Adult stool has changed. The chair turned red (orange) - why is this happening

Talking about everything to do with the gut can confuse anyone. But everyone goes to the toilet.

What is normal feces?

As he says Sophie Balzora, MD, gastroenterologist medical center New York University,

The frequency, texture and smell of a person's bowel movements are normal for him, provided that he does not complain of discomfort.

Going to the toilet every day is not considered a mandatory indicator good health , says Dr. Balzora.

For some, three times a day is the norm, others go to the toilet three to four times a week. All this is normal, in the absence of any problems with digestion, of course.

Diet plays a very large role not only in frequency, but also in texture, size, shape and smell. In addition to diet, gut health is affected lifestyle, sleep, water consumption, hormonal fluctuations, menopause and certain medications.

Physicians use to classify defecation Bristol scale. In the table, we have indicated seven categories or types of feces.

• 1 and 2 indicate ,
• 3 and 4 are the most "healthy" types of feces,
• 5, 6 and 7 are considered diarrhea.

As a rule, most healthy people have types 3 or 4. Soft formed stools, without effort during bowel movements, is considered the norm.

Doctors say that if you have too hard stools or loose pieces of stool, this may be a sign of constipation.

This is because the colon tries to remove water from the stool as it passes through the intestines. Decreased mobility due to problems with the muscles lining the intestines or diets low content fiber, delays stool, making it difficult for the intestines to work.

A fiber-rich diet helps improve bowel function because fiber is like a sponge to retain moisture.

American Academy family doctors recommends adherence to the standard: nine servings of food per day with high content fibers such as fruits, vegetables and legumes to ensure the smooth functioning of the intestines. Using additional sources of fiber such as psyllium also contributes to the formation soft stool which does not cause discomfort during defecation.

It may also play a role in constipation. The intestines need moisture, which softens the stool, improving its patency.

Carefully! Hypersensitivity to certain foods, proliferation of bacteria or yeast in small intestine and excessive consumption of red meat or alcohol can also be constipation factors.

In people with loose stools, at least 75% of the time, chronic diarrhea is found. The consistency may be too soft with loose edges or completely watery. As with constipation, fiber plays important role and here.

Carefully! Potential causes of chronic diarrhea include an overgrowth of bacteria and yeast in the colon, food sensitivities, excess fat intake, or fatty foods, inability to absorb certain nutrients, and chronic stress or anxiety.

What does the color of stool mean?

Massarat Zutshi, Cleveland Clinic colorectal surgeon, says that the color of your stool is usually related to the color of the foods you have recently eaten.

Leafy greens, red fruits and vegetables, artificial food coloring, and some medications and supplements can change the color of stool.

In some cases, color changes may indicate something more serious. That's what the color of feces can say.

Almost black

If you are not taking any coating, antacid, or absorbent drugs (which often turn black stools), too dark chair may indicate bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. The feces can also be stained as a result stomach ulcers or high level iron in the body.

White

Some medicines such as Kaopectat, can sometimes cause pale and clayey stools. white chair can also be caused by problems getting bile into your stomach intestinal tract, or if the liver does not produce enough bile. When the bile duct is blocked due to a stone or tumor and bile cannot reach the intestines, the stool also becomes white. This is common in liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Red

Let's assume your Don't Panic! First, think about what you ate the day before. Dark red beetroot salad (thanks to betacyanin) can stain both your urine and your stool for up to two days after consumption. In addition to beets, the culprits can be tomatoes, food coloring or even cranberries. If you are sure that the red tint is not related to food, feces can stain the blood from the intestines. In this case, you must immediately consult a doctor. Bright red blood in the stool may indicate polyp, inflammation, diverticulitis, or even colon cancer.

Yellow

Yellow stools may indicate problems with fat digestion. This may be the result of gallbladder removal, weight loss medication, or certain surgeries. Yellow, oily stools may indicate chronic pancreatitis or celiac disease.

Green

If your stool is slightly green, remember if you have eaten greens in the last 24 hours, because this may be the cause. If your stool is constantly green and it's not related to food, see your doctor.

Regardless of color, the chair usually has bad smell due to bacteria in the colon that digest food. If the usual smell of your stool changes to an abnormal one, it could be due to an infection. Another cause may be inflammation of the colon or diseases that cause malabsorption such as celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or lactose intolerance.

