What does sheep feces say in a person in the form of balls? Light brown feces: causes.

The human body is a complex system that needs to be understood. It is arranged in such a way that periodically gives us signs. If we learn to recognize these signals and respond to them in a timely manner, we can live for many years. Poop is not just a product of our life. In particular, with their help, our body communicates with us and can call for help.

Normally, your poop should be brown or tan in color.

A change in the color of the feces can be the cause of problems that need to be addressed, sometimes the seemingly harmless blackening of poop can hide a matter of life and death. Therefore, let's learn to understand what the body tells us with black poop, what is the reason for their appearance?

The main causes of the appearance of black stool

It is very difficult to understand the exact cause of black poop just by their color. There are too many factors to consider, most of which we cannot test at home. But here we can determine the degree of severity. Below we will tell you when black stool is a cause for concern, and when it is just an accident.

How do you know if black stool is a sign of illness?

If your stools turn black, along with other symptoms such as malaise, fever, nausea, and even vomiting, then you have enough reason to sound the alarm and urgently run to the doctor. No need to guess and wait for the weather from the sea, as the disease can progress and cause serious damage to your body if you do nothing. You should also pay attention to the shape and size of the feces.

The main reason for turning black poop is bleeding in the upper intestines. Digested blood turns your bowel movements dark. But not always bleeding can be in the upper sections. Black feces can also cause bleeding in the lower intestines, this may be indicated by low intestinal motility.

Intestinal peristalsis is a wave-like contraction of the intestinal walls that helps push feces to the exit.

The cause of black shit can be a number of diseases such as: gastritis, ulcerative colitis, histoplasmosis, colon disease and hookworm.

ON A NOTE!

Gastritis is present in almost every person. Running gastritis can develop into a stomach ulcer.

The above symptoms, accompanied by a change in the color of feces to black, require immediate attention. But what could be the matter if you feel normal, but the feces are black? How long have you been pooping? And how often do you poop lately? Constipation can be one of the causes of dark stools. This is due to the long stay of feces in the intestines. But do not think that constipation is a harmless thing and does not lead to anything other than darkening the poop. It can also cause various diseases such as hemorrhoids and irritable bowel syndrome. If the shape of your feces belongs to the second or third type, then constipation may be the cause of black poop. In the article about the size and shape of feces, you can find out what parameters fecal masses can have and what this indicates. Constipation, in turn, can cause damage to the intestinal walls and bleeding.

If your feces, in addition to darkening in color, have other signs mentioned above, then sound the alarm. It is much easier and faster to cure an illness in the initial stage, do not allow the disease to progress, otherwise it can provoke a number of other health problems. The presence of malfunctions in the work of the body is also indicated by a change in the smell to a more caustic and sharp one.

Black poop - no sign of concern

Not always black feces symbolize any disease. The reason for the change in its color may be some products that can color feces and taking medications.

If this is the reason, then remember what foods you have been eating lately. Try changing your diet. If this is the reason, then in a couple of days the color of the stool will return to normal.

Foods such as red beet (sometimes it can give feces a reddish tint), pomegranate, prunes, black currants, blueberries and other foods can change the color of feces to black.

In addition to food, drugs and vitamin complexes affect the color of feces. Carefully read the instructions and side effects of the drugs used the day before. Preparations with a high iron content can cause darkening of the stool. This color appears as a result of the oxidation of iron.

If the reason for changing the color of shit to black lies in this, then when you cancel the medication or change the diet, the stool should return to normal within a few days.

In the case of medications, it is better to consult with your doctor, as some drugs can cause internal bleeding.

Causes of black stool during pregnancy

The goal of every normal mother is to carry and raise a healthy child. The state of health of the mother, especially in the early stages of fetal development, greatly affects the development and health of the child. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor all the changes in your body. Pregnant women often have black stools. In this case, pregnancy is not the cause of its appearance. In principle, it cannot influence the darkening of feces.

The most common cause of black feces in pregnant women is not always in the development of any disease. Mothers carrying a child consume a large amount of vitamin complexes, fruits and vegetables rich in iron and other nutrients that contribute to the darkening of the poop. If this is not the reason, then most likely it is caused by an illness. You may have previously had any disease of the gastrointestinal tract or a number of other chronic diseases that are in remission. In any case, pregnancy is not the time when you can look for reasons on the Internet. Future mothers - run to the doctor !!!

Black feces in children

In most cases, the appearance of black poop in a child does not indicate a violation in the functioning of his body. Young mothers are shocked when they see black poop in their baby. This is a fairly common situation. Newborns often have black and viscous stools, it is also called meconium. Such stools consist of mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, digested epithelial cells and water - this consistency gives them a dark color. In the first days of a newborn baby's life, such poop is the norm and after a while your baby's stool will normalize and become mustard in color.

The formation of black feces in infants is affected by feeding mixtures that contain a large amount of iron and other vitamins.

In adulthood, black feces in children is not normal. As we wrote above, there are two main reasons - diseases or side effects of foods, vitamins or drugs. Check your child's diet or consult a doctor immediately, as diseases in childhood progress much faster and, due to untimely treatment, will remind of themselves all his life.

As you can see, black shit has a dual character. On the one hand, such changes in color speak of quite serious things, and on the other hand, of the harmless consequences of the food eaten. In any case, pay attention to the color of your feces, as well as other changes that occur in your body. In addition to the color of the stool, do not forget to check other criteria such as shape, size and smell. The site about poop is live, we wish you a strong brown stool and with relief!

