If the stool smells rotten. Causes of stool that smells like rotten eggs

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

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

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

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

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

Reasons for reducing the amount of feces:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An increase in the amount of gases in pathology.

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

Difficulty in passing gases.

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

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

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

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

An upset stomach is a sign of problems in the digestive tract. An accompanying odor or change in color of stool, or the presence of other phenomena may indicate serious pathological diseases. When an adult and a child have diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs, this is a signal for immediate treatment.

Causes of diarrhea with rotten egg smell

If there is stool with the smell of rotten eggs, the reasons can be very different. The most common provoking factors for diarrhea with the smell of a rotten egg are intestinal dysbiosis, the appearance of intestinal-type infections, and various inflammations. This can also be caused by insufficient hand hygiene, consumption of stale food, individual intolerance to food or its individual components (food allergy).

In children, diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs also occurs in case of an imbalance in the diet with insufficient consumption of fiber and protein foods.

Important! When a child has diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs, this should be a reason to urgently consult a doctor (especially if a newborn has this condition), it is necessary to quickly determine the cause and prescribe the correct treatment!

By the color and smell of stool, you can diagnose the problem and prevent serious complications.

Rotten egg smell

If diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs appears, it is necessary to look for the problem in disorders of the large intestine; for example, colitis can cause this condition.

Diarrhea in a child is observed with the development of rotavirus pathogenic microorganisms. In adults, similar disorders with a putrid odor can be observed in cases of food poisoning, inflammation of the large and small intestines, and bacterial infections.

Color

An important criterion in determining the disease and the causes of indigestion is what color the stool is:

Yellow stool that smells like rotten eggs indicates food intolerance or extreme stress.
Green color may be a sign of the development of dysbiosis, salmonellosis or dysentery. Also, a greenish tint is a consequence of the introduction of new foods into the diet, especially for children.
White feces are a sign of food oversaturation with carbon and calcium, and can occur with excessive consumption of dairy products.
Stool that smells like rotten eggs is red, almost burgundy, and occurs when inflammatory processes in the intestines begin and malignant tumors appear.
The black tint of feces in an infant or an adult is caused by the presence of E. coli and helminths.

Additional characteristics of stool that smells like rotten eggs

In each specific case of the development of the disease, in addition to smell and color, it is accompanied by the appearance of additional elements in the stool. If the bowel movements include foam and mucus, the reasons for this are inflammation of the colon, which has been progressing for a long time and has become acute.

If the stool smells like rotten eggs and has blood clots, this indicates an acute intestinal infection. In this case, you must definitely consult a doctor.
Mucus is a signal of damage to the intestines by pathogenic bacilli, the development of infection and the presence of an inflammatory process.
White foam in the stool indicates an infection of the colon.

With diarrhea, an adult or child may also experience fever and severe thirst. It is recommended to consult a doctor to determine a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment regimen.

Diagnostics

For the most complete clinical picture and effective therapy, it is necessary to undergo a number of tests:

Fecal analysis.
Ultrasound examination.
Laboratory sampling for dysbacteriosis.
General blood analysis.
Blood tests for hepatitis.

These tests will help determine the disease and the degree of its development in the body in order to prescribe the correct treatment.

Drug treatment

Therapy for children

If a child has diarrhea, it is necessary to use complex treatment, this will quickly and effectively eliminate the problem and symptoms of indigestion.

Initially, agents are prescribed to reduce intoxication, such as Enterosgel or Smecta; the most accessible drug is activated carbon. To restore fluid balance in case of diarrhea in an infant, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended.

Diarrhea washes out a huge amount of minerals from the body of a one-year-old baby or older child; drugs such as Trisol or Regidron are taken to replenish them.

For the most effective treatment of a condition in which stool smells like rotten eggs, it is recommended to limit food intake and adhere to a diet. For children and infants, exclude new complementary foods and foods in the diet, replace water with chamomile decoction.

To cope with diarrhea, you can find many modern remedies in the pharmacy; some of the most popular antidiarrheal drugs are Nifuroxazine, Loperamide, if the child is under 2 years old, then a suspension is used.

When colic and gas occur, use the drug Espumisan; Papaverine or No-Shpa will help relieve pain.

If, after diagnostic measures, an infection is detected in the tests, more complex complex treatment is prescribed. This type of therapy is best done in a hospital setting, and medications should be used under medical supervision to prevent side effects.

Treatment for adults

Therapy for adults is similar to treatment for small patients. The main thing is to identify the cause of diarrhea with the smell of a rotten egg, and based on this, the correct drug treatment is selected.

