General analysis of feces (coprogram). The size and shape of feces - what should they be? normal human stool

For many people, the topic of poop is so personal that they do not want to share it with anyone and talk about it. But they may not realize that sometimes it is useful to know what kind of poop other people have, what shape of feces they have, color and maybe even smell. Showing interest in this is completely normal. The shape of your poop, just like the color, can suggest or hint at some possible body malfunctions. If you do not want to share very personal processes with other people, then we will help keep the secret and tell you what shape and size feces are and what it can say.

Coming to a doctor's appointment, it is not uncommon to hear a question about poop, the doctor may ask what shape, color they are, how often do you relieve yourself in large quantities. Such questions lead some people into a stupor, they do not even understand the purpose of this question and how decisive a role it can play already at the survey stage, including speeding up treatment and making the correct diagnosis. British physicians decided to correct the problem of embarrassment of patients and developed the so-called scale for assessing the shape of feces - the Bristol scale of feces.

The Bristol stool shape scale was developed by doctors from England to more conveniently classify the shape of poop and was put into use in 1997.

With the help of the Bristol scale of stool forms, it is easier for patients to overcome the psychological barrier. Looking at understandable pictures, a person may not describe the shape of his excrement to the doctor, but name the desired type or point to a picture depicting the most suitable poop in shape. It is also useful and convenient for self-testing at home.

Forms of feces according to the Bristol scale

The Bristol scale distinguishes 7 main types of feces. On the left side is an illustration of poop. In the middle - type numbering and a brief description. On the right side is the transit scale - it indicates the time of formation of one or another type of feces. You can also find other variations of the Bristol scale.

The Bristol scale of stool forms does not allow for an accurate diagnosis of the disease, since it only presents classifications of poop shapes. In the case of any disease, these data are not enough and it is required to take into account such parameters as and. At home, this table is useful only for a tentative assessment of the condition of your intestines. Also, if necessary, it will facilitate your dialogue with the doctor and reduce the level of embarrassment.

What can the shape and size of feces indicate?

Now let's take a closer look at each of the types of poop described in the Bristol scale.

First type of feces

Separate hard balls, similar to nuts, they are also called goat or sheep poop. Shit of this form is typical for acute dysbacteriosis. Kakahi of the first type is hard and abrasive. Their dimensions are approximately 1-2 cm. Due to their hardness and pricklyness, they can cause pain during the fight. With sheep poop, there is a high probability of damage to the anal canal and anorectal bleeding.

The second type of poop

This type of stool is a large, sausage-shaped poop with a lumpy texture. This type of feces is characteristic of constipation. The dimensions of the poop in diameter are about 3-4 cm. Since the diameter of the maximum opening of the diaphragm of the anal canal is less than 5 cm, the bowel movement is accompanied by damage and can cause a laceration of the anal canal. Due to too long a stay in the intestines, about several weeks, the feces acquire such a huge size. The cause of the formation of such a chair can be chronic constipation, as well as hemorrhoids, anal fissures and delayed defecation. This type of stool can cause irritable bowel syndrome and small bowel obstruction, due to the constant strong pressure on the intestinal wall.

The third type of feces

This type of poop is similar to the previous one, with the exception of smaller sizes, about 2-3.5 cm in diameter. It has a sausage shape and cracks on the surface. A smaller diameter indicates that defecation occurs more often than in the second type. At the same time, the third type of bowel movements indicates hidden constipation. It is accompanied by a slight flatulence, which is caused by dysbacteriosis. The owners of such a chair usually suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Such poop can cause all the adverse effects that the second type. And also it contributes to a more rapid deterioration of hemorrhoids.

The fourth type of poop

The shape of these poop can be called a standard. Dimensions in diameter are about 1-2 cm, in length - usually within 18 cm. This type of shit is typical for defecation once a day.

Fifth type of feces

These kakahi are shaped like soft balls with sharp edges. The diameter of such a chair is 1-1.5 cm. Such feces are typical with 2-3 bowel movements per day. They, like the fourth type, are an excellent indicator.

Sixth type of feces

Signs of the sixth type are soft fluffy stools with torn edges. If you can control the urge to have a bowel movement and are able to endure if something happens, then this stool can be considered normal. It can characterize overactive colon. Among the causes of such feces may be - dehydration, overexertion, blood pressure, excessive sensitivity to certain spices, high mineral content in water, or ingredients in food that cause a laxative effect.

The seventh type of feces

The seventh type includes loose stools, in other words, diarrhea. This symbolizes diarrhea. At the same time, there may be paradoxical diarrhea. Paradoxical diarrhea is when a person has constipation and diarrhea at the same time. The lower sections of the intestine are clogged with feces, while up to 1.5-2 liters of liquid feces accumulate above them. This type of diarrhea is quite common, especially in young children and in debilitated adults who are recovering from an illness.

As you can see, it is useful to observe the shape and size of feces. Shit can say a lot about the state of your body. Knowing the classification of feces, you can determine the normality of your stool and prevent some diseases in the early stages, as well as prevent others from developing. Of course, knowing the types of poop alone is not enough for a complete diagnosis. But enough to draw attention. We wish you a feces of the correct form. Relief!

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Feces are formed in the large intestine. It consists of water, the remains of food taken and the discharge of the gastrointestinal tract, the products of the transformation of bile pigments, bacteria, etc. For the diagnosis of diseases associated with the digestive organs, the study of feces in some cases can be of decisive importance. General analysis of feces (coprogram) includes macroscopic, chemical and microscopic examination.

Macroscopic examination

Quantity

In pathology, the amount of feces decreases with prolonged constipation caused by chronic colitis, peptic ulcer and other conditions associated with increased absorption of fluid in the intestine. With inflammatory processes in the intestines, colitis with diarrhea, accelerated evacuation from the intestines, the amount of feces increases.