Abnormal esophageal motility may also indicate certain health conditions

Some digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, can show up in your stool when certain problems occur along with other symptoms. For example, attacks of diarrhea or constipation (or alternation between them), as well as abdominal pain and excessive gas formation are primary signs IBS, general disorder large intestine.

A chronic illness characterized by inflammation of the intestines includes chronic diarrhea as well as weight loss, fever, and lower abdominal pain. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease similar to Crohn's disease that begins in the rectum and spreads to other parts of the colon. chronic diarrhea, sometimes with blood, is a key indicator of ulcerative colitis.

What else can feces reveal about gut health?

Stool color, stool regularity, and bowel motility are not the only characteristics that can tell you what's going on in your body. The general analysis of feces consists of macroscopic, chemical and microscopic studies.

Chair - black feces.

The reasons. Normal feces are shaped, brown in color and have a soft texture. Intense black, tarry, liquid or semi-liquid stools are usually a sign of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

However, it must be said that the black color of feces may be due to the intake of certain drugs or certain types of food. Tablets containing iron, bismuth preparations (it is present in antacids sold in pharmacies without a prescription), activated charcoal can stain feces in dark color. Eating licorice, chocolate, grapes, raisins, and cranberries can also cause dark stools. Therefore, before jumping to the hasty conclusion that you internal bleeding, try to remember what you ate in the last 1-2 days.

The main reasons for the appearance of black tarry stool- bleeding from stomach ulcers and duodenum, bleeding with gastritis, bleeding from varicose veins of the esophagus; tumors of the stomach and small intestine can be a source of blood loss.

The appearance of blood in the stool can be a complication drug therapy. There are medicines that cause erosion (minor damage) or ulceration of the stomach lining. The main culprit is aspirin, which is prescribed for arthritis. Other so-called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as indomethacin, can also cause bleeding.

What to do. If in the last 18-24 hours you have eaten the foods listed above, then do not panic, but to be sure, go to the doctor as soon as possible.

If you suffer from a stomach ulcer or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then tell your doctor about all changes in the color of the feces.

Stool - scarlet blood or red coloration.

Feces are waste products of the body, which are removed from the lower sections of the colon during the act of defecation. Feces act as a kind of indicator of human health. A change in the shape, color, consistency of feces may be a variant of the norm or indicate the development of diseases, primarily digestive tract.

What feces should a healthy person have

The place where the feces come from is the intestinal tract, its lower sections. Feces - final product food processing, the formation of which occurs under the influence of biochemical processes.

Feces appear in the large intestine from chyme, as the liquid or semi-liquid contents of the digestive tract are called, which includes food residues, gastric and intestinal juices, glandular secretions, desquamated epithelial cells and microflora. For enrolled in distal departments the lump as a result of the absorption of water changes the structure, and it turns into feces. From 400 grams of chyme, 150-200 grams of feces are formed.

The photo shows what human feces are made of.

Correct stool structure healthy body includes 70-75% water, mucus, fat.

The feces contain approximately 1/3 of food debris, the same parts of the discharge of the digestive organs and microbes. Microorganisms in 95% of cases are dead.

Why feces do not sink in water is due to their structure. They are characterized by a porous structure and gas enrichment. This creates their buoyancy in the toilet. However, if the pores are filled with water, the excrement will sink after a while. Excessive buoyancy indicates an excessive concentration of fats and gases in the feces. If, on the contrary, the feces immediately sink, this indicates their saturation with “bad” cholesterol and toxins.

Normal feces is a sausage 10-20 centimeters long of uniform color, composition and soft consistency. It does not contain impurities of blood, foam, pus. Slime in small quantities is acceptable. Brown stools are more common.

However, the nature of the stool in different people may differ from the standard, which is not necessarily a sign of pathology. Its shape, color, smell, length, diameter, thickness depend on the food habits of a person, the amount of food and water consumed, the structural features of the intestines, diseases, and so on.

How much does a feces weigh

The mass of bowel movements in a particular person depends on the volume and quality of food and water. The latter directly affects the indicator: with constipation, the concentration of fluid in the feces is small, with diarrhea it is high, from which the weight changes. It ranges from 200 to 900 grams. The calculation of the norm is made according to the formula: 28.35 grams of feces per 5.443 kilograms of body weight. That is, the standard volume of feces for men and women weighing 72.6 kg is 454 grams.

