The consistency of stool is soft in an adult. The consistency of stool, its norm, reasons for deviation from the norm. What should be the density of stool?


The color of a healthy person's stool can range from light brown to dark brown. This color is caused by the presence in the feces of a product that is produced as a result of pigment metabolism processes.

Causes of changes in stool color

The color or shade of stool may change due to:

  • taking some medicines, for example, hematogen, bismuth salts, calomel. In such cases, the stool may be black or green;
  • consumed certain foods. For example, after eating asparagus, lettuce and sorrel, the feces acquire a greenish tint. And after eating black currants, cherries and blueberries, it can turn black;
  • the predominance of certain nutrients in products. For example, when using large quantity milk, the color of stool can become golden yellow, when eating meat and sausages - black-brown, and when eating plant foods - light brown.

However, a change in the color and shade of stool may also indicate the development of some pathological processes in the body and be one of the symptoms of the following diseases:

  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • stomach ulcer;
  • development of malignant and benign neoplasms;
  • hepatitis;
  • gastric erosion;
  • bleeding from hemorrhoids:
  • bleeding from the rectum.

If the color of the stool has changed for no reason, that is, this was not preceded by taking certain medications and food products, you must immediately apply for medical care. After all, a timely diagnosis will help eliminate the problem early stages its development, which will lead to a successful and rapid cure of the disease. In such situations, it is recommended to contact specialists in the field:

  • hepatology;
  • gastroenterology;
  • oncology.

Light-colored stool

Faeces that have a pale tint (white, gray) in most cases indicate that the person ate a large amount the day before:

  • potatoes
  • tapioca;
  • rice

If a person has had a barium sulfate x-ray, they will also experience discolored stool for several days.
Taking some medications intended to relieve diarrhea may also cause stool gray. The fact is that these drugs contain additives such as calcium and antacids.

If we consider the issue of the occurrence of pale stool from the other side, it becomes clear that the bile secreted gallbladder, for some reason does not enter the intestines. This may signal the development of certain diseases, including those associated with closure bile ducts, namely:

  • pancreatitis;
  • tumors of the bile ducts;
  • hepatitis A;
  • stones in the gall bladder and bile ducts;
  • cancer or cirrhosis of the liver.

Thus, we can conclude that if a person has feces white, which means he has problems with his gallbladder. Perhaps he suffers from cholecystitis.

Red stool

Red or red-brown color of stool should alert you. After all, it is a harbinger of the development of certain pathological processes in the body. Although in most cases, red feces indicate that you ate a fairly large amount of the following foods the day before:

  • beets;
  • red gelatin;
  • tomatoes;
  • fruit punches.

Also, red stool may indicate that a person took certain antibiotics, which contributed to the formation of ulcers in the intestines. And this already caused bleeding. After taking potassium tablets and some other medications, you may also experience blood in your stool.

If you notice the appearance of bloody stools and did not eat red foods the day before, this may indicate the presence of fissures in the anus, as well as hemorrhoids. These problems could arise for the following reasons:

  • after childbirth;
  • after sexual intercourse;
  • presence of foreign objects in the rectum;
  • with frequent constipation.

Also, red stool can be a consequence of a disease such as intestinal inflammation. This disease, in addition to bloody stool, is characterized by the presence of diarrhea and severe cramps.

In addition to the problems listed above, red feces can be a harbinger of some other diseases. digestive system organs. So, if the stool is bright red, the problem is most likely in the lower intestines. It is very likely that there are malfunctions of the large intestine, for example, diverticulitis, when small areas of the rectum become inflamed due to the presence of infection. This condition is characterized by the presence of acute pain syndrome in the lower abdomen.

For stool that is dark red in color, the problem is most likely at the top. gastrointestinal tract, namely:

Bloody stool is sometimes the only symptomatic manifestation of colon cancer, as well as the presence of polyps. These polyps can be either malignant or benign.

However, in these cases, along with bloody stools, the presence of:

  • attacks of nausea and vomiting;
  • diarrhea;
  • spasms;
  • general weakness;
  • significant weight loss.

Yellow stool

Light yellow (golden) feces can be observed with the development of a pathology such as fermentative dyspepsia, in other words, a disturbance in the digestion of carbohydrates. This pathology may cause disruption of the digestive system due to insufficient digestion of connective tissue membranes of fibers plant origin. Thus, the carbohydrates present in plant foods become inaccessible to the enzymes of the pancreas and small intestine.