Consistency

Dense consistency - with constant constipation due to excessive absorption of water. Liquid or mushy consistency of feces - with increased peristalsis (due to insufficient absorption of water) or with abundant secretion of inflammatory exudate and mucus by the intestinal wall. Ointment-like consistency - in chronic pancreatitis with exocrine insufficiency. Foamy consistency - with enhanced fermentation processes in the colon and the formation of a large amount of carbon dioxide.

The form

The form of feces in the form of "large lumps" - with a long stay of feces in the colon (hypomotor dysfunction of the colon in people with a sedentary lifestyle or who do not eat coarse food, as well as with colon cancer, diverticular disease). The form in the form of small lumps - "sheep feces" indicates a spastic state of the intestine, during starvation, gastric and duodenal ulcers, a reflex character after appendectomy, with hemorrhoids, anal fissure. Ribbon-like or "pencil" shape - in diseases accompanied by stenosis or severe and prolonged spasm of the rectum, with tumors of the rectum. Unformed feces are a sign of maldigestion and malabsorption syndrome.

Color

If staining of feces with food or drugs is excluded, then color changes are most likely due to pathological changes. Grayish-white, clayey (acholic feces) occurs with obstruction of the biliary tract (stone, tumor, spasm or stenosis of the sphincter of Oddi) or with liver failure (acute hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver). Black feces (tarry) - bleeding from the stomach, esophagus and small intestine. Pronounced red color - with bleeding from the distal colon and rectum (tumor, ulcers, hemorrhoids). Inflammatory gray exudate with fibrin flakes and pieces of the colonic mucosa ("rice water") - with cholera. Jelly-like character of deep pink or red color in amoebiasis. With typhoid fever, the feces look like "pea soup". With putrefactive processes in the intestines, the feces are dark in color, with fermentative dyspepsia - light yellow.

Slime

When the distal colon (especially the rectum) is affected, the mucus is in the form of lumps, strands, ribbons, or a vitreous mass. With enteritis, the mucus is soft, viscous, mixing with feces, giving it a jelly-like appearance. Mucus covering the formed feces from the outside in the form of thin lumps occurs with constipation and inflammation of the large intestine (colitis).

Blood

When bleeding from the distal colon, the blood is located in the form of veins, shreds and clots on the formed feces. Scarlet blood occurs when bleeding from the lower parts of the sigmoid and rectum (hemorrhoids, fissures, ulcers, tumors). Black feces (melena) occur when bleeding from the upper digestive system (esophagus, stomach, duodenum). Blood in the stool can be found in infectious diseases (dysentery), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, decaying tumors of the colon.

Pus

Pus on the surface of the feces occurs with severe inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membrane of the colon (ulcerative colitis, dysentery, decay of the intestinal tumor, intestinal tuberculosis), often along with blood and mucus. Pus in large quantities without the admixture of mucus is observed at the opening of paraintestinal abscesses.

Leftover undigested food (lientorrhoea)

Isolation of the remnants of undigested food occurs with severe insufficiency of gastric and pancreatic digestion.

Chemical research

fecal reaction

An acidic reaction (pH 5.0-6.5) is noted with the activation of the iodophilic flora, which forms carbon dioxide and organic acids (fermentative dyspepsia). An alkaline reaction (pH 8.0-10.0) occurs with insufficient digestion of food, with colitis with constipation, sharply alkaline with putrefactive and fermentative dyspepsia.

Reaction to blood (Gregersen's reaction)

A positive reaction to blood indicates bleeding in any part of the gastrointestinal tract (bleeding from the gums, rupture of varicose veins of the esophagus, erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, tumors of any part of the gastrointestinal tract in the stage of decay).

Reaction to stercobilin

The absence or a sharp decrease in the amount of stercobilin in the feces (the reaction to stercobilin is negative) indicates obstruction of the common bile duct with a stone, compression of it by a tumor, strictures, choledochal stenosis, or a sharp decrease in liver function (for example, in acute viral hepatitis). An increase in the amount of stercobilin in the feces occurs with massive hemolysis of red blood cells (hemolytic jaundice) or increased bile secretion.

Reaction to bilirubin

The detection of unchanged bilirubin in the feces of an adult indicates a violation of the process of restoring bilirubin in the intestine under the influence of microbial flora. Bilirubin can appear with rapid evacuation of food (a sharp increase in intestinal motility), severe dysbacteriosis (a syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in the colon) after taking antibacterial drugs.

Vishnyakov-Tribulet reaction (for soluble protein)

The Vishnyakov-Tribulet reaction is used to detect a latent inflammatory process. The detection of soluble protein in feces indicates inflammation of the intestinal mucosa (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease).

microscopic examination

Muscle fibers - with striation (unchanged, undigested) and without striation (altered, digested). A large number of altered and unchanged muscle fibers in the feces (creatorrhoea) indicates a violation of proteolysis (protein digestion):

• in conditions accompanied by achlorhydria (lack of free HCl in gastric juice) and achilia (complete absence of secretion of HCl, pepsin and other components of gastric juice): atrophic pangastritis, condition after gastric resection;
• with accelerated evacuation of food chyme from the intestine;
• in violation of the exocrine function of the pancreas;
• with putrefactive dyspepsia.

Connective tissue (remains of undigested vessels, ligaments, fascia, cartilage). The presence of connective tissue in the feces indicates a deficiency of proteolytic enzymes of the stomach and is observed with hypo- and achlorhydria, achilia.