Sometimes it happens that the feces can turn black. Noticing such changes, many begin to worry, which can be quite justified. This coloration of feces occurs with a number of serious diseases, but some drugs that a person takes can also be the cause. In this article, you will learn why feces can sometimes be black.

What color of stool is normal?

Each person's stool color can be different at different times. The color of feces in an adult can be from yellowish brown to dark brown. The color of the stool depends on what a person has eaten in the previous few days, on the amount of bile in the stool, if the outflow of bile is disturbed, the stool will be light.

Sometimes the stool may appear black, but it will actually be dark brown. To determine whether the stool is black or dark brown, you can conduct a simple test at home.

On a sheet of white paper, apply a little feces and spread the feces in a very thin layer over the paper. Thus, the color will appear more accurately.

If a person has found black feces in himself, then it is important for him to know the probable causes of this phenomenon. Consider the main etiological factors:

Eating foods that can turn stool black in the last 3 days

As a result of digestion of prunes, large amounts of beets or red grapes, the stool may darken or even turn black. If you suspect that this is what caused the appearance of such a color of the stool, you should exclude these products from the diet for 4-5 days and during this time observe the color of the stool. If 3 days after you have consumed these products, the feces remain black, then you should look for another reason for this.

Taking certain medications.

A number of drugs can cause stool to turn black. These include iron preparations for anemia (Sorbifer, Ferrum Lek, Aktiferrin, Maltofer and others). Activated black carbon and bismuth preparations (De-nol, Bismofalk) also have a similar effect. The appearance of dark or black stool is not a contraindication to continuing to take the drugs. All changes in the treatment regimen should be carried out by a doctor; unauthorized withdrawal of drugs is fraught with serious consequences.

If you are taking bismuth preparations for the treatment of peptic ulcer, it is necessary to differentiate two etiological factors - taking these drugs or bleeding from an ulcer.

Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract

When bleeding from the esophagus (bleeding from varicose veins of the esophagus, injury of the esophagus, Mallory-Weiss syndrome) or stomach (gastric ulcer, stomach cancer), the stool turns black, it is also called melena. In this case, as a rule, there are other symptoms, for example, pain in the epigastric region, weakness, nausea, vomiting. The vomit has the appearance and color of coffee grounds. But with a little bleeding, the first and only symptom may be the appearance of black stools.

Taking antiplatelet agents (aspirin, cardiomagnyl) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, diclofenac and their analogues) can provoke bleeding in patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers. Although the drugs themselves do not stain the stool black, they can cause bleeding!

What can help in differentiating the likely causes of dark colored stools?

General well-being - if the cause is bleeding, then the appearance of symptoms caused by blood loss is more likely - weakness, pallor of the skin, sticky sweat, epigastric pain. If the cause of such coloring of feces was food or medication, then the general state of health, as a rule, remains normal. The duration of this symptom - if the reason is the intake of certain foods, then the stool takes on the usual color after the “coloring” foods have been excluded after 1-2 days. With bleeding and prolonged use of "coloring" drugs, the stool may be black for a long time. If the reason was in taking drugs, then the usual color of the stool appears after they are canceled, which is done by the doctor at the end of the course of treatment.

What can be accompanied by the appearance of black stools in adults? What can be the features?

Black stool in children

If a child has black feces, then this can be very worrying for parents. In a child of the first days of life, meconium is excreted - feces that have been accumulated during fetal development. It may be dark in color, almost black. After 2-3 days, it is replaced by feces of a normal color. Depending on what type of food the newborn is on, it can be from light yellow to dark mustard liquid consistency.

In slightly older children, feces can become dark with artificial feeding, the use of cow's milk (which is not acceptable until 2 years of age) or preparations containing cow's milk protein (colibacterin).

But in these cases, the feces are usually not black, but dark brown, at first glance, it may appear black. For differentiation, the test mentioned above should be carried out.

If the child is restless, cries, has a poor appetite and has black stools, then you should consult a doctor! Even in young children, gastrointestinal bleeding is possible. Especially often they can be in children who consume cow's or goat's milk.

The degree of bleeding from the resulting damage to the intestinal mucosa can be from minor, but eventually leading to iron deficiency anemia, to severe.

In what cases is it necessary to consult a doctor if black stool is detected?

Black stools are accompanied by vomiting and/or fever. The presence of peptic ulcer of the stomach and (or) duodenum in history. Blood tests revealed iron deficiency anemia. The presence of cirrhosis of the liver and (or) hepatitis. There has recently been severe vomiting, especially if it was caused by the intake of alcoholic beverages (probable Mallory-Weiss syndrome). A history of bowel or stomach cancer in the person himself or his relatives. If this is a child, and he has become restless, whiny, refuses to eat or is too lethargic.

Deciphering online tests - urine, blood, general and biochemical. What do bacteria and inclusions mean in a urinalysis? How to understand the analysis of a child? Features of an MRI analysis Special tests, ECG and ultrasound Pregnancy rates and deviation values ​​.. Explanation of analyzes

Why is feces black?

They ensure the normal functioning of the human gastrointestinal tract, metabolic processes occurring every second in the body - the breakdown of nutrients and the removal of their residues from the body through urine and feces.

Some substances have the ability to dissolve in a liquid and color it in different colors, coming out unchanged.