An increase in the mass of feces (scientifically "polyfecalia") occurs in pathologies associated with impaired digestibility of food. Often, abundant feces (weighing 1 kilogram) are released with lesions of the pancreas.

A decrease in the mass of intestinal discharge is associated with constipation or the use of rapidly processed foods.

How many times a day should there be a chair

Bowel movements are normally carried out 1, 2 or 3 times a day, depending on the characteristics of digestion. However, even here there are individual standards. A variant of the human norm can be an act of defecation every 3 days. Reduces the frequency of eating food of animal origin, increases - vegetable.

The process of excretion of feces healthy person occurs without pain (short-term spastic sensations are possible) and strong attempts, lasts 2 minutes.

The standard common stool frequency is once a day in the morning. If a person long time walks largely irregularly, unstable stools are constantly noted (either constipation, then diarrhea) - this is a reason to see a doctor.

Along with the formation of feces in the intestine, gas formation occurs. During the day, 0.2-0.5 liters of gases are normally excreted from the body. When eating certain foods (fiber, yeast, carbohydrates, and so on), overeating, swallowing air, their number increases, which is accompanied by increased flatulence (the norm is up to 12 times a day).

Color

The color of feces, which happens in a healthy person, changes, depending on the food consumed. Normally there are various shades Brown color.

Vegetable products color feces: after beets, watermelon, burgundy and bright red colors respectively, black currant, blueberry, coffee, cocoa - dark, sandal oil - reddish-violet.

Medications can change the color of feces. For example, medicines containing bismuth cause black stools. After taking iron supplements, the stool has a dark greenish tint.

Multi-colored feces are normal when eating coloring foods. If two-color stools are often present, as if divided in half by shades, this means a violation of the “mixing” of the masses that occurs in the lower third of the intestine, which requires analysis from each half.

In medicine, the characteristic of the color of feces is a way to determine the disease.

White

Acholic stool (light in color) is formed as a result of taking certain drugs (antibiotics, antifungal and contraceptives, barium before instrumental research digestive tract).

Discolored (white, sandy) feces are formed as a result of obstruction, stagnation of bile. They signal the development of hepatitis, cholelithiasis, dysbacteriosis, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, oncology.

Red

If the color of feces and urine has changed to red, this mainly indicates the use of characteristic foods: beets, watermelon, food coloring. This shade lasts 2-5 days.

If they were absent from the diet, scarlet color may indicate bleeding in the lower intestines caused by hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, anal fissures, tumors. It is also provoked by the use of spicy food against the background of its irritant on the mucosa. Brick color indicates bleeding in the upper intestine, located under the small intestine.

Unprocessed pink or red pieces herbal products(tomatoes, blueberries, currants, cranberries) outwardly resemble bloody inclusions.

Feces, like "raspberry jelly" (transparent, mucous-scarlet), acts as a symptom of amoebiasis - a protozoal pathology, which is characterized by ulcerative lesions of the large intestine.

Yellow

Such discoloration of feces occurs with an excess of fat, which indicates dysfunction of the liver and biliary system. This may cause a bitter taste in the mouth. yellow chair may be the result of an infection in the digestive tract. Oily stools are a sign chronic pancreatitis or celiac disease.

When characterizing the chair at urolithiasis also noted yellow. However, it persists for a long time.

Orange

If the feces become orange, suggest the inclusion in the diet of food containing carotene or unsaturated carbohydrates (persimmons, carrots, pumpkins, sea buckthorn oil, spinach, and so on). Food coloring also causes a similar hue.

Some medicines stain feces Orange color(multivitamins, rifampicin and others).

This color of the stool is typical for pathologies of the liver and biliary tract, pancreas, kidneys. It also occurs with cystitis, inflammatory diseases of the digestive system, escherichiosis, hormonal disorders.

Grey

This color of feces indicates a violation of the flow of bile into the intestinal tract. Clay-gray, colorless or earthy feces in an adult are formed with digestive dysfunctions, and a sharp unpleasant odor may be present.

The symptom is characteristic of cholecystitis, gallstone disease, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, tumors of the gallbladder, liver, pancreas. In this case, the feces are light gray. A dark earthy shade is present in ulcerative colitis, putrefactive dyspepsia.