Fat is neutral. Fatty acid. Salts of fatty acids (soaps)

The appearance in the feces of a large amount of neutral fat, fatty acids and soaps is called steatorrhea. This happens:

• with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, a mechanical obstruction to the outflow of pancreatic juice, when steatorrhea is represented by neutral fat;
• in violation of the flow of bile into the duodenum and in violation of the absorption of fatty acids in the small intestine, fatty acids or salts of fatty acids (soaps) are found in the feces.

vegetable fiber

Digestible - found in the pulp of vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains. Indigestible fiber (skin of fruits and vegetables, plant hairs, epidermis of cereals) has no diagnostic value, since there are no enzymes in the human digestive system that break it down. It occurs in large numbers with rapid evacuation of food from the stomach, achlorhydria, achilia, with a syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in the colon.

Starch

The presence of a large amount of starch in the feces is called amylorrhea and is observed more often with increased intestinal motility, fermentative dyspepsia, less often with exocrine insufficiency of pancreatic digestion.

Iodophilic microflora (clostridia)

With a large amount of carbohydrates, clostridia multiply intensively. A large number of clostridia is regarded as fermentative dysbiosis.

Epithelium

A large amount of columnar epithelium in the feces is observed in acute and chronic colitis of various etiologies.

Leukocytes

A large number of leukocytes (usually neutrophils) is observed in acute and chronic enteritis and colitis of various etiologies, ulcerative-necrotic lesions of the intestinal mucosa, intestinal tuberculosis, dysentery.

red blood cells

The appearance of slightly altered erythrocytes in the feces indicates the presence of bleeding from the colon, mainly from its distal sections (ulceration of the mucous membrane, a decaying tumor of the rectum and sigmoid colon, anal fissures, hemorrhoids). A large number of erythrocytes in combination with leukocytes and columnar epithelium is characteristic of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease with damage to the colon, polyposis and malignant neoplasms of the colon.

worm eggs

Eggs of roundworm, broad tapeworm, etc. indicate the corresponding helminthic invasion.

Pathogenic protozoa

Cysts of dysenteric amoeba, Giardia, etc. indicate the corresponding invasion by protozoa.

yeast cells

They are found in feces during treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroids. Identification of the fungus Candida albicans is carried out by inoculation on special media (Saburo's medium, Microstix Candida) and indicates a fungal infection of the intestine.

Calcium oxalate (lime oxalate crystals)

Detection of crystals is a sign of achlorhydria.

Tripelphosphate crystals (ammonia-magnesium phosphate)

Tripelphosphate crystals found in faeces (pH 8.5-10.0) immediately after defecation indicate increased protein putrefaction in the colon.

Norms

Macroscopic examination

Chemical research

microscopic examination

Diseases for which the doctor may prescribe a general fecal analysis (coprogram)

1. Crohn's disease

   In Crohn's disease, blood can be found in the stool. The Vishnyakov-Triboulet reaction reveals a soluble protein in it. Crohn's disease with lesions of the colon is characterized by the presence in the feces of a large number of red blood cells in combination with white blood cells and columnar epithelium.

2. Colon diverticulosis

   In diverticular disease, due to the long stay of feces in the colon, it takes the form of "large lumps".

3. Duodenal ulcer

   With a duodenal ulcer, the feces are in the form of small lumps (“sheep feces” indicates a spastic state of the intestine).

4. stomach ulcer

   With a stomach ulcer, the feces are in the form of small lumps (“sheep feces” indicates a spastic state of the intestine).

5. Chronic pancreatitis

   In chronic pancreatitis with exocrine insufficiency, feces may have a greasy consistency.

6. Hemolytic anemia

   With hemolytic jaundice (anemia), due to massive hemolysis of red blood cells, the amount of stercobilin in the feces increases.

7. Benign neoplasms of the colon

   With a tumor accompanied by bleeding from the distal colon, feces may have a pronounced red color. In decaying tumors of the colon, blood can be found in the stool. Pus on the surface of the feces occurs with severe inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membrane of the colon (collapse of the tumor of the intestine), often along with blood and mucus. With a tumor of the colon in the stage of disintegration due to bleeding, the reaction to blood (Gregersen's reaction) is positive.

8. Intestinal helminthiases

   With helminthic invasion in the feces there are eggs of ascaris, a wide tapeworm, etc.

9. Cirrhosis of the liver

   With liver failure, including cirrhosis of the liver, the feces are grayish-white, clayey (acholic).

10. Ulcerative colitis

    With colitis, mucus is noted that covers the formed feces from the outside in the form of thin lumps. In ulcerative colitis, blood may be found in the stool; pus on the surface of the stool, often with blood and mucus; soluble protein in the Vishnyakov-Tribulet reaction; a large number of leukocytes (usually neutrophils); a large number of erythrocytes in combination with leukocytes and columnar epithelium.

11. Constipation

    With prolonged constipation caused by chronic colitis, peptic ulcer and other conditions associated with increased absorption of fluid in the intestine, the amount of feces decreases. With constant constipation due to excessive absorption of water, the consistency of feces is dense. With constipation, mucus can be noted that covers the formed feces from the outside in the form of thin lumps.

12. Malignant neoplasm of the colon

    The form of feces in the form of "large lumps" - with a long stay of feces in the colon - is noted in colon cancer. Pronounced red feces - with a tumor, accompanied by bleeding from the distal colon and rectum. Blood in the stool can be found in decaying tumors of the colon. Pus on the surface of the feces occurs with severe inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membrane of the colon (collapse of the tumor of the intestine), often along with blood and mucus. A positive reaction to blood (Gregersen's reaction) indicates bleeding in a colon tumor in the stage of disintegration. A large number of erythrocytes in combination with leukocytes and columnar epithelium is characteristic of malignant neoplasms of the colon.

13. irritable bowel syndrome, chronic colitis

    With colitis with diarrhea, the amount of feces increases. The amount of feces decreases with prolonged constipation caused by chronic colitis. Mucus covering the formed feces from the outside in the form of thin lumps is found in colitis. Alkaline reaction (pH 8.0-10.0) occurs in colitis with constipation. A large number of leukocytes (usually neutrophils) is observed in colitis of various etiologies.