If they are water soluble, they are excreted in urine, staining it in various colors. If the substance is fat-soluble, it is excreted in the faeces, staining them in the appropriate color, including black feces.

A person's stool (feces) is the end result of the processing of useful substances that enter the body with food. Its color, composition, texture and smell are the actual indicators of the state of health. Such signs were taken into account by the ancient Aesculapius.

Other names for pathology are "melena" and "chernukha"

What symptoms of the appearance of black feces should alert?

Black stool in adults and children

Signs of the manifestation of black feces in an adult require special attention. This color of feces may be due to the reaction of complex chromoprotein proteins and red blood cells with gastric juice (hydrochloric acid).

Therefore, the appearance of melena should be regarded as a distress signal of the body, indicating problems in the gastrointestinal tract.

The smell of feces is also of great importance, it can tell a lot:

Putrid amber indicates problems in gastric digestion - abnormal breakdown of proteins (putrefactive dyspepsia) or chronic inflammation of the large intestine (ulcerative colitis). The rancid smell of oil indicates digestive problems - a lack of bile in the intestines or pancreatic secretion. The pronounced sour smell of feces indicates the presence of one of the forms of dyspepsia.

Therefore, when melena appears, the reason for such a transformation should be clarified. It is possible that they will be completely harmless, due to the use of pigment-containing products or provocative medications.

In addition, the reason for the black color of feces is often due to a variety of chronic pathologies, the symptoms of which are manifested by a change in the color of feces.

The main factor in determining a particular cause is the well-being of a person.

If the presence of a pathology does not cause concern and the state of health is normal, in most cases these are traces of a reaction to food, or the intake of provocative medications.

If the darkening of the feces is accompanied by:

stomach pains; heartburn and hyperthermia; signs of intoxication (vomiting or nausea); diarrhea or constipation (constipation); flatulence and anemia.

You can safely suspect ulcerative pathology of the initial section of the jejunum and stomach, the development of hepatitis or cirrhosis.

When is the cause of black feces disease?

If melena appeared suddenly, the cause should be sought in the gastrointestinal tract. In many diseases, black feces are the main symptom of the disease.

The reason for this coloration may be:

ulcerative intestinal pathologies; tumor processes in the stomach; varicose vascular lesions and inflammation of the esophageal membrane; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; dystrophic-inflammatory processes in the gastric mucosa; inflammatory lesions of the large and small intestines; deep mycoses and helminthiases; black feces and pain in the epigastric region indicate a stomach ulcer.

Contribute to the manifestation of the disease internal bleeding. Under the action of the reaction of gastric secretion and hemoglobin, red cells are converted into dark pigments - hematins.

The intensive transformation of feces into a glossy dark color contributes to the decay of malignant tumors in the intestinal lumen, causing internal bleeding.

Effects of diet and medication on dark stools

A change in the color of feces is not always an indicator of disease. When eating foods high in iron, black stools are common and do not cause any health problems.

Such symptoms are manifested by the excessive consumption of dishes made from beet or blood (blood sausage), red grapes and red wines.

Black dots in the feces can appear with partial digestion of various stone fruits (kiwi, raspberries, currants, etc.).

Staining of feces is also caused by some medicines:

Iron-containing drugs prescribed for hematological syndrome (development of anemia); Vitamin complexes and bismuth containing drugs. Enterosorbents. Long-term use of painkillers based on salicylate. Prolonged action on the circulatory system causes the development of internal bleeding - a possible cause of black feces with blood. Taking antibiotics. In the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies, antibiotics can provoke the formation of black-green feces. This is facilitated by a large accumulation of dead white blood cells in the foci of inflammation.

Black colored diarrhea (diarrhea)

black diarrhea photo

Such diarrhea can be provoked by a variety of reasons, both foods and drugs. Only the liquid consistency of feces is due to the failure of the gastrointestinal tract to quickly remove harmful provoking substances from the body.

The appearance of liquid blackened feces is a response of the body. Sometimes, this is facilitated by a sharp change in the usual diet or prolonged poisoning of the body with fusel oils of low-quality alcoholic beverages. All this can be quickly corrected independently at home.

But very often, suddenly blackened liquid feces can appear as a clinical symptom of intracavitary bleeding, due to:

ulcerative erosions and varicose lesions of blood vessels at the location of the pathology; intestinal diseases and tumor processes in it; pathologies of the biliary tract; polyposis formations; damage to the polyp of the rectum or other parts of the intestine; viral and bacterial infections that change the color of feces to black-green feces.

The appearance of liquid black feces is a sure sign of exacerbation, in the presence of diseases: ulcers, hepatitis, cancer or open internal bleeding after surgery of the stomach or intestines.

In this case, diarrhea is accompanied by:

scarlet or dark vomiting: pallor and dizziness; hypotension and development of anemia; intense paroxysmal pain in the abdomen; rotten belching - evidence of the progression of the process.

If this condition lasts more than two days, you should not hesitate, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Black feces in pregnant women

The manifestation of black feces in pregnant women is a common occurrence. This is facilitated by the intake of various vitamin complexes enriched with iron, which are often attributed to pregnant women to maintain the body.

In addition, the addiction of women during this period to vegetables, fruits and berries containing iron is a well-known fact. There is no harm from this, the state of health does not worsen and you should not worry.