Gray feces are found when taking barium preparations, antibiotics, antifungal agents, contraceptives and others, fatty foods or with allergies.

Brown

Represents the normal color of the stool, which occurs in most cases. At the same time, the shades and saturation of the color change, depending on the food consumed.

Dairy products cause a light brown or bright yellow coloration. After eating meat products, a dark brown color is characteristic.

Black

This color is often the result of taking groups of drugs: iron, bismuth, antacids, activated carbon and so on. The use of a large number of meat products, dark vegetables causes black stools. In such cases, nothing needs to be done, since this is not considered a pathology.

If the factors described were absent, black feces may be a symptom of bleeding from upper divisions digestive tract or high concentrations of iron.

Tarry stools (melena) deserve special attention - fetid liquid or mushy discharge indicates massive bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, duodenum. In this case, the black color of feces alternates with normal. This condition requires urgent medical attention.

Green

Such a shade in stool is present when eating food, which includes iron and dyes: greens, juices, sea fish, red beans, cereals, caramel, and so on.

Medications also cause changes in the color of the stool. Iron preparations, antibiotics give it a dark green, marsh color.

The pathological causes of this coloration include Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome and its inflammation, lamblia, salmonellosis, poisoning, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes, celiac disease. Green color due to the presence of bile, while the feces, moving through the intestines, do not have time to acquire a brown color. Bacterial infections, overeating of carbohydrate-containing foods increase fermentation processes, causing a characteristic shade of stool.

The form

The consistency and density of feces depends on the time they have been in the intestinal tract, its work and structure: with increased peristalsis, water is not absorbed enough, with a slow one, it is intensively absorbed. In the first case, the stool will be soft or liquid, in the second - tight and strong.

Based on their physical properties, the intestines secrete mucus, which improves the passage of feces. With inflammation, copious exudate also makes the stool a liquid consistency. At great content in it, the fat form will become ointment (pasty).

Mushy

Unformed feces are considered pathological sign, it contains an excessive amount of water (90-92%). Wherein mushy stool often heterogeneous, in the form of flakes. If small parts are mixed with abundantly secreted mucus, this means the presence of an inflammatory process.

Semi-liquid loose stools are the result of increased contraction of the walls of the colon, excessive production of juice. This consistency is possible with a large consumption of liquid.

Thin (tape-like, tape)

The narrow shape of the feces indicates an obstruction to the passage of masses in the lower parts of the digestive tract or an external onslaught, pressure on the intestines. Ribbon-like (flat) feces are the result of spastic constriction of the sphincters.

Such a "pencil" (thread-like) stool requires diagnosis (colonoscopy), since it is considered a symptom of neoplasms.

Solid

There are many reasons for the formation of hard, dense feces:

• malnutrition with a lack of fiber in the diet;
• little physical mobility;
• weakening of motility or convulsive contractions of the digestive tract;
• enhanced absorption of water;
• mechanical obstacles (polyps, tumors);
• inflammatory events.

Hard feces are often evidence of constipation, and the stool can be daily, but in small portions, there is a feeling that emptying has not been completed completely.

Taking certain medications also fixes the feces, making them thick and hard, making it difficult to pass through the intestinal tract.

Balls (peas)

It's a variety hard stool, consisting of separate round lumps. Outwardly, it resembles "sheep" feces.

Takes shape due to prolonged stay in the intestines as a result of constipation, dehydration, taking certain drugs and strengthening foods (meat, alcohol), sedentary image life. At spastic colitis feces, like those of a goat, contain 60% water, which explains its tightness.

Smell

Stool smells of decay products of food residues, mainly protein. However, the intensity is different. With an abundance of protein in the diet, strong smell bowel movements.

Normally, stool smells unpleasant, but not sharp or irritating. Excessively smelly feces indicate violations of the processes of decay and fermentation in the intestines.

Sour

This smell is characteristic of fermentative dyspepsia, the cause of which is frequent and excessive consumption carbohydrates (sugar, pastries, carbonated drinks and others).

Food of dairy origin also affects the fermentation processes in the body, causing a peculiar smell of stool.

Acetone

Sometimes the feces acquire a pronounced smell of acetone. The reasons for this phenomenon are called increased physical exercise, overuse protein foods, fatty foods, alcoholic beverages.