Often yellow stool in adults occurs due to poor digestion of food in the large intestine, as well as due to pancreatic insufficiency.

It is worth noting that children who are on breastfeeding, the color of stool can vary from pale yellow or even green-yellow to rich yellow color, having a golden hue.

Green stool

The green color of stool may indicate the development of certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, about the course of pathological processes in the small intestine, as well as about the development of dysbiosis, which provokes the processes of fermentation and rotting of consumed food.

The stool may turn green due to certain antibiotics. This color is due to the fact that the intestines contain a large number of dead leukocytes, which accumulate in it against the background of emerging foci of inflammation.

Green stool is also characteristic of a disease such as dysentery, which is intestinal infection. Along with such stool, a person usually experiences:

  • significant increase in body temperature:
  • abdominal pain;
  • attacks of nausea and profuse vomiting;
  • aches and weakness throughout the body.

Also, feces may acquire a green tint due to the oxidation of iron, which is present in red blood cells. This occurs due to the development of complications of ulcers or malignant tumors gastrointestinal tract.

Another cause of green stool is diseases hematopoietic organs. The fact is that due to the breakdown of red blood cells, hemoglobin is converted into a large amount of bilirubin. As a result, this substance, when entering the intestines, gives the stool a greenish tint.

In children aged 6-8 months, the color of the stool may also be green. This occurs due to the fact that unchanged bilirubin enters the child’s intestines. And if no other symptoms are observed (fever, abdominal pain, blood in the stool), there is no need to worry.

Dark-colored stool

In most cases, stool that is black in color produces a more shocking and even ominous impression on a person than bloody stool.

However, not everything is as sad as it might seem at first glance. After all, a common reason for stool turning black is:

  • taking activated carbon;
  • reception of various food additives, which contain iron;
  • taking medications that contain bismuth;
  • consumption of black licorice;
  • eating blueberries.

But if you find yourself dark stool(almost black), which will have a viscous consistency (tarry), hurry to consult a competent doctor. After all, this may signal the presence of blood in the stool, which, in the process of entering from the esophagus into the lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract, undergoes changes - it becomes thick, viscous, and also acquires a dark color.

A common cause of black stool is the abuse of alcoholic beverages, as well as taking certain medications and narcotic substances which contribute to the development of esophageal bleeding. Such medications include:

  • ibuprofen:
  • acetaminophen;
  • aspirin;
  • other non-steroidal drugs, the action of which is aimed at relieving inflammatory processes.

As for diseases that may have black stool as a symptom, these include:

  • gastritis;
  • colon cancer;
  • ulcer duodenum(in the area of ​​the small intestine);
  • stomach ulcer;
  • tumor neoplasms in the upper gastrointestinal tract;
  • inflammation of the inner walls of the stomach.

In conclusion, it is necessary to recall once again that if changes in the color of stool are detected, it is recommended to immediately seek medical help. A qualified specialist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe competent treatment. Be healthy!

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Chair or feces- This is the contents of the lower parts of the colon, which is the end product of digestion and is excreted from the body during bowel movements.

Individual stool characteristics can tell a lot about a person's health and help in making a diagnosis.
Below are interpretations of stool quality in normal and pathological conditions.

1. Number of bowel movements.
Norm: regularly, 1-2 times a day, but at least 1 time in 24-48 hours, without prolonged strong straining, painless. After defecation, the urge disappears, a feeling of comfort and complete bowel movement occurs. External circumstances can increase or inhibit the frequency of the urge to defecate. This is a change in the usual environment, a forced position in bed, the need to use a bedpan, being in the company of other people, etc.
Changes: Lack of bowel movements for several days (constipation) or too frequent stool– up to 5 times or more (diarrhea).

2. Daily amount of feces
Norm: With a mixed diet, the daily amount of feces fluctuates within a fairly wide range and averages 150-400 g. Thus, when eating predominantly plant foods, the amount of feces increases, while in an animal that is poor in “ballast” substances, it decreases.
Changes: Significant increase (more than 600 g) or decrease in the amount of feces.
Reasons for increasing the amount of feces (polyfecal):

  • Consuming large amounts of plant fiber.
  • Increased intestinal peristalsis, in which food is poorly absorbed due to its too rapid movement through the intestinal tract.
  • Disruption of digestive processes (digestion or absorption of food and water) in the small intestine (malabsorption, enteritis).
  • Decreased exocrine function of the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis (insufficient digestion of fats and proteins).
  • Insufficient amount of bile entering the intestines (cholecystitis, cholelithiasis).