First aid will be sorbents (Enterosgel, Smecta), antidiarrheal antimicrobial drugs (Levomycetin, Stopdiar, Fthalazol). It is important to take a break of at least two hours between these drugs.

Traditional medicine

To eliminate diarrhea that smells as if it might be rotten, you can use the following effective alternative medicine recipes:

A starchy drink will help normalize stool. For this, 1 tsp. dissolve starch in warm boiled water (250 ml). Take 100 ml drink three times a day.
Rice water will help quickly eliminate diarrhea. Boil rice in water in a ratio of 1:7, drain the water and take 1 tbsp. l. every hour; for infants it is recommended to drink 3-4 drops of rice water every hour. The product has excellent enveloping properties, relieves painful symptoms, and normalizes stool.
Mix fresh blueberries and bird cherry in a ratio of 4:6, add boiled water (500 ml), cook for no more than half an hour, use 1 tbsp of decoction. l. 4 times a day.

Prevention

To prevent diarrhea, you should follow a few simple rules:

Thorough hand hygiene before each meal;
Products must be of high quality, with an active shelf life;
Drink only clean water; dirty water is a source of infections that cause diarrhea.

It is also worth knowing that drinking 1 cup of strong brewed black tea a day can prevent diarrhea.

Diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs in an adult can be caused by various reasons; it is important to know how to treat the problem at home and what first aid measures are necessary for diarrhea.

Testing for intestinal diseases by smelling stool is increasingly being used around the world. British doctors have developed a whole system for identifying intestinal disorders based on the putrid odor of feces.

And there is nothing strange about this - pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms cause food to rot and release certain harmful toxins that contribute to the formation of an unpleasant odor in stool. A similar testing system was created based on a sensor for recognizing odors characteristic of certain ailments.

The sour smell of feces is an alarming symptom. The reason may be hidden not only in digestive disorders. The pathology is influenced by chronic intestinal diseases, the development of life-threatening infections - dysbiosis, impaired transportation of food masses, damage to the pancreas. If the human body cannot adequately ensure the correct process of absorption of vital substances in the intestines, then a chronic illness develops. Poor absorption and very foul-smelling stool may be caused by:

Food allergies;
intestinal infections;
celiac disease;
food intolerance;
Crohn's disease;
inflammation.

With the above disorders, severe diarrhea (and it stinks), nausea, and insufficient absorption of beneficial components from food are observed. Foul stool is a sign of poor absorption and increased gas formation in the intestines. Similar bowel movements with vomiting occur during acute intestinal infections, when the normal bacterial flora of the digestive system is disrupted.

Why does stool have an unpleasant, pungent odor? The consistency and smell of stool is influenced by bacteria and microorganisms present in the intestines. With various violations, bacteria are activated and begin to multiply quickly. The growth of pathogenic microflora increases. As a result, microbes poison the intestines more with their toxins and provoke increased rotting of food. Diarrhea with a sour smell indicates a chronic disorder of the digestive processes and intestinal infection. Nasty and loose stools in an adult can occur due to pancreatic insufficiency.

Important! If the diarrhea has an odor, you should consult a doctor. Smelly diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, flatulence, and fever. All of these conditions can be extremely dangerous.

Normally, a healthy person has bowel movements no more than twice a day. Feces have a soft consistency. Evacuation occurs effortlessly and without pain. The color of the stool is brown, and in infants it is light yellow. The smell of feces is normally unpleasant, but without fermentative or putrefactive tones.

What does feces smell like?

What determines the smell of feces? The answer is obvious - from the food taken the day before. Feces without an unpleasant odor are practically never found - certain foods provoke a corresponding “aroma” of feces. When eating meat, there is a sharp-smelling poop; after eating dairy products or beer, a sour odor may occur. The stench appears when there is illness and the flow of bile into the intestines.

A sour smell occurs if a person has consumed too much sugar, peas, legumes, or fruits. Foods rich in carbohydrates cause fermentation and dyspepsia.
The stench develops with impaired pancreatic function and pancreatitis. Also, the stench occurs when there is hypersecretion of the intestines, if diarrhea occurs.
A putrid smell is a sign of impaired digestion. Appears when proteins are poorly absorbed in the digestive system.
Oily accents in the smell indicate the influence of bacteria and the decomposition of fats.

Treatment

In the process of therapy and correction of digestive disorders, it is necessary to adhere to a certain diet. Overeating, drinking alcohol, fatty meats, fried and spicy foods are extremely harmful to the body. In case of obvious violations, you should consult a doctor. For therapy, medications are prescribed to restore digestion.

If an infection is detected, treatment requires the use of an antibiotic. In case of poisoning, drugs that relieve intoxication are used. If no infection is detected, it is enough to follow a diet and take a vitamin complex.