Perhaps the appearance of such a smell with the development of diabetes.

Putrefactive

This is how excrement smells in violation of food digestion, putrefactive dyspepsia associated with excessive protein intake and its slow absorption. The predominance of decay processes is seen when general analysis feces by alkaline reaction.

The causes are also granulomatous or ulcerative colitis.

If the feces smell rotten eggs”, this indicates dysfunction of the small and large intestines during infections, inflammations, poisonings. Bacteria are able to release hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic "smell". Often the smell is accompanied by diarrhea.

Fetid

A very unpleasant odor is characteristic of pancreatic pathologies, cholecystitis. Occurs with the decay of tumors, putrefactive dyspepsia, bacterial infection, violation of the digestibility of food (celiac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis).

An odor may occur during treatment with certain drugs (for example, antibiotics).

Cutting

Usually, a pronounced smell is associated with eating foods rich in phytoncides: onions, garlic. Too much of them destroys pathogenic microflora in the intestines, causing a strong odor.

Also, the reason is the inclusion in the diet of a large amount of meat, cabbage, legumes, fatty foods.

Species on the Bristol scale

The classification of the main types of feces is presented on a specially developed Bristol scale.

The table shows drawings of fecal species and their description.

It allows the patient to easily and without embarrassment formulate and characterize his own bowel movements, naming the doctor the appropriate type:

• 1 and 2 are considered signs of constipation, feces do not come out of the intestines for several days, hard as a stone. Can cause injury to the anus, hemorrhoids, intoxication.
• In type 3, defecation is also difficult, but the feces are softer. To empty the bowel, you have to make several strenuous attempts, which can cause cracks. characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome.
• Types 4 and 5 are considered normal. With the latter, defecation is possible several times a day.
• Type 6 denotes a stool that is not formed. It is regarded as a condition close to diarrhea.
• Type 7 includes loose stools. Stools with a consistency like water are considered a pathological phenomenon that needs treatment.

Causes of pathological stool

The factors influencing the formation of pathological forms, textures, smell, color of feces are various diseases, the state of the digestive system or the characteristics of the food consumed.

Bold

Shiny, elastic stool, like plasticine, indicates an excessive concentration of fat in it (steatorrhea). In this case, the stool sticks to the toilet and is not washed off.

If this is a one-time phenomenon, then it is usually caused malnutrition. With a regular release of sticky stool that glitters, you need to see a doctor. It acts as a symptom of pancreatitis, enzyme deficiency, dysfunction of the flow of bile during its stagnation.

Frequent

The norm is the emptying of the intestine up to 3 times a day, but in some cases it is possible to increase the frequency up to 5 times. This is usually associated with the use of foods that enhance motor skills.

If the feces are of a normal thick consistency and other symptoms do not bother, then nothing needs to be done. In the case when the feces are not formed, have a liquid consistency, in the presence of impurities (blood, mucus, pus), feeling unwell, fever, pain, you need to see a doctor. This condition can be caused by infection, poisoning, dysfunction of the digestive system.

Rare (constipation)

The irregular and protracted nature of defecation is the result of a violation of food processing, its absorption.

Constipation is considered rare bowel movements (less than 3 times a week). At the same time, the feces are hard, often dry, it does not come out well, the first portion is “corky”. Further, stools of an already normal consistency may stand out.

The condition is treated with a diet high content fiber, plentiful drink, physical activity. How to call feces and whether it is possible to take laxatives, the doctor decides. It is advisable to prescribe medicines on a natural basis.

With slime

The presence of a small amount of exudate in the stool is considered the norm. An increase in its volume is caused by the use of cereals, dairy products, fruits, berries.

However, when copious excretion viscous mucus, the appearance of other impurities in the feces and symptoms (pain, swelling, diarrhea, constipation, and so on) should consult a doctor. This may indicate infection, inflammation, ulcerative lesions digestive tract, violation of microflora.

Liquid (diarrhea)

Diarrhea is not always a sign pathological phenomena. It is considered natural when eating foods that cause liquefaction of feces: kefir, milk, vegetables and fruits in in large numbers, fatty foods. If the diarrhea is not severe and there are no other symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), the diet will help stabilize the feces.

Chronic diarrhea can be caused by a violation of the microflora, digestibility nutrients, stress and anxiety.