Women who have a history of diseases associated with chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract should be wary. Then, the staining of feces in dark colors may be the result of inflammation of the gastric mucosa or its ulcerative lesions.

It is impossible not to notice this, since the state of health deteriorates sharply, vomiting and stool disorder appear. It is urgent to seek medical help.

Melena in children

Melena in children

Newborn children are exposed to true and false forms of the disease.

In the first case, black feces in a child is manifested due to hemostasis (poor blood clotting), accompanied by bleeding from the umbilical cord, subcutaneous hemorrhage, into the conjunctiva, etc.

In the second case, changes in feces are preceded by swallowing blood during childbirth, sucking on cracked nipples, or damage to the nasal or oral mucosa.

In older children, a pathological change in stool to a dark color is the main symptom of bleeding from incomplete fusion of the Mikkel diverticulum. The output of blood can be massive, provoking a sharp development of anemia.

Bleeding can be caused by:

the presence of a diaphragmatic hernia in a child; damage to the veins of the esophagus by varicose veins; infectious-allergic vascular pathologies; gastritis and intestinal and gastric ulcers.

The child must be urgently hospitalized. Until the causes of bleeding are clarified, he should not eat anything. Only short sips of cold water are allowed.

What to do with dark stool and when to go to the doctor?

What you should not do is self-diagnose the disease and self-medicate.

If black feces does not affect your general well-being in any way, observe for a couple of days how the situation will change if provocative factors are excluded. Otherwise, you should seek qualified help.

Immediate consultation is necessary if there is a history of:

irreversible processes in the liver (cirrhosis); diffuse pathologies of the liver (hepatitis); iron deficiency anemia; ulcerative pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract; malignant neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract.

If the symptoms are accompanied by vomiting and hyperthermia, lethargy, weakness and indifference to food. Timely identification of the cause can protect against the development of oncological processes in the intestine.

Why are poop brown?

The color of feces is determined by the complex processes of digestion of food. All organs of the gastrointestinal tract participate in them, plus it must be remembered that the intestines are inhabited by a mass of beneficial microbes.

The color of feces is normally dark brown, primarily due to the content of the substance stercobilin (or hydrobilirubin), which is formed in the intestine as a product of the reduction of the bile pigment bilirubin. The yellow color of feces in infants is due to the content of bilirubin in unchanged form. The color of the stool changes depending on the type of food taken, on drugs, on the painful condition of the digestive organs.

Nutrients also affect the color, with a predominance of meat food, the feces sometimes even acquire a black-brown color, and when milk is used, it becomes lighter, yellowish, with plant foods it becomes lighter, light brown ..

The color of our feces depends on many factors. First of all, this is the work of our liver and bile enzyme with you, then it is intestinal peristalsis, then it is undoubtedly the general health of a person and, of course, the food that we eat. A very important role in the color of feces is played by the work of the liver and bile enzyme (bile), if everything is in order with this, then the color will always be brown, but the color can change if you eat beets or drink a few tablets of activated charcoal. But if the intestinal function (disease) is disrupted, gastritis, colitis, enterocolitis, and so on, when blood clots enter the feces, the feces become black. If you have jaundice (Botkin's disease), your stool becomes very light in color.

During normal liver function, poop should have a brown color, poop gets this color due to bile. If the poop turns white or black, it indicates problems with the liver. If you want to diversify the color of poop without harming your health, eat more beets.

According to Malysheva, brown poop is the coolest color for a healthy person, since the bile spilled into the intestines and turned brown all the way. If the poop had a different color, not brown, then a person needs to be examined by a doctor, because the color of the poop, which is different from brown, indicates some disease, primarily liver disease ...

In a healthy person, the color of poop is determined by the normal functioning of the liver and gallbladder. Bile, in which bilirubin, mixing in the intestine with its contents, changes its color to brown. If a person has a liver disease - hepatitis, then bilirubin enters the bloodstream, is excreted in the urine, while it becomes dark and stains the whites of the eyes and skin yellow.

But the color of feces also depends on the diet. If there is a lot of dairy products, the stool becomes lighter, up to almost white in young children who drink breast milk. If a person eats a lot of greens - spinach, celery, then the stool becomes greenish, and if there is a lot of beetroot, then almost black.

If you watch the clip, you don't have to answer this question. The poop is brown because of the work of the gallbladder, or rather because of the enzymes it secretes. And pray to god your poop doesn't turn white

She really told the truth. Normal stools are brown. This is due to the fact that in the process of digestion, food is mixed with bile. It is the bile pigment stercobilin that gives the stool its characteristic brown color.

But the color of feces can change depending on the food or medicines consumed. For example, a light yellow color is observed with a milk diet, a reddish color with beets, etc.

A change in the color of feces can also be observed in diseases, for example, with viral hepatitis.

Poop isn't always brown, by the way. It depends on the food we eat. Eat beets and look at their color) Also, with liver problems, and usually with jaundice, the stool becomes discolored and the urine becomes darker.

Why are poop brown?

The brown color of the feces is due to stercobelin, a derivative of bilirubin, which is found in bile. When eating, bile is released from the gallbladder, which turns the stool yellow-brown. Then, passing through the gastrointestinal tract, part of the bilirubin is absorbed into the blood, part in the form of urobilinogen is excreted by the kidneys, staining the urine yellow, and part remains in the intestine in the form of stercobelinogen, coloring the feces brown, which turns into stercobelin in the light .. .