14. Cholera

    With cholera, the stool looks like an inflammatory gray exudate with fibrin flakes and pieces of the colon mucosa (“rice water”).

15. Amoebiasis

    With amoebiasis, the feces are jelly-like, rich pink or red.

16. Typhoid fever

    With typhoid fever, the feces look like "pea soup".

17. Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum

    With prolonged constipation caused by peptic ulcer, the amount of feces decreases. With an ulcer of the duodenum and stomach, the feces are in the form of small lumps (“sheep feces” indicates a spastic state of the intestine).

Our chair can tell a lot about our health. The shape and types of feces help to recognize what is happening inside the body. When our intestines are healthy, then the stool should be normal. If, however, you sometimes notice occasional cases of unhealthy feces, do not sound the alarm, it depends on the diet. But if the symptoms become regular, you need to see a doctor, get tested and undergo an appointment.

What should be the feces

Normally, stool is considered normal if it has the consistency of toothpaste. It should be soft, brown, 10-20 cm long. Defecation should occur without much stress, easily. Small deviations from this description should not be immediately alarming. Stool (or feces) may vary from lifestyle, dietary errors. Beets give a red color to the output, and fatty foods make the feces smelly, too soft and float. You need to be able to independently evaluate all the characteristics (shape, color, consistency, buoyancy), let's talk about this in more detail.

Color

Types of feces vary in color. It can be brown (healthy color), red, green, yellow, white, black:

• Red color. This color can occur as a result of ingestion of food coloring or beets. In other cases, red feces become due to bleeding in the lower intestine. Most of all, everyone is afraid of cancer, but often this can be associated with the manifestation of diverticulitis or hemorrhoids.
• Green color. A sign of the presence of bile. Feces moving too fast through the intestines do not have time to take on a brown color. The green tint is a consequence of taking iron supplements or antibiotics, eating a lot of greens rich in chlorophyll, or supplements such as wheatgrass, chlorella, spirulina. Dangerous causes of green feces is celiac disease or syndrome
• Yellow. Yellow feces are a sign of infection. It also indicates dysfunction of the gallbladder, when there is not enough bile and excess fats appear.
• White color feces are a sign of diseases such as hepatitis, bacterial infection, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, cancer. The cause may be gallstones. The feces do not stain due to obstruction of bile. The white color of feces can be considered harmless if you took barium the day before the X-ray examination.
• Black color or dark green indicates possible bleeding in the upper intestines. A non-dangerous sign is considered if this is a consequence of the use of certain foods (a lot of meat, dark vegetables) or iron.

The form

The shape of your stool can also reveal a lot about your inner health. Thin feces (resembling a pencil) should alert. Perhaps some obstruction interferes with the passage in the lower part of the intestine or there is pressure from the outside on the thick section. It could be some kind of neoplasm. In this case, it is necessary to conduct a colonoscopy to exclude such a diagnosis as cancer.

Hard and small feces indicate constipation. The reason may be an inadequate diet, where fiber is excluded. It is necessary to eat foods high in fiber, exercise, take flaxseed or psyllium husks - all this helps to improve intestinal motility, relieve stools.

Too soft stool that clings to the toilet contains too much oil. This suggests that the body does not absorb it well. You can even notice floating oil drops. In this case, it is necessary to check the condition of the pancreas.

In small doses, mucus in the stool is normal. But if there is too much of it, this may indicate the presence of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Other characteristics

According to its characteristics, feces in an adult is directly related to lifestyle and nutrition. What is the bad odor associated with? Pay attention to what you eat more often lately. A fetid odor is also associated with taking certain medications, it can manifest itself as a symptom of some kind of inflammatory process. With violations of absorption of food (Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease), this symptom also manifests itself.

Floating feces in itself should not cause concern. If the floating feces are too foul-smelling, contain a lot of fat, this is a symptom of poor absorption of nutrients in the intestines. In this case, body weight is rapidly lost.

Coprogram is...

Chyme, or food gruel, moves through the gastrointestinal tract, into feces masses are formed in the large intestine. At all stages, splitting occurs, and then the absorption of nutrients. The composition of the stool helps determine if there are any abnormalities in the internal organs. helps to identify a variety of diseases. A coprogram is a chemical, macroscopic, microscopic examination, after which a detailed description of the feces is given. Certain diseases can be identified by a coprogram. It can be indigestion, pancreas, intestines; inflammatory processes in the digestive tract, dysbacteriosis, malabsorption, colitis.

bristol scale

British doctors at the Royal Hospital in Bristol have developed a simple but unique scale that characterizes all the main types of feces. Its creation was the result of the fact that specialists were faced with the problem that people are reluctant to open up on this topic, embarrassment prevents them from telling in detail about their chair. According to the developed drawings, it became very easy to independently characterize your own emptying without any embarrassment and awkwardness. Currently, the Bristol stool scale is used around the world to assess the functioning of the digestive system. For many, printing a table (types of feces) on the wall in their own toilet is nothing more than a way to monitor their health.

1st type. Sheep feces

It is called so because it has the shape of hard balls and resembles sheep feces. If for animals this is a normal result of the work of the intestines, then for a person such a chair is an alarm signal. Sheep pellets are a sign of constipation, dysbacteriosis. Hard feces can cause hemorrhoids, damage to the anus, and even lead to intoxication of the body.

2nd type. thick sausage

What does the appearance of stool mean? It is also a sign of constipation. Only in this case, bacteria and fibers are present in the mass. It takes several days to form such a sausage. Its thickness exceeds the width of the anus, so emptying is difficult and can lead to cracks and tears, hemorrhoids. It is not recommended to prescribe laxatives on your own, as a sharp exit of feces can be very painful.