On a note! Diarrhea in adults is treated with medications that harden the stool. Infection is indicated by strongly foul-smelling stools and frequent bowel movements. In some dangerous situations, hospital treatment may be necessary.

Prevention

To avoid various disorders in bowel movements and digestion, it is important to properly handle foods when preparing food.

Meat must be subjected to strong heat treatment. Do not cook meat and vegetables on the same cutting board. Vegetables may be contaminated with salmonella or other pathogenic flora. Bacterial infection of the intestines must not be allowed.

For various pathologies, obesity, and chronic illnesses, it is important to adjust your own diet. The menu should not contain food that causes fermentation in the intestines or irritates the walls of the stomach. These measures will significantly reduce the risk of complications.

It is necessary to observe not only the diet, but also the drinking regimen. Drinking plenty of water should be done daily. You need to drink a lot, using clean table water, and avoid soda. It is allowed to drink teas, fruit drinks, compotes. It is better to avoid freshly squeezed fresh juices.

Daily exercise and walks in the fresh air help improve health. Physical activity stabilizes the functioning of the digestive system and improves peristalsis of organs. The food entering the body is absorbed much faster.

All of the above measures contribute to the fact that the digestive organs will soon begin to work like a clock. The diet prevents the development of constipation and diarrhea, strengthens the immune system and ensures normal feces and bowel movements.

In healthy people, stool has an unpleasant, not pungent odor, which does not attract much attention and is considered normal stool. Each person has his own characteristic stool odor, changes in which can be noted without much difficulty.

Why does the smell of stool change?

The smell of stool can change in a variety of situations, such as changes in the daily diet, as well as in cases of disturbances in the motor and evacuation functions of the intestines. So, in people suffering from constipation or supporters of vegetarian cuisine, the smell of feces is insignificant and may not even be felt. In cases of predominance of protein foods in the diet and alcohol abuse, the smell intensifies, which cannot go unnoticed.

It is important to correctly understand changes in the odor of feces in various pathologies, which will allow timely diagnosis and proper treatment of the disease.

The most common cause of increased stool odor is disruption of the intestinal microflora, as well as a lack of digestive enzymes. In this case, putrefactive processes occur in the intestines, which is manifested by the characteristic smell of hydrogen sulfide.
When digestion of plant foods rich in fiber is difficult, a pathological condition such as fermentative dyspepsia may occur, in which the sour smell of stool attracts attention.
Insufficient pancreatic function is manifested by a lack of digestive enzymes, up to their complete absence. In this case, processes of putrefactive decay of undigested food are observed in the intestines, as evidenced by the characteristic putrid smell of feces.

The most threatening is the strong, foul odor of feces, which people associate with the rotten smell of carrion. If this smell is detected, you should immediately consult a doctor for a full diagnosis, since this smell of feces most often occurs during the breakdown of malignant neoplasms in the intestines.

Smelly feces

Foul-smelling stool is stool that smells very bad. As a rule, this is associated with the food that the patient eats, but it can also be a sign of illness.

All stools almost always have an unpleasant fecal odor, but foul-smelling stools are those that have a particularly offensive and unbearable odor that is different from normal. This symptom may be associated with certain diseases. Foul stool can also have common causes, such as diet changes.

Causes of smelly stool

Cystic fibrosis (cystic fibrosis);

Short small bowel syndrome.

Diagnosis and treatment

Black or pale stools;

Diet-related changes in stool;

High body temperature;

The attending physician will need to perform a diagnostic examination and may ask the patient the following questions about his medical history:

When the patient first noticed that his stool became foul-smelling;

Is the color of the stool normal or not (pale or clay-colored);

Is it difficult to flush this stool;

What diets has the patient recently used?

Changes in the patient’s diet have worsened or improved the odor of the stool;

What other symptoms does the patient have?

The doctor may take a stool sample. Other tests may also be needed.

Feces (feces) is a formed mass consisting of human waste, undigested particles, enzymes, bile components and various bacteria that live on the epithelial lining of the intestine and take part in the formation of immunity. Normally, feces should have a light brown color, the shape of a dense sausage and a mild characteristic odor. If an adult's stool becomes foul-smelling, in some cases this is due to dietary habits. Correcting the diet should help solve the problem, but if this does not happen, you need to consult a doctor and rule out pathologies of the digestive and excretory systems.

Foul-smelling stool in an adult

What foods can cause a strong odor?