Reasons for reducing the amount of feces:

  • Constipation, in which due to prolonged retention of feces in the large intestine and maximum absorption of water, the volume of feces decreases.
  • Reducing the amount of food eaten or predominantly digestible foods in the diet.

3. Passing feces and floating in water.
Normal: feces should be released easily, and in water it should sink gently to the bottom.
Changes:

  • If there is insufficient amount in food dietary fiber(less than 30 grams per day) feces are released quickly and splash into the water of the toilet.
  • If the stool floats, this indicates that it has an increased amount of gases or contains too much undigested fat (malabsorption). Also, stool may float if you eat a lot of fiber.
  • If the stool is difficult to flush away cold water from the walls of the toilet, which means it contains a large amount of undigested fat, which happens with pancreatitis.

4. Stool color
Normal: With a mixed diet, the stool is brown. Breastfed babies have golden-yellow or yellow stools.
Change in stool color:

  • Dark brown - with a meat diet, constipation, impaired digestion in the stomach, colitis, putrefactive dyspepsia.
  • Light brown - with a dairy-vegetable diet, increased intestinal motility.
  • Light yellow - indicates too rapid passage of feces through the intestines, which do not have time to change color (diarrhea) or impaired bile secretion (cholecystitis).
  • Reddish - when eating beets, when bleeding from the lower intestines, for example. for hemorrhoids, anal fissures, ulcerative colitis.
  • Orange – when consuming the vitamin beta-carotene, as well as foods high in beta-carotene (carrots, pumpkin, etc.).
  • Green - with a large amount of spinach, lettuce, sorrel in food, with dysbacteriosis, increased intestinal motility.
  • Tarry or black - when eating currants, blueberries, as well as bismuth preparations (Vikalin, Vikair, De-Nol); for bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract ( peptic ulcer, cirrhosis, cancer colon), when swallowing blood during nosebleeds or pulmonary bleeding.
  • Greenish-black - when taking iron supplements.
  • Grayish-white stool means that bile is not flowing into the intestines (bile duct blockage, acute pancreatitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver).

5. Consistency (density) of feces.
Normal: shaped and soft. Normally, stool consists of 70% water, 30% from the remains of processed food, dead bacteria and desquamated intestinal cells.
Pathology: mushy, dense, liquid, semi-liquid, putty-like.
Change in stool consistency.

  • Very dense feces (sheep) - for constipation, spasms and stenosis of the colon.
  • Mushy feces - with increased intestinal motility, increased secretion in the intestines during inflammation.
  • Ointment-like – for diseases of the pancreas ( chronic pancreatitis), sharp decline entry of bile into the intestines ( cholelithiasis, cholecystitis).
  • Clay or putty-like feces are gray in color - with a significant amount of undigested fat, which is observed when there is difficulty in the outflow of bile from the liver and gallbladder (hepatitis, blockage of the bile duct).
  • Liquid – in case of impaired digestion of food in the small intestine, impaired absorption and accelerated passage of feces.
  • Foamy - with fermentative dyspepsia, when fermentation processes in the intestines prevail over all others.
  • Loose stools like pea puree - with typhoid fever.
  • Liquid, colorless stools like rice water - with cholera.
  • When the stool has a liquid consistency and frequent bowel movements, one speaks of diarrhea.
  • Liquid-mushy or watery stools can occur with high water consumption.
  • Yeasty stool - indicates the presence of yeast and may have the following characteristics: curdled, foamy stools like rising sourdough, may have strings like melted cheese, or have a yeasty odor.

6. Shape of feces.
Standard: cylindrical, sausage-shaped. The stool should come out continuously, like toothpaste, and be about the length of a banana.
Changes: ribbon-shaped or in the form of dense balls (sheep feces) is observed with insufficient daily water intake, as well as spasms or narrowing of the large intestine.