A lot of factors affect the color of stools, and bile and the work of the gallbladder do not always determine their color. Color can vary greatly depending on the food that we eat mainly. In the same way that, by the way, the color of urine changes from food and drinks consumed, so the shades of color of feces can be determined by the foods eaten. Of course, we all have approximately the same basic diet - bread, potatoes, meat, a couple of varieties of vegetables, and so on - this makes both mine and your feces similar in color, with different brownish tints. But as soon as you, for example, eat a certain amount of strongly products, then the brown color will immediately become irrelevant. Try eating some fresh beetroot, or drinking a couple of glasses of beetroot juice - the difference will immediately become visible, this will be reflected in the color of the bowel movements. Also, in a child who still drinks a lot of milk, the feces will be light brown, or even yellow, which does not at all indicate the presence of health problems, with a gallbladder and so on. In people who mostly eat plant foods, stools are also very different from ordinary ones, both in color and composition. So, of course, it is impossible to generalize in any case. But in any case, it is worth watching if there are serious deviations from the normal (in our case) color. It is especially worth paying attention to black color, as this may be a signal that there are more serious digestive problems, or even internal bleeding.

This is such an important topic - it’s impossible to stop - I would write and write 🙂

From the stomach, food masses enter the duodenum, where they are mixed with bile produced by the liver and digestive enzymes of the pancreas. In the process of digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, a suspension is formed, which moves through the small intestine. In the small intestine, the absorption of nutrients into the blood occurs, and the remaining liquid wastes enter the large intestine. In the large intestine, the remnants of water are absorbed and feces are formed, which are excreted into the environment through the distal part of the digestive tract - the rectum.

A normal stool consists of water, animal food residues, undigested plant fibers, bacteria (up to 1/3 of the dry mass of feces), bile, dead cells of the mucous membrane lining the digestive tract. The composition, consistency, quantity and color of feces depend on many factors and are one of the indicators of the health of the body in general and the gastrointestinal tract in particular.

normal stool color

Usually the stool is brown in color and significant changes in color can be a health concern. The color of feces is determined by the presence of bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) and other bile pigments. Changes in the amount of bilirubin in the bile can change the color of the stool from light yellow to dark brown.

In most cases, discoloration of feces is associated with dietary characteristics and is not a symptom of certain health problems. However, in some cases, for example, if the color of the stool has changed radically, and these changes persist for a long time, this can be an important diagnostic sign of dangerous diseases and serious life-threatening conditions.

When should a color change alert?

A cause for concern should be those cases when a change in the color of the stool is accompanied by other symptoms:

• Green and foul-smelling stools accompanied by diarrhea, abdominal pain, high fever, nausea, and vomiting are possible symptoms of some infectious diseases, such as salmonellosis.
• Discolored feces are accompanied by pain in the abdomen, back, yellowness of the sclera and skin, darkening of the urine - signs of problems with the liver and biliary tract.
• Staining feces black is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, weakness, pallor of the skin, increased heart rate, cold sweat - symptoms of bleeding in the stomach or duodenum.
• Red feces accompanied by pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting - may be signs of intestinal bleeding.

Green stool is a sign of what?

As already mentioned, the brown color of feces is due to the presence of bilirubin in it. Bilirubin enters the lumen of the duodenum with bile, the shade of which, depending on the concentration of this substance, can vary from greenish-yellow to dark brown. Passing through the intestines, the chemical composition of bile changes and it darkens. If the movement of feces through the intestinal lumen becomes too fast, then the bile retains its original color and the stool becomes green. This can be with diarrhea caused by food poisoning, salmonellosis, rotavirus infection, giardiasis, Crohn's disease, autoimmune and endocrine diseases.

Green stools can be caused by eating a lot of green vegetables.

Green feces in an adult may be due to intestinal dysbacteriosis. In this case, a detailed scatological examination for dysbiosis will help establish the diagnosis.

Green stools, accompanied by cutting pains in the abdomen, diarrhea, an admixture of mucus and pus in the stool are signs of acute infectious enterocolitis. Treatment in this case is prescribed by an infectious disease doctor based on the results of bacteriological examination of feces and the establishment of the sensitivity of pathogenic microflora to one or another group of antibacterial drugs. In addition to antibacterial treatment, enterocolitis requires replenishment of fluid losses, up to parenteral administration of electrolyte solutions.

Green feces can also have a completely normal explanation, not related to the disease, for example, after eating a large amount of green leafy vegetables (especially spinach), foods with appropriate food coloring, some dietary supplements. Sometimes a change in color is provoked by taking iron preparations, but most often the stool in this case does not turn green, but turns black.

Green feces in children can be caused by the same diseases as in adults. In newborns in the first days of life, green stools are a variant of the norm, called meconium.

What does the black stool mean?

Feces can become black in a perfectly healthy person in the following cases:

• When eating blueberries, prunes, pomegranates, black currants, bird cherry, red wine, red beets.
• After eating dishes and products based on blood or containing it, for example, meat with blood, black pudding, etc.
• While taking iron preparations for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, bismuth preparations, multivitamins, activated charcoal.

In these cases, the help of doctors is not required, and the color of the stool returns to normal within a few days after changing the menu and stopping treatment.