3rd type. Sausage with cracks

Very often people consider such a chair to be normal, because it passes easily. But do not be mistaken. Hard sausage is also a sign of constipation. During the act of defecation, you have to strain, which means that there is a possibility of anal fissures. In this case, there may be

4th type. The perfect chair

The diameter of a sausage or snake is 1-2 cm, the feces are smooth, soft, and easily pressurized. Regular stool once a day.

5th type. soft balls

This type is even better than the previous one. Several soft pieces are formed that come out gently. Usually occurs with a large meal. Chair several times a day.

6th type. unformed chair

Feces come out in pieces, but unformed, with torn edges. Comes out easily without hurting the anus. This is not diarrhea yet, but a condition close to it. The causes of this type of feces can be laxatives, high blood pressure, excessive use of spices, and mineral water.

7th type. loose stool

Watery stool that does not include any particles. Diarrhea requiring identification of causes and treatment. This is an abnormal condition of the body that needs treatment. There can be many reasons: fungi, infections, allergies, poisoning, diseases of the liver and stomach, malnutrition, helminths, and even stress. In this case, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor.

The act of defecation

Each organism is characterized by an individual frequency of defecation. Normally, this is from three times a day to three bowel movements per week. Ideally, once a day. Many factors influence our intestinal motility and this should not be a cause for concern. Travel, stress, diet, certain medications, illnesses, surgeries, childbirth, physical activity, sleep, hormonal changes - all this can be reflected in our stool. It is worth paying attention to how the act of defecation occurs. If excessive efforts are made, then this indicates certain problems in the body.

Feces in children

Many mothers are interested in what kind of feces babies should have. It is worth paying special attention to this factor, since gastrointestinal diseases are especially difficult at an early age. At the first suspicion, you should contact your pediatrician immediately.

In the first days after birth, meconium (dark in color) comes out of the body. During the first three days, it begins to mix in. On the 4-5th day, feces completely replace meconium. When breastfeeding, golden yellow stools are a sign of the presence of bilirubin, pasty, homogeneous, and acidic. On the 4th month, bilirubin is gradually replaced by stercobilin.

Types of feces in children

With various pathologies, there are several types of feces in children that you need to know about in order to prevent various diseases and unpleasant consequences in time.

• "Hungry" feces. Color black, smell unpleasant. Occurs with improper feeding or starvation.
• Acholic feces. Whitish-gray color, discolored, clayey. With epidemic hepatitis, atresia of the biliary tract.
• Putrefactive. Mushy, dirty-gray, with an unpleasant odor. Occurs with protein feeding.
• Soapy. Silvery, glossy, soft, with mucus. When feeding undiluted cow's milk.
• Fatty feces. With a sour smell, whitish, a little mucus. By consuming excess fat.

• Constipation. Gray color, firm texture, putrid smell.
• Watery yellow stool. When breastfeeding due to lack of nutrients in mother's milk.
• Mushy, sparse feces, yellow color. It is formed when overfeeding with cereals (for example, semolina).
• Feces for dyspepsia. With mucus, curdled, yellow-green. Occurs with an eating disorder.

This is usually preferred to remain silent, regardless of the importance of the issue. In the article you will find a complete description of all the characteristics of the chair and learn about your weak points in the gastrointestinal tract, which you did not even suspect!

“Blessed is he who early in the morning has a chair without compulsion:

He likes food and all other pleasures.”

A.S. Pushkin

It was said in Pushkin's genius: gracefully, ironically, and life-truthfully. I propose to discuss this topic, smoothly moving from poetry to the prose of life. Moreover, this prose is a vital criterion for our well-being and ability to enjoy being.

stool or feces- this is the contents of the lower sections of the colon, which is the end product of digestion and is excreted from the body during defecation. Individual characteristics of the stool can tell a lot about a person's health and help in making a diagnosis. For this, a scatological study is carried out (“scatology” in Greek means “the science of feces”). Feces are looked at under a microscope and leukocytes, erythrocytes are counted in it, the amount of fat, mucus, and undigested fibers is determined.

Any of us in everyday life also sometimes needs to look at what we usually try to flush down the drain faster.

So, stool monitoring is a way of monitoring your own health. Everything is important here: the frequency of bowel movements, the daily amount of feces, its density, color, shape and smell. Let us analyze all the interpretations of the quality of the stool in the norm and in pathology in more detail.

1. Number of bowel movements.

NORM: regular one or two bowel movements per day with a strong urge to defecate and without pain. After defecation, the urge disappears, there is a feeling of comfort and complete emptying of the intestine. Ideally, the chair should be in the morning, a few minutes after waking up.

PATHOLOGY: no stool for more than 48 hours (constipation) or too frequent stools - up to 5 times or more per day (diarrhea). Violation of the frequency of defecation is a symptom of a disease and requires the consultation of a doctor (gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist or proctologist).

Diarrhea, or diarrhoea, is the result of stool passing too quickly through the large intestine, where most of the water is reabsorbed. Loose stools can be caused by many factors, including stomach viruses and food poisoning. It can also result from food allergies and intolerances, such as lactose intolerance.

2. Daily amount of feces.

NORM: With a mixed diet, the daily amount of feces varies within a fairly wide range and averages 150-400 g. So, when eating predominantly plant foods, the amount of feces increases, and the amount of feces, which is poor in "ballast" substances, decreases.

CHANGES: a significant increase (more than 400 g) or a decrease in the amount of feces.

An abnormally large excretion of feces from the body for at least three days, polyfecal matter, can be caused by diseases of the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, pancreas, as well as malabsorption syndrome (impaired absorption of digested food in the intestine).

The reasons for a decrease in the amount of feces can be constipation, when, due to a long retention of feces in the large intestine and maximum absorption of water, the volume of feces decreases, or the predominance of easily digestible foods in the diet.