7. The smell of feces.
Normal: fecal, unpleasant, but not harsh. It is due to the presence of substances in it that are formed as a result of bacterial breakdown of proteins and volatile fatty acids. Depends on the composition of the food and the severity of the processes of fermentation and decay. Meat foods give off a pungent odor, while dairy foods give off a sour odor.
If digestion is poor, undigested food simply rots in the intestines or becomes food for pathogenic bacteria. Some bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic rotten odor.
Changes in stool odor.

  • Sour – for fermentative dyspepsia, which occurs with excessive consumption of carbohydrates (sugar, flour products, fruits, peas, etc.) and fermented drinks, such as kvass.
  • Fetid - with impaired pancreatic function (pancreatitis), decreased flow of bile into the intestines (cholecystitis), hypersecretion of the large intestine. Very foul-smelling stool may be due to bacterial overgrowth
  • Putrefactive – in case of indigestion in the stomach, putrefactive dyspepsia associated with excessive consumption protein products that are slowly digested in the intestines, colitis, constipation.
  • The smell of rancid oil is due to bacterial decomposition of fats in the intestines.
  • Faint odor - with constipation or accelerated evacuation from the small intestine.

8. Intestinal gases.
Normal: Gases are a natural by-product of the digestion and fermentation of food as it moves through the gastrointestinal tract. During and outside of bowel movements, 0.2-0.5 liters of gas are removed from the intestines of an adult per day.
The formation of gas in the intestines occurs as a result of the vital activity of microorganisms inhabiting the intestines. They decompose various nutrients, releasing methane, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. The more undigested food enters the colon, the more active the bacteria are and the more gases are produced.
An increase in the amount of gases is normal.

  • when eating large amounts of carbohydrates (sugar, baked goods);
  • when eating foods that contain a lot of fiber (cabbage, apples, legumes, etc.);
  • when consuming foods that stimulate fermentation processes (brown bread, kvass, beer);
  • when consuming dairy products if you are lactose intolerant;
  • when swallowing large amounts of air while eating and drinking;
  • when drinking large amounts of carbonated drinks

An increase in the amount of gases in pathology.

  • Enzyme deficiency of the pancreas, in which food digestion is impaired (chronic pancreatitis).
  • Intestinal dysbiosis.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
  • Chronic liver diseases: cholecystitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis.
  • Chronic intestinal diseases – enteritis, colitis
  • Malabsorption.
  • Celiac disease.

Difficulty in passing gases.

  • intestinal obstruction;
  • intestinal atony with peritonitis;
  • some acute inflammatory processes in the intestines.

9. Stool acidity.
Normal: with a mixed diet, acidity is 6.8–7.6 pH and is due to the vital activity of the colon microflora.
Changes in stool acidity:

  • sharply acidic (pH less than 5.5) – with fermentative dyspepsia.
  • acidic (pH 5.5 - 6.7) - in case of impaired absorption of fatty acids in small intestine.
  • alkaline (pH 8.0 - 8.5) - with rotting of undigested food proteins and activation of putrefactive microflora with the formation of ammonia and other alkaline substances in the colon, with impaired pancreatic secretion, colitis.
  • sharply alkaline (pH more than 8.5) - for putrefactive dyspepsia.

Normally, feces should not contain blood, mucus, pus, or undigested food residues.

Normal stool in an adult displays Good work digestive system. This may sound like a joke, but in order to monitor your health, you also need to be able to understand what normal poop should be like and what changes in stool indicate. But how many of us are aware of what an adult’s stool should look like? First of all, we should be interested in:

  • Bowel movement frequency
  • Shape of stool
  • Stool color

How many times do you go to the toilet in general?

The norm for bowel movement is one full trip to the toilet per day, when a person feels not partial, but complete bowel movement. Sometimes there is more frequent bowel movements. Often bowel movements occur 2-3 times a day. This suggests that the person's metabolism is faster or that they have consumed food that has a natural laxative effect. More frequent bowel movements (more than 3 times a day) indicate that you are experiencing diarrhea, which we will discuss below.

There is an opinion that it is normal to have a bowel movement every couple of days, but this is a controversial issue. Emptying your bowels is The best way for the body to get rid of toxins, acids and other unnecessary substances that may accumulate inside, so ideally this process should occur daily.