Severe diarrhea is caused by infections, poisoning, diseases of the digestive system (colitis, enterocolitis, and so on).

At acute condition, expressed loose stool medical attention and measures to rehydrate the body are required to avoid the development of dehydration.

foamy

The occurrence of this type of stool in males and females indicates fermentative dyspepsia. A sour smell is characteristic.

Stool with bile is yellowish-green in color, diarrhea and soreness in the right side of the abdomen are characteristic.

The causes are diseases of the biliary system, dysbacteriosis, poisoning, hologenic diarrhea. At the same time darkening of urine to brown color is noted.

With blood

The presence of blood in the stool gives it different shade, depending on where the source is located. Black color indicates bleeding in the upper digestive tract and requires urgent medical attention.

Scarlet discharge from above the stool indicates the presence anal fissures, hemorrhoids. With a mixture of red blood with feces, inflammation, ulcerative lesions of the intestinal tract, and neoplasms are possible.

What do stools look like

The type of feces varies, depending on the presence of diseases, their severity and stage. Characteristic features stools allow the doctor to diagnose the pathology and prescribe treatment.

For bowel diseases

First of all, bowel movements allow us to judge the state of the intestinal tract. Alternating diarrhea and constipation, flatulence, and pain often accompany irritable bowel syndrome. But it is important to differentiate it from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Impurities of mucus, blood, pus indicate inflammatory diseases, infections.

With an excess of proteins in the diet and the prevalence of decay processes in the intestines, the formation of a fecal abdomen is possible.

The feces fill the loops of the tract, their activity is low, the feces do not pass due to atony or move heavily. As a result, a saggy, flaccid or inflamed abdomen is formed, requiring cleansing.

With pancreatitis

With the development of the disease, liquefaction of feces is noted: they become mushy or liquid. Excrements are copious, frequent, fetid, characterized by a greasy sheen and a sticky consistency (hard to wash off).

The color is light, sometimes discolored, dirty gray (with exacerbation), with chronic course possible greenish tint.

For bowel cancer

Diarrhea is typical after prolonged constipation. The frequency of bowel movements is up to 10 times a day. Available mushy stool sometimes with blood impurities.

Narrow and thin shape feces (ribbon-like) indicates a change in the structure of the intestine, an obstruction to the passage of bowel movements, which is also a symptom of tumor processes.

The stool can take on a reddish tint or black if bleeding occurs.

For diseases of the liver and gallbladder

A characteristic symptom of pathologies of the liver and biliary tract is acholic (light) stool. It becomes yellow, white or gray. During the analysis, the presence of fatty acids and soap.

Diarrhea occurs when the production of fatty acids is disrupted and they do not enter the intestine (with cholestasis).

With dysbacteriosis

A change in the shades, consistency of the stool is characteristic. The color of the stool becomes green, light, gray. Foamy stools are possible, the presence of pieces of undigested food in them.

Often there is an alternation of diarrhea and constipation.

Child's chair

Children's digestion has hypersensitivity than it is different from an adult. The baby's stool has its own microflora, which depends on the type of feeding. Gram-positive predominates on the chest, gram-negative predominates on the artificial.

On the early stage development of the child, gastrointestinal pathologies are difficult, therefore, the analysis of the feces of the baby, taking into account the norms and possible deviations becomes an important indicator of his health.

In the first days after birth, dark-colored meconium comes out. Light is gradually (over 3 days) mixed with it and on day 4-5 it becomes the main one.

At breastfeeding yellow poop indicates the presence of bilirubin, which is replaced by stercobilin at 4 months.

With the development of pathologies, feces change, so you should know its main options in children:

• « Hungry" chair- characteristic black, dark green, dark brown color, bad smell. It is observed when the child is starving, improper feeding.
• acholic- the child poops discolored white stools, gray color clay-like. Occurs in epidemic hepatitis, biliary atresia.
• watery yellow- characteristic of breastfeeding, when the mother's milk lacks nutrients.
• Putrefactive- there is a mushy consistency, a dirty gray color with pungent odor. Characteristic for protein feeding.
• Soapy- soft consistency and silvery color, glossy, mucus is mixed.
• mushy yellow- unformed, formed with excessive use of cereals, mainly semolina.
• Grainy- in the feces there are black inclusions, grains, grains resembling sand. These are the undigested remains of food and medicines. In young children, they are characteristic when fruits (bananas, apples) are introduced into the diet. As the baby grows, the blotches will disappear.
• Fatty- has a whitish tint and sour smell. Mucus is observed in moderate amounts. Occurs with excessive consumption of fat.
• Constipation- in this case, the feces are hard, gray shade with a putrid odor.
• Curled, yellow-green- characteristic of dyspepsia.