3. Excretion of feces and swimming in water.

NORM: soft immersion of feces to the bottom of the toilet bowl.

CHANGES: With an insufficient amount of dietary fiber in the diet (less than 30 grams per day), feces are excreted quickly and fall into the toilet water with a splash.

If the stool floats or is poorly washed off with cold water from the walls of the toilet, this indicates that it has an increased amount of gases or contains too much undigested or undigested fat. The reason for this may be chronic pancreatitis, malabsorption, celiac disease (a dysfunction of the small intestine associated with a deficiency of enzymes that break down the gluten peptide). But! Feces can also float when eating large amounts of fiber.

4. Color of feces.

NORM: With a mixed diet, the feces are brown.

CHANGES: Dark brown - with a meat diet, constipation, indigestion in the stomach, colitis, putrefactive dyspepsia.

Light brown - with a milk-vegetarian diet, increased intestinal motility.

Light yellow - with a milk diet, diarrhea or impaired bile secretion (cholecystitis).

Reddish - when eating beets, with bleeding from the lower intestines (hemorrhoids, anal fissures, intestinal polyposis, ulcerative colitis).

Green - with a large amount of spinach, lettuce, sorrel in food; with dysbacteriosis, increased intestinal motility.

Tar-like or black - when eating blueberries or black currants; with bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer, cirrhosis, colon cancer), when swallowing blood during nasal or pulmonary bleeding.

Greenish-black - when taking iron supplements.

Grayish-white stool means that bile does not enter the intestine (blockage of the bile duct, acute pancreatitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver).

5. Density and shape of feces.

NORM: Normally, feces are 70% water, 30% - from the remnants of processed food, dead bacteria and desquamated intestinal cells and has a cylindrical shape in the form of a soft round sausage. But! A large amount of plant foods in the diet makes the feces thick and mushy.

Normally, feces should not contain blood, mucus, pus, and the remains of undigested food!

CHANGES:

mushy stool- with increased intestinal motility, increased secretion in the intestine during its inflammation.

Very dense feces (sheep)- with constipation, colitis, spasms and stenosis of the colon.

ointment- in diseases of the pancreas (chronic pancreatitis), a sharp decrease in the flow of bile into the intestine (cholelithiasis, cholecystitis).

Liquid- in violation of the digestion of food in the small intestine, malabsorption and accelerated passage of feces.

Foamy- with fermentative dyspepsia, when fermentation processes in the intestine prevail over all others.

Ribbon-like feces- in diseases accompanied by stenosis or severe and prolonged spasm of the sigmoid or rectum; with rectal cancer.

With a liquid consistency of the stool and frequent bowel movements, they speak of diarrhea.

Liquid-mushy or watery stools can be with a large intake of water.

Cheesy, frothy, like rising sourdough, the stool indicates the presence of yeast.

Small stools (pencil-shaped) may be a sign of polyposis or an enlarged colon tumor.

6. The smell of feces.

NORM: unpleasant but not annoying.

CHANGES: The smell depends on the composition of the food (meat food gives a pungent smell, dairy food gives a sour smell) and the severity of fermentation and decay processes.

Sour smell it also happens with fermentation dyspepsia, which is caused by excessive consumption of carbohydrates (sugar, flour products) and fermentation drinks, such as kvass.

Fetid- in violation of the function of the pancreas (pancreatitis), a decrease in the flow of bile into the intestine (cholecystitis), hypersecretion of the large intestine. Very foul-smelling stools may be due to bacterial overgrowth. Some bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic rotten odor.

Putrefactive- in violation of digestion in the stomach, putrefactive dyspepsia associated with excessive consumption of protein foods that are slowly digested in the intestines, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease.

faint smell- with constipation or accelerated evacuation from the small intestine.

7. Intestinal gases.

NORM: Gases are formed due to the work of microorganisms that make up the natural flora of the intestine. During defecation and outside of it in an adult, 0.2-0.5 liters of gas is excreted from the intestines per day. It is considered normal to release gas up to 10-12 times (but in general, the less, the better).

Normally, an increase in the amount of gases can be caused by eating the following foods: a large amount of carbohydrates (sugar, muffin); products containing a lot of fiber (cabbage, apples, legumes, etc.), products that stimulate fermentation processes (black bread, kvass, beer); dairy products with lactose intolerance; carbonated drinks.

PATHOLOGY: Flatulence, excessive accumulation of gases in the intestines (up to 3 liters), may indicate the development of certain diseases, namely: intestinal dysbacteriosis, chronic pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic intestinal diseases (enteritis, colitis), gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcers, chronic liver disease (cholecystitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis), intestinal obstruction.

The most natural process in human life is the daily self-emptying of the intestines. In the absence of any pathologies, this process does not cause any discomfort. In order for the chair to be daily and painless, it is enough to eat right. Malfunctions in the intestinal tract occur for a number of reasons. For example, the presence of chronic diseases, surgical interventions, pregnancy, breastfeeding, nutritional errors. In cases where deviations in the quantity and quality of bowel movements are present without the reasons described above, this should be alarming. Further in the article, in detail about what a normal stool should be in an adult, when the color of feces or impurities in it can indicate health problems, be symptoms or signs of the development of various kinds of diseases.

Standard, normal stool in an adult

The body of each person is individual. What is considered pathological for one person is considered normal for another. Normal bowel movement in an adult depends not only on his eating habits, but also on the metabolic processes in the body. Therefore, the color of the stool, the consistency of feces in an adult can differ significantly from the type and quality of food consumed, the presence of diseases or other features of the state of human health.

