbed. The appearance of intracellular starch in feces is a sign of a digestive disorder in the stomach as a result of a decrease in the secretion of gastric juice, a disturbance in digestion in the intestine in the event of an increase in putrefactive or fermentative processes.

Extracellular starch

Extracellular starch – undigested starch grains from destroyed plant cells.Normally, starch is completely broken down by digestive enzymes and absorbed during the passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract, so it is not present in the feces. Its appearance in the stool indicates insufficient activity of specific enzymes that are responsible for its breakdown (amylase) or too rapid movement of food through the intestines.

Leukocytes

Leukocytes are blood cells that protect the body from infections. They accumulate in the tissues of the body and its cavities, where the inflammatory process occurs.A large number of leukocytes in feces indicates inflammation in various parts of the intestine, caused by the development of infection or other reasons.

Erythrocytes

Erythrocytes are red blood cells. The number of red blood cells in feces can increase as a result of bleeding from the wall of the large intestine or rectum.

Crystals

Crystals are formed from various chemicals that appear in the stool as a result of digestive disorders or various diseases.These include:

• triple phosphates – formed in the intestine in a sharply alkaline environment, which may be the result of the activity of putrefactive bacteria,
• hematoidin – a product of the conversion of hemoglobin, a sign of blood secretion from the wall of the small intestine,
• Charcot-Leiden crystals – a product of crystallization of the protein of eosinophils – blood cells that take an active part in various allergic processes, are a sign of an allergic process in the intestine that can cause intestinal helminths.

Iodophilic flora

Iodophilic flora is a collection of different types of bacteria that cause fermentation processes in the intestine. In laboratory tests, they can be stained with an iodine solution. The appearance of iodophilic flora in the stool is a sign of fermentative dyspepsia.

Clostridium

Clostridia is a type of bacteria that can cause putrefaction in the intestines. An increase in the number of clostridia in the stool indicates an increase in intestinal putrefaction of protein substances due to insufficient fermentation of food in the stomach or intestines.

Epithelium

The epithelium is the cells of the inner lining of the intestinal wall. The appearance of a large number of epithelial cells in the stool is a sign of an inflammatory process in the intestinal wall.

Yeast-like mushrooms

Yeast-like fungi is a type of infection that develops in the intestine when there is insufficient activity of normal intestinal bacteria to prevent its occurrence. Their active reproduction in the intestine can be the result of the death of normal intestinal bacteria due to treatment with antibiotics or some other drugs.In addition, the appearance of a fungal infection in the intestines is sometimes a sign of a sharp decrease in immunity.

Download an example of the result

Also recommended

Who orders the study?

General practitioner, therapist, gastroenterologist, surgeon, pediatrician, neonatologist, infectious disease specialist.

Literature

• Chernecky CC, Berger BJ (2008). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th edition.St. Louis: Saunders.
• Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 5th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
• Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby’s Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th edition. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.

The use of coloring products

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

Hemorrhoids

Blood from the enlarged hemorrhoids is released 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.Stool frequency with hemorrhoids is reduced to 3-4 times a week, which is due to reflex spasm of the rectal sphincter muscles. Pain in the anus is characteristic, which increases sharply during bowel movements.

As the disease progresses and the size of the venous nodes increases, hemorrhoidal bleeding becomes more frequent. The feces acquire a greasy or liquid consistency and a reddish color due to the large amount of blood. In severe situations, with ulceration of 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 causes inflammatory causes. In acute erosive proctitis, blood is secreted from the affected mucous membrane, which stains the stool. In the case of a bacterial infection, a liquid consistency of feces with abundant bloody-purulent inclusions is observed. Also, patients experience constant pain in the anal region with irradiation to the perineum and sacrum.

Discharge of red feces provokes anal fissures.They are characterized by the occurrence of severe sharp pain during bowel movements, then feces mixed with blood appear. Symptoms often develop with prolonged constipation, when a person has to exert a lot, and dry hard feces injure the intestinal mucosa. The formation of an anal fissure is possible in women after childbirth.

Infections

Red streaks in stool – a characteristic symptom of dysentery (shigellosis). Bacterial toxins damage the intestinal walls, from which blood is secreted.At the beginning of the disease, the stool is liquid, has a fecal character with individual bloody inclusions. In severe cases, the number of bowel movements increases up to 10-12 times a day, the bowel movements 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 occurs at 3-4 weeks with a typical course of typhoid fever, which is associated with bleeding from a deep typhoid ulcer. Loose mucous stools with a large amount of blood like “raspberry jelly” – a pathognomonic sign of amebiasis.In addition to the reddish color of feces, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting are troubling. For such symptoms, emergency medical attention is indicated.

Inflammatory bowel lesions

In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, deep ulcerative defects form that bleed. Red feces are more common in NUC because they damage the distal bowel. Against the background of painful imperative urge to defecate, the discharge of scanty feces with admixtures of scarlet blood is noted.Exacerbations are provoked by reasons such as stress, errors in the diet, concomitant intestinal infections.

Neoplasms

Occasionally, a reddish color of stool is observed with colonic polyps and other benign tumors, eventually becoming covered with ulcers due to constant trauma from hard feces. The red color of feces is more common in cancerous tumors of the intestines, since they ulcerate and disintegrate faster with the involvement of the vessels in the process.Concerned about dull pain in the abdominal cavity, prolonged constipation, progressive weight loss.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

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

Help before diagnosis

Discharge of atypical stool caused by excessive consumption of red foods and proceeds against a background of well-being does not require treatment. 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 has occurred. For intestinal bleeding, emergency medical attention is needed.