What can be learned from the analysis of feces

The composition of the stool helps to determine if there are abnormalities in the functioning internal organs. Fecal analysis is a common laboratory test.

It is important to test for occult blood especially for elderly patients. Analysis reveals possible bleeding in the digestive tract, which is considered a symptom severe pathologies, including cancer.

A study on dysbacteriosis determines the state of the intestinal microflora, the level of the ratio of microorganisms.

Analysis of feces for the intestinal group and VD reveals infectious agents, determines antibiotic sensitivity, which increases the effectiveness of treatment.

Analyzes for enterobiosis, worm eggs allow you to identify pinworms, helminths.

Infants (up to 1 year old) are prescribed a stool test for carbohydrates to determine lactase deficiency.

For the diagnosis of diseases, not only the type and composition of feces is important, but also the act of defecation itself: its frequency, nature, and the presence of pain.

By indirect signs, a preliminary diagnosis is made, which is confirmed or refuted by an additional examination. For example, puckering when adult underpants are regularly soiled may indicate incontinence, which is a sign organic pathologies(tumors, injuries, etc.).

AT official medicine stool treatment, or fecal transplantation, is used. With it, the feces of a healthy person are introduced into the intestinal tract of the patient. At the same time, the infected and damaged microflora returns to normal. In some cases, this type of therapy more effective than taking antibiotics.

Psychiatric medicine knows a deviation in which people eat feces (coprophagia), their own or someone else's. This indicates schizophrenia, a profound degree of mental retardation, or sexual deviation, when the taste of feces or the process of eating itself is a fetish. If we consider from the physiological side what will happen if you eat feces, then observations of patients with mental disorders showed no significant negative consequences. Possible development of mild digestive disorders and vomiting

The color of the feces allows you to judge the state of health, indicating possible problems that should not be ignored. Do not puzzle over whether everything is in order with the color of your feces. After reading this article, you will be able to determine whether it is worth worrying or not. You will learn what this or that color says, and you can avoid possible health problems. In addition, this article will tell you when to see a doctor if you suspect possible problems with digestion.

Steps

Find out what the color of feces may indicate

Pay attention to the black or red color of the stool. Both of these colors can be a potential sign of problems with digestive system. Both black and bright red stools can be a symptom of bleeding in the intestines or a sign of hemorrhoids.

• However, in some cases, medications and certain types products. However, if you are concerned about this, check with your doctor.

1. Pay attention to white, gray or light colors feces. Bile plays a major role in staining feces. Discolored stools indicate the absence of bile in the intestines. This is about blocking. bile ducts which is a serious problem requiring immediate medical attention. If you notice white or light yellow stool be sure to consult your doctor.

   Brown stools may indicate that you are in good health. Although the color of the stool can vary from brown to yellow and even green, and is considered normal in this case, brown color is considered normal. The color of the feces should be about the same color as the color of the chocolate bar.

   • The color of feces is formed as a result complex processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Bilirubin is the end product of the breakdown of hemoglobin in humans. It is directly related to the color of feces.

2. Please note that some foods may cause discoloration of the stool. Food coloring, leafy vegetables, and even beets can affect stool color. There is nothing wrong with this. For example, green leafy vegetables like kale or spinach can make your stools green, while beets, for example, can add a reddish tint. This is not a cause for concern, especially if you have recently eaten these foods.

   • Only in rare cases, red feces can be an indicator serious problems with intestines. The causes of blood in the stool range from harmless ones such as gastrointestinal irritation or hemorrhoids.

3. Please note that high-fat foods can cause stool to turn yellow. With insufficient absorption of fats by the digestive system, feces can become yellow. There are quite a few reasons for this phenomenon, so if the problem persists for more than two days, consult your doctor.

   Pay attention to what medications you are taking this moment. Many drugs, such as vitamin supplements or prescription antidiarrheals may cause changes in stool color. In this case, such changes are considered the norm, since they are associated with the use of medications. Therefore, be sure to read the instructions, paying attention to side effects or special instructions to medications you take regularly.