Black feces - a symptom of dangerous bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract

The sudden and inexplicable appearance of black stools (melena) is one of the formidable symptoms of internal bleeding into the cavity of the stomach or duodenum. The black color is due to the interaction of blood hemoglobin with hydrochloric acid of gastric juice, resulting in the formation of black hemin. can be caused by peptic ulcer, tumor, trauma, blood clotting disorders, varicose veins of the esophagus in liver diseases, infectious process and other reasons.

If the appearance of melena is accompanied by weakness, cold sweat, increased breathing and pulse, pale skin, then you should immediately call an ambulance, since massive blood loss poses a serious threat to life.

Feces can turn black when blood is swallowed during severe nosebleeds, after a tooth extraction, or after an oral injury.

Black feces during pregnancy can be the result of all of the above conditions, but most often it is caused by a woman taking multivitamins and iron-containing preparations.

Red stool - is there a reason to worry?

Red stool appears when bleeding into the intestinal cavity

There is no reason to worry if the day before you ate beetroot dishes or consumed drinks and confectionery products colored with red food dyes.

Among pathological conditions, the most common cause of red stool is bleeding from hemorrhoids. More dangerous causes of bleeding into the intestinal cavity and redness of feces are Crohn's disease, nonspecific, intestinal diverticulosis, malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformations.

Heavy bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract can also lead to red-colored stools. In this case, hemoglobin does not have time to react with hydrochloric acid, so the blood in the feces does not turn black, but remains red.

Is it dangerous when the stool is white?

White stool is one of the characteristic symptoms of diseases of the liver and biliary tract. The discoloration of the stool is due to the absence of bilirubin in it, which ceases to flow with bile as a result of impaired liver function or obstruction of the biliary tract. But it becomes very much in the blood, and this can be seen with the naked eye, because it stains the skin and eyes yellow - this condition is called jaundice. In addition, bilirubin begins to be intensively excreted by the kidneys, as a result, the urine becomes dark, as doctors say, the color of beer. Undoubtedly, this is a dangerous condition that requires immediate specialist intervention and proper treatment.

Yellow or white feces - a sign of diseases of the liver and pancreas

Light and loose stools with an unpleasant odor are a sign of a dysfunction of the pancreas. The lack or absence of a number of enzymes makes it impossible to digest fats, as a result of which the feces become light. Lightening of feces after ingestion of fatty foods may indicate chronic, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, compression of the biliary tract or blockage in cholelithiasis. The consequences of these diseases are very serious, so you should not delay visiting a doctor.

White feces can also appear normally, for example, with errors in nutrition, in particular, with the abuse of fatty foods: lard, butter, fatty sour cream, etc.

Another variant of the norm is discoloration of feces while taking certain medications: antibiotics, antifungal agents, gout medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives. A few days after the end of the course of treatment with such means, the color of the feces returns to normal. To avoid unnecessary worries, before taking medications, you should carefully read the instructions for the drug, especially the section on side effects and overdose symptoms.

What if the stool turns yellow?

Yellow stools are one of the options for light stools, so the reasons for its appearance can be the same: biliary tract, pancreatic diseases, conditions accompanied by blockage or compression of the bile ducts, excessive consumption of fatty foods, treatment with certain drugs.

What to do if the color of the stool changes?

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Before the invention of modern plumbing, people often sat on wooden seats during bowel movements. In the 16th century, the word "chair" became synonymous with the word "excrement". It is interesting to note that today the term "stool" in modern medicine is used more often than the names "excrement" or "faeces". Bile is a yellow-green liquid that is involved in the process of digestion, produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It helps break down fat and remove waste products from the body. Usually bile, moving through the intestines, mixes with bacteria and turns brown, which is why normal healthy feces are brown.

What if your chair is a different color? What does it mean? Consider some of the symptoms of diseases by the color of feces.

Causes of green stool

Many of us dream of living on a green planet, but green feces ... In fact, there is nothing wrong with it if you eat a lot of green vegetables rich in chlorophyll (the green pigment of plants). Or you gorged yourself on lime green jelly and green muffins and bagels on St. Patrick's Day.

Green stools are also common in people taking iron supplements and certain types of antibiotics. The green color of feces may appear as a reaction to an overdose of laxatives and other substances that cause diarrhea. But if you yourself look a little greenish, your green stools may be a sign of a gastroenterological infection or another cause that provokes diarrhea.

Causes of orange stool

Finding that the feces suddenly acquired an orange color, you can lose peace - you will probably worry if there is blood in the feces. But such a change may only indicate that you have recently been eating a lot of foods containing betacarotene, an important antioxidant that is abundant in orange-colored fruits - in carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, apricots and pumpkins. The same effect appears if you take vitamin A as a dietary supplement or eat foods that are red and orange. The cause of orange stool is a common reaction to the drug rifampin, which used to be used to treat certain types of bacterial infection, especially tuberculosis.

Causes of red stool

Everyone has seen red. But the admixture of blood in excrement can seriously alert. Fortunately, in many cases, anxiety is in vain. Although what you see is really blood and its appearance can be a sign of various pathologies, it is likely that in this case there is nothing to worry about, you just ate or drank a large amount of something red. Beets, tomato juice, red gelatin, and fruit punch are often the cause of stool discoloration.

On the other hand, if you see bright red streaks on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl, this is called bloody stools in medical parlance and can be a sign of hemorrhoids or anal fissures, as well as other rectal and anal injuries. These injuries could appear after the birth of a child, with constipation, during sexual intercourse, or due to the presence of some objects in the rectum.