What kind of feces are there? Stool shape (Bristol scale)

type 1 type 2 type 3 type 4 type 5 type 6 type 7

Properly formed normal stool is a guarantee that the process of food digestion and absorption nutrients, as well as the removal of toxins and other waste occurs without any disruption. The Bristol Stool Shape Scale gives an idea of ​​what a healthy person's stool should look like.

Type 1: Watery stools without particles

Type 2: Fuzzy "fluffy" stool with ragged edges

Type 3: Soft drops with clear, jagged edges (comes out easily)

Type 4: Smooth and soft sausage

Type 5: Like a sausage, but with cracks on the surface

Type 6: Sausage shape, but lumpy and lumpy

Type 7: Individual small lumps, small balls that come out with difficulty

Most the best option– Type 4: Perfect sausage-shaped poop comes out easily and smells more like overripe fruit than something terrible. The feces should come out easily and fall gently into the water.

  • If feces are poorly washed off the walls of the toilet, it contains undigested fats.
  • If the feces do not sink, there is either a lot of gases, or fiber, or undigested fats.
  • If it falls sharply and with a splash, there is a lack of dietary fiber.

Type 5 is better than Type 2 and 3. Diarrhea is difficult to control and its causes are sometimes not easy to eliminate. Diarrhea prevents the body from absorbing essential nutrients.

  • Pasty stool may indicate inflammatory processes in the intestines, malabsorption.
  • Foamy feces are fermentation processes in the intestines.
  • Lumpy stool may indicate insufficient water intake.

What color should stool be? Stool color

Please be aware that some products and food colorings may change the color of stool.

  • Normal stool is medium to dark brown in color.
  • If your stool is black, it may be the result of consuming currants or blueberries. Or blood gets into it in the upper gastrointestinal tract - in this case you need to see a doctor.
  • Beets make stool reddish.
  • A huge amount of greenery is green.
  • Carrots and a large amount of beta keratins make it orange.
  • The gray-white color of stool indicates a disorder such as bile not entering the intestines.
  • Green stool can occur as a result of taking antibiotics and iron supplements. If the green color of the stool is not associated with the intake of foods and medications, then the reason is poor digestion. If the digestion process occurs too quickly, bile does not have time to be processed along with food and turns the stool green.

Loose stools. What to do?

If you have a mild, too frequent, loose stool long time, this indicates a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. To get rid of diarrhea, you need to understand the cause of its occurrence. Try to strengthen your stool with foods that strengthen it. These are unripe bananas, applesauce, rice, fatty meat, broth, baked goods, mashed potatoes.

Excellent home remedy for diarrhea – black peppercorns. Depending on your body weight, take 10-15 pieces and swallow with water.

When diarrhea continues for more than three days or there is blood in it, you need to consult a doctor and have a detailed stool test done.

Constipation

If your stool is too rare and hard on a regular basis, consulting a doctor is a must. In case of infrequent manifestations, you need to drink more water, eat more vegetables, and add foods to your diet that have a natural laxative effect. Plums, apricots, raw zucchini, beets help well, vegetable oils, prunes. If you haven't had a bowel movement for a couple of days, it's better to do an enema.

How to adjust stool in an adult

1. Toilet pose!

Toilets are a relatively recent invention of mankind. Just sitting on the toilet like a chair is not the best option for doing your big things. In the picture you can see that in this position the rectum is pinched, which forces us to make efforts during defecation, which puts pressure on the rectal veins. This can lead to consequences in the form of hemorrhoids and other diseases.

From an anatomically correct point of view, a person should empty his bowels on cards. But we live in modern civilization and are not going to get rid of toilets, so you can get a little used to it to make the position more correct. You can put your feet on a small hill. The point is to raise your legs so that the position is close to the squatting position, when the legs in relation to the body are not at a right angle, but at a sharper angle.

2. Schedule

Introduce a daily morning ritual of sitting on the toilet for 15 minutes every morning. Try to completely relax during this time, you can read something. This way you will train your body to get rid of waste every day and you will be able to establish regular bowel movements.

3. Drink more fluids

The body needs water for all systems in general, in particular the large intestine needs it to form stool, which consists of 75% of it. People who get enough fluids are least likely to experience constipation and have normal bowel movements.

4. More movement!

Everyone knows that a sedentary lifestyle brings little health benefits, and a person needs more movement and physical activity, including in order to go to the toilet well and have normal bowel movements.