Most people have a bowel movement every day in the morning. For them, this process is the norm. However, if this process is disturbed, these people start to panic. Such people should remember that self-emptying of the intestine once every 2 days or 2 times a day is also considered normal. The feces should be sufficiently thick in consistency and should not contain any impurities such as mucous, blood, foamy discharge. Even when the daily stool in an adult has changed a little and the intestines are cleared once every two to three days, there is no need to sound the alarm. The problem of irregular or frequent stools may be a violation of the diet. In such cases, first you need to normalize the diet, and only if this measure does not bring relief, you need to consult a doctor.

Frequent stools, frequent urination, causes of diarrhea

Along with infrequent bowel movements (1 every two to three days), a person can be disturbed by stool, which is repeated up to five times a day. If the feces are dense enough in texture and do not cause any problems, then eating foods that help speed up digestion may be a possible cause of frequent stools. You need to worry only in those cases when the feces with frequent stools become liquid and contain foam, mucous or spotting. At the same time, the stomach is quite painful and the body temperature is higher than normal. Urgent measures should be taken to prevent complications of well-being.

Liquid stools, loose stools in an adult

Not always the cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by liquid stools, indicates problems with the digestive tract. If the stools are liquid, as with diarrhea, are not strong and do not cause pain in the abdomen, then they may be of a natural nature. A factor influencing the liquefaction of feces and the onset of diarrhea may be food eaten before. Eating kefirs, yogurts, milk, certain vegetable products and fruits in large quantities contribute to the appearance of liquid stool masses. Also, such loose stools in an adult can be preceded by alcohol consumed in huge portions, namely beer and wine. With the help of a strong bowel movement, the body tries to free itself from alcohol poisoning.

Adult frothy stool

With the appearance of loose stools, diarrhea with foamy contents, do not panic. You should know that fermentation processes are caused by an excess of carbohydrates in the human body, which have accumulated for a long time. In this regard, it is recommended to exclude from your menu sweet fruits, certain types of vegetables, soda, alcohol, which causes gas formation. Liquid cereals should be introduced into the daily menu with foamy and frequent stools in an adult. They help to strengthen the contents of the stomach and improve its work.

Stool with mucus in an adult, causes of stool with mucus impurities

In adults, the feces may contain a small amount of mucus due to the consumption of food that promotes the formation of mucus. Therefore, a stool with an admixture of mucous secretions is not surprising if a person’s daily diet consists of mucous cereals, dairy products, fruits, and berries. In this case, additional discomfort is also possible in the form of bloating, diarrhea, pain in the abdominal region.

Quite often, liquid stools containing mucus appear during long-term antibiotic therapy. Also, fecal masses, liquid in form with foam, are characteristic of violations of the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic inflammatory processes in the stomach, ulcerative colitis, intestinal fissures, the presence of Escherichia coli and other infections.

Feces with blood, causes of blood-stained stools, causes

Many people in vain do not pay attention to the stool with single blood blotches. A change in the color of feces and the presence of blood impurities is evidence of quite serious pathologies. If the blood in the stool is bright scarlet and is located on top of the stool, then the reason most likely lies in the fact that there are anal fissures.

The black tint of the stool indicates bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The black color of the feces is due to the fact that in the process of moving through the intestines, the blood has already coagulated. A sign of the opening of an ulcer is considered to be a small amount of feces with a sufficiently large amount of blood discharge. If you find such dangerous symptoms as feces with blood, you should immediately consult a doctor.

How to understand that the color of the stool indicates disease?

Also, other shades of fecal stool indicate the presence of pathologies. Light gray or white feces indicate the presence of Crohn's disease, rotavirus infection, malignant or benign neoplasms, kidney stones, and dysbacteriosis. The shade of feces depends on changes in the diet and on the stage of chronic diseases.

Adult black stool

The black color of feces in the stool is possible in cases where the day before a person consumed foods that contribute to the color of feces, as well as in the presence of internal bleeding of the upper intestine. After taking or while taking certain medications, bowel movements may also turn black. For example, medicines for anemia, activated charcoal and a number of other medicines that contribute to the appearance of black stool.

Green stool and its causes

The green hue of feces indicates that there are fermentation processes in the body, the causes of which can be either overeating foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates, or the development of bacterial infections. Quite often, green feces are associated with large impurities of mucous secretions. Along with the unusual green color of the stool, mild pain, flatulence, and bloating appear.

Yellow stools, causes of yellow stools

A bright yellow hue of feces means that there are pathologies with the gallbladder in the human body. If, with this color of feces, a bitter taste is also felt on the lips and in the mouth, then there is no doubt that there are problems with the bile ducts. Disorders of the pancreas, due to which a large amount of bile secretion simply does not have time to break down, are the cause of the yellow color of the stool. Also, a yellow stool in an adult may indicate diseases of the digestive tract and the presence of kidney stones. With urolithiasis, yellow stools will be observed for a long time.

Causes of gray stool in an adult

A grayish stool with a very strong, offensive odor indicates a clear sign of malabsorption. When a person abuses fatty foods, his pancreas does not have time to cope with it, which leads to colorless feces.

White stools, causes of white stools

A light shade of fecal discharge in an adult may indicate hepatitis or pancreatitis. A white stool in an adult mainly indicates obvious pathologies of the bile ducts, or the impossibility of outflow of bile secretions. In such situations, certain difficulties may be hidden in the appearance of stones or in the presence of neoplasms in the form of tumors. A white shade of stool in an adult is also possible as a result of dysbacteriosis, which causes constant discomfort.

Throughout the life of an adult, fecal masses can undergo significant changes. In this regard, what is considered normal at fifteen or twenty years old, after the age of forty, may be the first "beacon" to the appearance of pathology. Therefore, experts recommend that you be more careful about your health, monitor the slightest changes in your body, and if you suspect any disease, do not self-medicate, but be sure to consult a doctor.

How many times a day should a person walk on the big one?