Because irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) have similar names, they are often confused. IBS is more common, with abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, or constipation among its hallmarks. IB is rarer and more serious. disease and is often associated with two chronic conditions, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. VC causes severe cramping, diarrhea, and bloody stools.

In addition to the fact that hemorrhoids or a fissure can be the cause of blood in the stool, this phenomenon often accompanies serious problems in the digestive tract. If your feces are bright red, then the pathology is most likely somewhere in the lower intestines, especially in the large intestine. It could be diverticulitis, a condition in which small areas of the rectum become inflamed or infected. This causes pain, usually in the lower left side of the abdomen. If the stool is dark red, then most likely there is a violation somewhere in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, including in the esophagus, stomach and small intestine.

Causes of black stool

Black stool may seem even more sinister than red stool. But in fact - a harmless consequence of the use of food supplements containing iron, activated charcoal (to get rid of increased gas formation), pepto-bismol and other drugs containing bismuth. Black licorice (natural) and blueberries also stain feces black.

But if the feces are black and tarry - in medical language this phenomenon is called melena - then this is a sign of the presence of blood. When blood descends through the gastrointestinal tract (usually from the esophagus or stomach) to the lower section (through the intestines, to the rectum), it becomes dark and thick.

If the following symptoms recur, they may be signs of colon cancer or other serious problems:

1. Change in bowel habits
2. The presence of blood in the stool
3. Very dark stool
4. Shape change - feces are thin, like a pencil
5. Diarrhea or constipation
6. Feeling that the bowels are not emptying completely
7. Unexplained weight loss
8. Constant fatigue
9. Nausea

Black, tarry stool is a common symptom of a perforated stomach or duodenal ulcer (part of the small intestine). And also - alcohol abuse or chronic use of certain types of drugs and drugs that cause stomach bleeding. Among them are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as acetaminophen. Melena can be a signal of gastritis, inflammation of the inner walls of the stomach, or a tumor somewhere in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Why is stool white

What is light-colored stool compared to black or red, you might think - and you might be right! White, yellow, even gray stools often only mean that you have eaten a lot of light-colored foods - rice, potatoes or tapioca. People who have had a barium x-ray also notice that their stool will be white for the next few days. Antacids, calcium supplements, and some antidiarrheal medications have the same effect.

On the other hand, if the feces are constantly white - acholic, then the bile does not reach the intestines. And this may be a sign of a tumor of the bile ducts or pancreatitis. Acholic stool indicates various serious diseases associated with the closure of the bile ducts - hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer. Another sign of a blocked bile duct can be dark yellow or brown urine, yellow eyes, skin, itching, and occasional pain.

Gas stools

Has it ever happened to you - you try again and again to flush the excrement floating in the toilet, but they stay there? Usually everything that needs to sink immediately sinks, but sometimes for some reason it remains on the surface. It was believed that the high fat content was to blame. But in fact, the reason is in the gases. If your diet contains foods that increase gas formation, then there is nothing to worry about, at least if no one wants to use the toilet immediately after you.

On the other hand, if increased gas formation is caused by dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, then celiac disease, or sprue, can be the cause of floating poop, a disorder in which the human body does not perceive gluten, which is mainly found in wheat. Floating feces also form in inflammatory bowel disease and irritation. People with these problems also often suffer from diarrhea.

Fatty, fetid feces - causes

If you notice that the feces have a particularly unpleasant odor, a greasy look, then this is a classic example of steatorrhea - bowel movements that contain an abnormally high percentage of fat. This may be a sign of intestinal inflammation, or it could mean that you are eating too much fatty foods or your body is unable to digest fat. Recurrent steatorrhea is often a sign of malabsorption syndrome, a condition in which fat and other nutrients cannot be absorbed normally through the gastrointestinal tract.

Because excess fat in feces can result from clogged bile ducts, steatorrhea is sometimes a sign of the same disorders that make stools too light: gallbladder, liver, pancreas, or cancer. These are the main causes of fatty stools.

Mucus feces - causes

If the bowel movements are covered with mucus or something similar to pus, then this is most likely a sign of a food allergy. But just as in the case of excess fat in the feces, it can be an inflammation of the intestines.

Why there is little feces: scanty stools

If you notice that fecal stools began to resemble narrow strips, then this is not a very good sign. Perhaps the reason here is inflammation of the intestine, or irritable bowel syndrome, or partial obstruction of the colon - due to adhesions, polyps, tumors or cancer. Yes, too thin feces can be an early sign of colon cancer.

What do you think, what can determine the color of feces? It is quite possible that you will have a question, but are poops colored? They seem to have only one color - brown. But is it really so? And here it is not. Your feces can change their color, and the palette is quite wide from green to red. And with what it can be connected? Perhaps you ate something the day before? Maybe you are right. Or maybe your body wants to tell you something by changing the color of the poop? Let's go with this and try to figure out what the color change of feces means and what it is connected with.

What color is a normal poop?

Healthy stools should be brown or golden brown. Stercobilin gives brown color to our feces, it is he who is the coloring pigment of poop.

In simple words, stercobelin is a bile pigment, which is obtained as a result of heme metabolism. And heme, in turn, is a group of proteins, during the breakdown of which bilirubin is formed in cells. Then, in the liver, intestines and kidneys, bilirubin is further decomposed into simpler components, some of which are stercobilin and urobilin. These components are found in feces and urine, respectively, and give them their color.