5. Of course, proper nutrition!

We try to eat natural food. You need to consume enough vegetables every day because they contain the necessary fiber that improves digestion and maintains normal bowel movements, vegetable oils, organic meat, eggs and dairy products.

How to poop discreetly in other people's toilets, at work and at a party

How to poop correctly (Video). Malysheva

A person's stool can say a lot about his health. Color, consistency and other parameters reflect the level of certain substances in the body, as well as possible negative processes that occur in it.

Feces have their own generally accepted characteristics, which indicate that everything is in order with health. This may not be the most pleasant topic, but everyone should know the parameters of a chair.

  1. Color. U healthy people, in the menu of which there is a variety of food, the feces have a color from yellowish to dark brown. Of course, this parameter varies depending on the type of food consumed at one time or another, but in general there should not be any unusual color.
  2. Consistency. Normally, the stool is formed, moderately dense, it should come out easily during defecation and resemble a sausage in shape. If the stool looks like a cluster of small balls or, on the contrary, is too liquid, this is already a deviation from the norm.
  3. . With well-established digestion and moderate nutrition, bowel movements should occur 1-2 times a day. This is the optimal number of times at which stool does not stagnate in the intestines. Emptying is allowed once every 48 hours, but not less often. The number of bowel movements may change due to stressful situations or painful conditions, but after that everything should return to normal.
  4. Amount of feces. If the diet is balanced and the person does not overeat, then daily norm feces from 120 to 500 g, depending on age and type of food consumed. If the menu is in to a greater extent plant foods are present, the amount of feces increases, if meat and dairy, on the contrary, decreases.
  5. . Usually unpleasant, but not too harsh. It depends on the type of food consumed, the nature of digestion, the presence of beneficial bacteria in the intestines and the necessary enzymes. So, if they prevail meat products, stool has a sharper odor, dairy foods give a characteristic sour odor. If food is not completely digested, it begins to rot and ferment. The number of bacteria feeding on it increases and they produce corresponding substances that have an unpleasant odor, such as hydrogen sulfide.
  6. Stool acidity. An indicator that is established in laboratory conditions, but is also extremely important. Normal pH is 6.7-7.5 and depends on the intestinal microflora.

Attention! Some people have individual fecal characteristics associated with congenital anomalies, pathologies or lifestyle (for example, vegetarians). If in general nothing worries you, then there is no need to fear for your health.

Deviations from the norms and their causes

Comparative characteristics of the color of feces and the reasons that cause it.

ColorCauses
taking certain medications (for example, Activated carbon, medicines containing iron);

alcohol abuse;

· presence of coloring products in food (blueberries, blackberries, black grapes, prunes);

· stomach ulcer or bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

· insufficient absorption of nutrients entering it by the intestine;

· low amount of fiber in the diet and predominance of fats;

· liver diseases.

· consumption of coloring products (for example, beets);

· use of medications containing vitamin A or the antibiotic "Rifampicin";

· presence of ulcers, tumors, polyps in the gastrointestinal tract;

· eating a lot of green foods;

· taking herbal preparations and dietary supplements;

· dysbacteriosis;

· dysentery;

· acute colitis;

· irritable bowel syndrome;

· reduction of bile salts in bile.

· consumption of products with yellow dye;

· violation of fat absorption;

· Gilbert's syndrome, as a result of which bilirubin accumulates in the blood due to a malfunction of the liver;

· disruption of the pancreas.

· consumption of products with orange dye;

· blockage of the bile ducts;

· use of certain medications, excess multivitamins.

· lack of bile in the intestines;

· ulcerative colitis;

putrefactive dyspepsia;

· taking medications with calcium and antacids;

· X-ray examination using a dye (barium sulfate).

· intestinal bleeding;

· haemorrhoids;

· anal fissures;

· intestinal cancer.

Diagnosis of the condition with changed stool color

If feces continue to be colored in an unnatural color for several days, which is not associated with the use of drugs or food, you should consult a specialist to find out the nature of this phenomenon.

If blood is found in the stool, this is an indication to immediately consult a doctor, because this may be a sign of the onset of internal bleeding.


  • Colonoscopy.
  • X-ray using contrast agent.
  • Ultrasound, MRI and CT.
  • What diseases cause staining of stool?

