Sign up for the best tips to take care of your stomach. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. The scoop on poop. United European Gastroenterol j. Green feces. Food and Drug Administration. Interactive nutrition facts label. Sweetser S. Evaluating the patient with diarrhea: a case-based approach. Mayo Clin Proc. Andrews CN, Storr M. The pathophysiology of chronic constipation. Can J Gastroenterol. Harvard Health Publishing. Is something in your diet causing diarrhea?
Published December Oude munnink BB, Van der hoek L. Viruses causing gastroenteritis: The known, the new and those beyond. Hansson GC. Role of mucus layers in gut infection and inflammation. Curr Opin Microbiol. Panda H, Andrews CN. Constipation in a year-old woman. Mount Sinai. Stools - pale or clay-colored. Lower GI series. Reviewed June The characterization of feces and urine: A review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology.
Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. Seattle Children's. Stools - unusual color. Updated March Reviewed July Lower GI bleeding: epidemiology and management. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: A practical guide for clinicians. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. Azer SA, Sankararaman S. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last Updated July 25, Michael M.
Phillips, MD. Black or tarry stools. MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia. Reviewed April 7, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
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Request Appointment. We look at these and give our recommendations for your overall gut health questions. Cholangitis is inflammation swelling in the bile duct. Treatment depends on your symptoms and whether you have chronic or acute cholangitis.
Gastroparesis is a condition in which your stomach empties into your small intestine too slowly. Learn about the best diet for gastroparesis and what…. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and causes abdominal tenderness and pain. Learn more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Why brown? Other colors Why smelly? What makes poop brown? What can cause poop to be other colors besides brown?
What makes poop smelly? When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Medications can also cause constipation. If you recently started a new medication, check with your doctor if you get constipated. They may suggest taking the medication at a certain time of day or with certain foods. Menstruating women may have constipation prior to their period, due to hormone fluctuations.
Pregnant women may also get constipation due to the hormonal changes. Laxatives may be used to treat constipation. However, even over-the-counter OTC laxatives can have side effects. This can lead to dependence on them.
If you need to use a laxative on a regular basis, talk with your doctor. Women who are pregnant and children less than 6 years old should not take a laxative without first discussing it with a doctor. If constipation does not go away despite making dietary changes, such as increasing fiber intake, see a doctor. Irritable bowel syndromes IBS is a chronic disorder of the colon large intestine that can flare up at different times.
There is no definitive cause of IBS, but it could be caused by abnormal muscle movements in the gut. It may also be affected by your nervous system.
Sometimes flare-ups are due to stress, diet, or other changes. IBS can have different symptoms depending on the person, but most experience abdominal cramps or discomfort. IBS may affect the color and consistency of your stool. You may feel constipated or you may have trouble reaching the bathroom. IBS symptoms can last a long time. If you notice a change in stool color accompanied by abdominal pain or a change in your bowel habits, see a doctor.
If your stool is a darker color than normal, it may indicate internal bleeding. You can have both upper and lower gastrointestinal GI bleeds. Upper GI bleeds tend to be from gastritis inflammation of the stomach lining or ulcers but there are other causes as well. These usually start off slow and may have no symptoms other than belly pain when eating.
The slow bleed may eventually cause anemia, which causes fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Once the blood goes through the digestive system, it turns the stool a darker brown and eventually looks black or tarry.
The most common causes of lower GI bleeds are diverticular disease and hemorrhoids. Sometimes hemorrhoids will cause blood-streaked stool, because the blood gets on the stool as it passes. It is important to discuss bleeding with your doctor as soon as possible. Slower bleeds are less serious, but you should go directly to an emergency department if you are vomiting or have bright red stool, experience symptoms of anemia, or develop any worrying symptoms like chest pain.
This can be life threatening. This can be a problem in young children, especially those who were toilet trained recently. Children often complain of abdominal pain or pain when trying to pass a stool.
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