Since several organs are involved in the process of forming the color of feces at once - these are the gallbladder, pancreas and liver, a clear change in the shade of poop may indicate a malfunction in one of these organs.

But at the same time, it is worth noting that food products can also affect the color of feces. If the color of the stool suddenly turned red, then this can shock you. At the same time, this does not mean that you have problems in the body. The reason for the sharp changes in color can be foods such as beets or tomatoes. Also, if your diet is dominated by vegetables such as spinach, parsley, green beans and some others that contain chlorophyll, the color of the poop may take on a greenish tint.

If the deviation of the color of feces from the norm is an isolated case and this may be due to food, then there is no reason for concern. But if your shit has changed color, the smell has become sharper and more unpleasant, and this continues for some time, and you also began to notice other changes in your body, then in such a situation it is better to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible. Do not guess and self-medicate, it will not lead to anything good.

What other colors of feces can be?

Brown, reddish and greenish is not the whole color palette that your shit can take on. Therefore, it's time to learn about the other shades, and also figure out what secrets this or that color of feces holds.

black feces

A change in the color of poop to black may indicate several scenarios at once. Such changes can be caused by the use of foods rich in iron, as well as activated charcoal. Blueberries, olives, beets, black grapes, red wine - all of these foods can turn your feces black. It is worth noting that black poop does not have a fetid odor.

There is a second option - this is bleeding of the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. As a result of the digestion of blood, feces become black in color, all this is accompanied by a fetid and nauseating odor.

The third option for the appearance of black stools is constipation. The turd takes on this color due to a longer stay in the intestines.

Gray stool

Gray stools can be caused by the predominance of light-colored cereals, rice or potatoes in your diet. But at the same time, this indicates a lack of coloring pigment. Its deficiency indicates insufficient flow of bile into the intestines, which indicates problems with the gallbladder or liver. One of the signs of blocked bile flow is a change in the color of urine to dark yellow or brown, as well as yellowing of the eyes, skin, itching and occasional pain.

Causes of green stool

The reason for the change in the color of the poop to green can be quite a few factors. As mentioned above, one of the reasons may be the consumption of a large number of vegetables containing a lot of chlorophyll - a green pigment. At the same time, various kinds of problems in your body can provoke such a color. If this is caused by any diseases, then in this case, the poop acquires not only a strange color, but also an unpleasant smell. Of course, all poop smells bad, but you will feel a clear deviation of the smell.

Now consider the main reasons why green feces can occur:

• If the change in the color of the shit is accompanied by a putrid odor, then it is quite possible that this may be a sign of damage to the small intestine, including dysbacteriosis.
• If there is mucus and pus in your stool, then a change in the color of the poop to green could provoke dead white blood cells, which are a sign of acute inflammation of the intestine.
• The presence of bleeding in the distal intestine can cause green stool.
• A peptic ulcer or its complication can manifest itself in a change in the color of feces, as a rule, this is accompanied by signs of anemia.
• If the stools have changed color, and also contain streaks of blood, then this is one of the clearest examples of signs of dysentery and intestinal infections. In some cases, there may be pus and mucus.
• Liver problems can also cause green shit. In this case, feces stain biliverdin, a precursor of bilirubin. This is caused by the massive breakdown of red blood cells in the liver. Due to the large amount of these substances, they do not have time to go through a complete metabolic process before the final breakdown into simpler components such as stercobilin and stain the feces.
• Green stool can also cause antibiotics.

Orange colored stool

The change in the color of poop to orange primarily indicates the use of large quantities of foods that are rich in beta-carotene. The main ones are sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, apricots, mangoes and many others. Drugs based on rifampicin can also provoke an orange color.

yellow poop

If your stool has turned yellow, then this indicates the presence of fat in it. This can be caused by pancreatic disease and insufficient absorption and breakdown of fats. A change in the color of feces to yellow is accompanied by a strong and unpleasant odor.

Red color of feces

One of the main signs of red feces is the presence of bleeding in the lower intestines. If there are streaks of bright red blood in your stool that surrounds it and does not mix with it, then this indicates damage to the anus. This is also confirmed by the presence of blood on the toilet paper. These symptoms cause: hemorrhoids, anal fissures, including a possible malignant tumor in the intestine. If the bleeding is at the level of the large intestine, then the blood acquires a dark shade and mixes with the feces. Polyps, cancer, diverticula, and inflammatory vascular diseases can cause such a reaction.

Now you know that poop can come in many colors and shades. Sometimes this is due to the food consumed or additives that stain the stool. But at the same time, it can be a wake-up call that tells us that something is wrong in the body. The material in this article is presented for informational purposes only, and we recommend that you do not self-medicate and do not diagnose yourself based on data obtained from the Internet. If you notice changes in your body and this is accompanied by a change in the color of feces, we strongly recommend that you consult a doctor. Doctors know better what to do and even they conduct a number of studies to identify the causes of color changes. Our body is a single whole - a system in which all organs are interconnected. And if a symptom may indicate a disease of a particular organ, this does not mean that the problem is in it. Perhaps something else is affecting its unstable operation. In any case, they will identify the true cause and refer you to the right specialist for treatment.

This concludes our broadcast. We wish you good health, a good healthy chair and competent doctors. Relief!

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