    If the cause of abnormal stool color is independent of diet and medical supplies, then most likely the problem is in the following organs:

    • liver;
    • spleen;
    • pancreas;
    • gallbladder;
    • stomach;
    • intestines.

    The most common diseases that change the color of stool.

    1. Hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. The accumulation of toxic substances in the liver tissue leads to its inflammation and inability to perform its functions: produce proteins and enzymes, regulate cholesterol levels.
    2. Diverticulitis is an inflammation of the intestinal tissue, with the formation of small growths in which food remains and bacteria multiply.
    3. Pancreatitis– disruption of the pancreas, as a result of which the timely outflow of enzymes into the intestines does not occur.
    4. Stomach ulcer– the formation of foci of inflammation on the gastric mucosa, which then transform into wounds.
    5. Ischemic colitis is inflammation of the tissues of the large intestine due to impaired circulation in it (atherosclerosis, embolism).
    6. Splenite– inflammation of the spleen tissue due to infection, blood disease, jaundice or cyst.
    7. Dysfunctional biliary tract disorder. This includes such concepts as: gallbladder dyskinesia, sphincter of Oddi dystonia, acute or chronic cholecystitis.
    8. Bulbit– swelling of the duodenal bulb, which results in erosion and bleeding.

      Duodenum. The initial part of the duodenum is expanded - this is the ampulla or bulb

    For reference! Stool coloring can occur constantly or occasionally during exacerbation of diseases. In some cases, changes in stool color occur throughout a person's life if the diagnosis does not respond to treatment.

    Video: Stool color - what color for what disease

    Treatment

    In order to return stool to normal consistency and color, it is necessary to identify the cause of the changes and begin treatment.

    First of all, the diet is normalized and bad habits are eliminated.

    If the cause of atypical green stool is infection, poisoning, or dysentery, absorbent drugs, agents that restore water-salt balance, probiotics and prebiotics are prescribed to help normalize the microflora of the stomach and intestines.

    According to indications for other diseases, the following can be used:

    • painkillers;
    • anti-inflammatory;
    • antibiotics;
    • enzymatic preparations;
    • antispasmodics;
    • venotonics;
    • laxatives or, conversely, antidiarrheals;
    • antacid drugs;
    • anthelmintic drugs;
    • anticoagulants;
    • homeopathic remedies.

    Sea buckthorn suppositories and Anestezol can be used for intestinal diseases

    In some cases it is required surgical intervention, for example, to remove polyps, various tumors, and stop bleeding in internal organs.

    At adequate treatment the result comes quite quickly, the patient is no longer tormented by diarrhea, constipation, pain and abnormal color of stool.

    Feces are not just processed foods, but, like other body secretions, they are an indicator of human health. Therefore, carefully monitoring the color of your stool will help prevent many diseases.

    Which reflects the work of not only the intestines, but also the liver and pancreas.

    Normal stool has a soft, textured consistency., which reflects the content of liquid, fiber and fat in it, as well as the correct ratio of their quantities.

    Why does the consistency of stool change?

    With constipation, the consistency of stool becomes dense and most often appears as a hard, fragmented appearance. This may indicate a violation of intestinal digestion, when excessive absorption of fluid occurs in the colon. It is important to pay attention to the number of episodes of visiting the toilet during the week, as well as the process of defecation itself. People with this symptom complex often complain of difficulty, and sometimes impossibility, of complete bowel movements, excessive gas formation and intoxication, which undoubtedly reduces performance and quality of life.

    For diarrhea of various origins the stool becomes watery or mushy, and the number of episodes of defecation itself increases. In this case, there is insufficient absorption of fluid and microelements in the intestine. In addition, there is also excessive secretion of fluid in the small intestine. This situation most often occurs when foodborne diseases when the body tries to independently remove pathological agents and reduce intoxication. However, we should not forget about the insufficiency of the intestinal absorption function, which is called a symptom of malabsorption. This symptom can be either congenital or acquired due to various diseases gastrointestinal tract.

    The next factor influencing changes in the consistency of stool is diseases of the pancreas, which manifest as an ointment-like appearance of stool. Diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic secretory insufficiency lead to a decrease in the number of enzymes involved in normal digestion, which leads to an increase in fat content in the stool. This is manifested by a sticky, pasty-like appearance of stool that is difficult to flush from the toilet.