There is no definite norm how many times a day and in what quantities an adult needs to defecate. However, a certain standard is the amount from three times a day to once in three days. On average, a person walks about once every 24 hours and produces 28.35 g of feces per 5.443 kg of body weight. Based on this norm, the feces of a man or woman weighing 72.6 kg are equated to 454 g of feces daily.

Frequent stools (more than four times a day) that are rare and watery are called diarrhea. This definition is appropriate when it is not a symptom of some more serious illness (the exception is circumstances in which the fluid from the body comes out only with diarrhea). There are three types of diarrhea: acute, persistent and chronic. The first category occurs after infection and quickly stops. Chronic diarrhea may last for more than two weeks, but chronic diarrhea lasts for months. The causes of diarrhea are usually infections, medications (particularly antibiotics), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and nutritional problems (not digesting any foods, which happens due to physiological characteristics).

Different people have different stool frequency. As noted earlier, the norm is a bowel movement from three times a day to one bowel movement in three days. There are many factors that have a certain effect on intestinal motility (gastrointestinal movements), because of which you should not worry. The motility of the gastrointestinal tract is affected by: changes in diet, medications, moving and traveling, sleep, sports, hormonal surges, stress and stress, diseases, operations, childbirth and much more. It is also necessary to monitor how the processes of emptying the rectum and bladder occur. A clear signal of the existence of problems with the human body are too strong attempts to defecate and urinate.

What should be the daily amount of feces?

With a varied diet, the daily rate of defecation is considered to be the amount of feces in the range of 150-400 g. If plant foods predominate in a person's diet, then the abundance of stool increases. In the case of the dominance of food of animal origin, the frequency of bowel movements is much less.

Too much and active excretion of waste products from the body for three days or more (polyfecal matter) may be a harbinger of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder and its tracts, pancreas, or the loss of one or many nutrients entering the digestive tract, due to their insufficiency. absorption in the small intestine (malabsorption). Constipation can sometimes be a consequence of a decrease in the amount of feces and the frequency of emptying. This is due to the prolonged retention of body waste in the colon and excessive absorption of fluid, due to which the volume of bowel movements decreases. It can also be the predominance of food that is digested too quickly.

What should be the density of feces?

The normal composition of feces is 70% water and 30% food that has undergone a process of processing by the body, dead bacteria, as well as exfoliated particles of the gastrointestinal tract. The product of defecation most often has a cylindrical shape, and in structure it resembles a soft round sausage. However, the high content of vegetable components in the diet contributes to the thickening of feces. A favorable indicator is the absence of bloody clots, mucus, pus and parts of incompletely digested food.

The deviation from the standard is mushy feces. This happens with a rapid contraction of the walls of the small intestine, as well as with an increased secretion of intestinal juice. Too thick defecation products occur with difficulty in emptying, inflammatory infections and convulsive contractions of the colon mucosa. Ointment-like waste occurs with complications in the functioning of the pancreas, a rapid decrease in the flow of bile into the intestines. More rare bowel movements occur when food is difficult to process in the small intestine, improper absorption and extremely rapid passage of feces. Foamy stool occurs in case of development of fermentative dyspepsia. With this disease, fermentation processes in the digestive tract occur more often and longer than any other. Tape feces occur when a patient has a persistent narrowing of the lumen or a prolonged spasm of the colon, as well as with cancer of the final part of the digestive tract. More liquid and frequent bowel movements are called diarrhea. Muddy, fluid stools occur when large amounts of fluids are consumed. Foamy stools are a sign that the food or drink you have eaten has been high in yeast. Thin feces can signal ailments of the colon, namely, neoplasms or polyposis.

What should the stool smell like?

The standard is considered not very pleasant, but not too irritating smell. This is influenced by the food that enters the body. The reason for a sharp darling can be meat, sour - food of dairy origin. Also, the smell directly depends on the manifestation of the processes of fermentation and decay in the organs. Acid is felt in fermentative dyspepsia. Causes her frequent consumption of carbohydrates (baked goods, sugar) and carbonated liquids in large volumes. Pronounced stench occurs in case of problems in the functioning of the pancreas (its inflammation), a decrease in the flow of bile into the intestine (cholecystitis), hypersecretion of ions and any liquid into the intestinal lumen. This also occurs due to an excessive amount of bacteria. Some of them produce hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic rotten smell. Feces smell of rottenness with problems in the process of digestion of food, putrefactive dyspepsia, which is associated with the frequent use of protein and its slow absorption. Also, the causes of this smell can be granulomatous enteritis or ulcerative colitis. A mild aroma is characteristic of difficult emptying of the gastrointestinal tract or too rapid evacuation of food through it.

What should be the shape of feces in an adult?

A thin stool (pencil) indicates interference in the lower half of the digestive tract or an external onslaught on the large intestine. If these symptoms appear, a colonoscopy should be done in order to rule out the development of cancer. Small and hard stools are clear signs of difficult bowel movements, namely constipation. This may be due to missing fiber in a person's diet. It is necessary to increase the content of dietary fiber in the diet, perform more sports exercises, use psyllium and flaxseeds to improve intestinal motility.

Too soft stool that sticks to the toilet means your body is not absorbing oils the way it should. Sometimes essential drops float directly in the toilet. With these symptoms, there are also disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, so it is very important to immediately contact a specialist in medicine for diagnosis. The presence of mucous clots in the feces is a common occurrence. However, if excessive mucus is seen in the stool, there may be some kind of inflammation in the body, granulomatous enteritis or ulcerative colitis.

Gases in the intestines, what is the norm in an adult?

Gases are produced due to the functioning of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. During defecation and in a calm state, from 0.2 to 0.5 l of gas is excreted from the body of an adult during the day. The standard is to fart about 10-12 times a day (preferably less). More frequent emission may be the result of the presence of the following foods in the diet: carbonated drinks, foods containing carbohydrates, fiber, yeast, and lactose.