   • Due to the intake of iron supplements, the color of the stool may turn green or black. Medicines containing bismuth, for example, can turn stools black.

4. Note that newborns often have black, tarry stools. In the first few days after birth, this is completely normal. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you see black stool in your baby's diaper. On the 2-4th day after birth, the first feces are like resin. This is meconium, which is physiological norm. After that, the baby's feces will acquire a mushy consistency of a gray-green color. .

   • A breastfed baby's stool will be soft and green or yellow in color. This is considered the norm.
   • The child's chair, which is on artificial feeding, is likely to be mushy, and will differ in color from the stool of breastfed children. It will be darker. This is also considered normal.

   When to see a doctor

   1. Contact immediately medical care if your stool is bright red or black. Even if you think that these changes are related to the reception medicines or the consumption of certain foods, it is better to consult a doctor, as this color of stool may indicate gastrointestinal bleeding. If you notice blood in your stool or have profuse bleeding if you have a bowel movement, see your doctor as soon as possible.

      • If your stool is bright red or black and you have recently taken antidiarrheal medications, eaten foods that can turn your stool red, or are starting a new medication, check with your doctor to make sure that changes in stool color are not a sign of a serious problem. diseases.

   2. Remember that very rarely the color of the stool can indicate the presence of a serious illness. In most cases, changes in stool color are associated with diseases that can be treated. In addition, you may just need to change your diet. It is unlikely that a change in the color of your stool is the reason for contacting the department emergency care. Do not give in to unreasonable panic.

      • Analyze last changes that have occurred in your diet or side effects of medications you are currently taking, if the color of the stool has changed dramatically.

   3. Check with your doctor if this problem is of concern to you. Regardless of the cause, if you're worried about the color of your stool or you're worried about changes in your digestion, see your doctor. The doctor, after necessary examination, will be able to either prescribe the necessary treatment, or reassure you by saying that everything is in order with your health.

      • Even if you feel embarrassed talking about this sensitive topic, it's important to check with your doctor if you're worried about it. It is always better to play it safe and get the necessary examination.

   4. Consider what other symptoms you are experiencing along with the change in stool color. If the discoloration is associated with abdominal pain or, for example, diarrhea, it may be a sign of an illness that is not associated with a change in diet. If the change in stool color is associated with other unexpected symptoms, see your doctor.

In order to find out whether black coloring of feces is dangerous, it is necessary to find out the cause of this phenomenon. If black coloration of feces is caused by physiological reasons, then this condition is not dangerous. And if black feces appear, the cause of which is a pathological condition, then this may be potential danger for human health and life. Thus, it can be conditionally said that the physiological staining of feces in black is not dangerous, and the pathological one is very dangerous.

The reasons for the physiological staining of feces in black is the use of a number of foods or the intake of certain medications. In this case, black feces appear after eating these foods or medicines. After excluding this type of food from the menu or stopping the medication, the stool becomes the usual brown color. At the same time, the person's well-being does not worsen. Such a physiological appearance of black stool is not an indication for the exclusion of foods from the diet or the abolition of drugs. You just need to keep this in mind and not panic. Foods and medicines that can turn feces black are shown in the table.

Options for dangerous staining of feces black

Such bleeding provokes the appearance of black tarry stools, which is a sign of a dangerous pathological condition. Severe bleeding, in addition to black stools, is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, weakness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, fainting, pressure drop, etc. In this case, urgent medical attention should be sought because given state may end lethal outcome. Slight bleeding from the organs of the digestive tract is not accompanied by a deterioration in well-being. In this case, as a rule, black feces can be excreted within 2 to 4 days against the background of normal and not worsening health. In such a situation, you can contact the clinic so that the doctor gives necessary recommendations. This variant of bleeding is not dangerous, and, as a rule, passes in the vast majority of cases on its own.

The causes of bleeding from the upper part of the digestive tract are various diseases or traumatic injuries of the mucous membranes of the stomach, esophagus or duodenum, such as:

• Injury to the lining of the stomach or esophagus from prickly or sharp food particles or foreign bodies(for example, fish bones, fruit bones, sharp pieces of crackers);


• Varicose veins of the esophagus;


• Neoplasms of the esophagus and stomach;