Conservative therapy

Medical tactics depend on the reason for the staining of feces in red.For intestinal infections, along with medications, therapeutic fasting or a gentle diet with strict restrictions is indicated; oral rehydration is recommended to correct water-salt metabolism. Prescribing drugs is aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology that caused the red feces. Most often used:

• Antibiotics . Medicines 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.With amebiasis, specific antiprotozoal drugs are indicated.
• Anesthetics . With hemorrhoids, anal fissure, pain 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 agents are essential for the treatment of NUC 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 substitution solutions . Infusion therapy is performed with massive intestinal bleeding to restore the BCC and maintain heart function. The infused solutions contain optimal concentrations of the main electrolytes. Colloidal preparations, fresh frozen plasma are also administered.

Surgical treatment

For 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, hemicolectomy or total colectomy is performed.

Baby’s green stool – Articles about baby food from pediatricians and experts MAMAKO

The baby’s chair suddenly began to look completely different, instead of yellowish it turned out to be green. What does it mean? Why does the baby have green stools? The reason is important.Greens in a diaper can be a completely normal and harmless manifestation of changes in the intestinal microflora or a symptom of a disease. Dark green, yellow-green, green stools with mucus, green diarrhea – when to worry and call a doctor, and when green feces are still in the “green zone”, explained pediatrician Anastasia Anatolyevna Nikulina.

– Anastasia Anatolyevna, what kind of stool should a healthy baby have and what deviations are permissible?

– Stool color varies between babies who receive breast milk and those who are formula-fed.If greens appear in the stool, but its consistency and frequency remain the same, this is acceptable.

– What diseases can be a symptom of green stool in a newborn?

– Various diseases can provoke the appearance of green stools, first of all, disturbances in the work of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract and infections:

• liver or gallbladder dysfunction;
• diseases of the pancreas;
• dysbiosis;

90,015 bacterial infections;

• viral intestinal diseases;
• helminthic invasion;
• food allergy.

– Let’s see what a green chair means in common problem situations.

• Situation 1. Green liquid stool in an infant

– If diarrhea occurs suddenly, accompanied by vomiting, fever, intestinal colic – this is a disease. It can be caused by enteroviruses, pathogenic fungi, intestinal bacteria. For example, staphylococci and streptococci, getting into the intestines of a child, begin to multiply intensively and change the acidic environment to alkaline.Therefore, the color of the stool changes.

• Situation 2. Green feces with dysbiosis in infants

– Every baby faces dysbiosis: it occurs during the formation of the necessary microflora in the intestine. The unnaturally green color of the stool with dysbiosis is due to the content of dead leukocytes in the feces. They accumulate in the intestinal region and intensify the inflammatory process. The stools turn green from fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines.Other manifestations of dysbiosis are bloating, gas formation, and a skin rash. The child’s stool will return to normal when the microflora is completely populated.

If a child is gaining weight well, nothing bothers him, then green stool is considered the norm. Other symptoms will indicate the indigestibility of food.

Green stools in babies – causes

If the above reasons do not apply to you, harmful gut bacteria may be the cause of green bowel movements.

– For what symptoms should a child see a doctor against the background of green stools?

– Decreased appetite in a baby, fever, colic, abdominal pain, bloody impurities and mucus in the feces, vomiting, a rash on the body – such complaints should be a mandatory reason for a visit to a children’s doctor. On examination, he will recommend a list of studies to make the correct diagnosis.

If a green stool appeared during a change in diet, but the child has adequate weight gain, good health, he is active, his appetite is normal, then there is no reason for concern.This may be a one-time manifestation that will disappear without any complaints.

Green stool in a child – what tests to take:

• blood and urine analysis – the presence of inflammation in the body is determined;
• coprogram – the presence of an inflammatory process in the intestine is assessed,
• analysis of feces for dysbiosis – to assess the intestinal microflora;
• biochemical blood test – checking the functioning of the digestive system;
• scraping for enterobiasis – confirms or excludes a parasitic disease;
• ultrasound examination of the digestive system – to assess the functioning of the pancreas and liver.

– How to treat green stools at home?

– The child must be treated by a specialist. Therapy depends on the cause of the appearance of green impurities in the feces. In case of improper nutrition, a change in the diet for mother and child, a decrease in the amount of complementary foods, and the selection of the correct complementary foods are prescribed.

If a child is suspected of having an infection, he should be hospitalized in a specialized department, because he can only be provided with adequate assistance there.

Treatment of intestinal infections and green stools:

• drinking regime – to prevent dehydration;
• sorbents – to remove pathogenic toxins from the body;
• antibacterial drugs – are prescribed when the causative agent of a bacterial intestinal infection is detected.

Non-infectious causes of green stool in a child – what to do:

• lactose intolerance – lactose is excluded from the child’s diet;
• allergic reaction – determine the allergen and exclude it from the diet of an artificial child or a nursing mother;
• helminthic invasion – give anthelmintic drugs;
• dysbiosis – perform the correction of intestinal microflora with pre- and probiotics.