The pungent, putrid odor of feces can sometimes be associated with dietary patterns and rotting processes that some foods provoke. The “champions” among them are vegetables rich in phytoncides - all varieties of onions and garlic. If a person consumes them in increased quantities, the feces may acquire a fetid odor associated with the destruction of pathogenic flora, which may be present in small quantities in the intestinal mucous membranes. An increase in odor can be observed with frequent consumption of cabbage, legumes, and foods with a lot of fat.

Onions and garlic provoke rotting processes in the body

Almost always, a foul odor appears if a person’s diet often contains foods that:

contain a large number of chemical additives (stabilizers, flavor enhancers, flavorings, preservatives);
were stored under unsuitable temperature or sanitary conditions;
contain signs of packaging damage (swollen and dented cans, leaking bags, etc.).

Note! If, simultaneously with the strong smell of feces, the patient develops other symptoms, for example, vomiting, fever or cramping pain in the lower abdomen, the most likely cause is foodborne illness (poisoning).

Signs of food poisoning

The smell of feces has changed: possible reasons

If a person eats right, but the stool has become foul-smelling, the cause may be disturbances in the functioning of the body that arise from internal pathologies or exposure to external factors.

Microflora disturbance

A condition in which the balance of beneficial and opportunistic microorganisms in the intestines is disturbed is called dysbiosis. Opportunistic pathogens are bacteria that are normally present in the human body in small quantities, but are in a latent state and do not cause harm to the body. When unfavorable conditions are created, opportunistic colonies begin to grow rapidly, which leads to intestinal infections, gastroenteritis and infectious intestinal colitis. Beneficial bacteria support normal digestion, take part in the formation of systemic and local immunity and increase the body's resistance to pathogens.

The main symptoms of intestinal dysbiosis in an adult

In almost 70% of cases, intestinal dysbiosis develops against the background of antibacterial or antimicrobial therapy, because drugs in this group destroy not only pathogenic but also beneficial bacteria. Pathology can be recognized by the following symptoms:

changes in the odor and consistency of stool;
flatulence, a feeling of bloating and distension in the intestines;
rumbling in the stomach between meals;
bad breath;
frequent false urge to defecate.

In some cases, against the background of severe dysbacteriosis, a person may develop a skin rash, acne, and pimples. The smell of feces becomes fetid due to the prevailing pathogenic flora and their waste products.

Additional signs of dysbiosis

To treat dysbiosis, a diet containing a large amount of fermented milk products (they contain lactobacilli necessary for the immune system) and plant fiber (cereals, vegetables, fruits) is prescribed. Drug treatment consists of taking bifid drugs (“Bifidumbacterin”, “Narine”, “Normobakt”, “Lactofiltrum”).

Fermented milk bioproduct Narine

Food allergies

Allergies to certain foods can also cause human feces to suddenly develop a strong odor. The most popular food allergens are:

honey and bee products;
cow's milk (allergy is caused mainly by milk proteins - lactoglobulins);
Fish and seafood;
citruses;
chocolate and products with added butter or cocoa beans.

Symptoms of food allergies

Food allergies can manifest themselves in different ways. The most typical skin manifestations are itching, rashes, dryness and flaking. Symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract are also possible: dyspepsia, pain in the abdominal area, diarrhea, flatulence. In clinically severe forms of food allergy, systemic signs of allergy are added: lacrimation, runny nose, sneezing, laryngospasm.

Changes in stool due to food allergies

Allergy treatment is a long process. The initial stage is a comprehensive diagnosis, which includes immunological tests and tests to identify the allergen. Symptomatic therapy is carried out using histamine blockers (Claritin, Suprastin, Tavegil, Loratadine). Full recovery requires cleansing the intestines of waste and toxins, as well as special therapy, which consists of introducing microdoses of the allergen under the skin. This method allows you to develop stable immunity, as a result of which the body ceases to recognize the allergen as a foreign agent.

Enzyme deficiency

Enzymopathy is a pathology in which the production of digestive enzymes necessary for the absorption and breakdown of certain products is partially or completely stopped. It can be congenital or occur as a result of various disorders in the functioning of internal organs. One of the forms of fermentopathy in adults is lactase deficiency - a lack of the enzyme responsible for the absorption of milk sugar. Symptoms of lactase deficiency in patients over 18 years of age may include abdominal pain, foamy or watery stools with a strong, foul odor, and weight loss associated with poor absorption of milk protein.

Enzymopathy in adults

All signs of pathology appear mainly after consuming fermented milk products or products based on whole cow's milk. It should be noted that true lactase deficiency is rarely diagnosed - such patients are forced to adhere to a special diet throughout their lives that excludes dairy products. Temporary lactase deficiency is treated with enzyme preparations (Lactazar, Lactase).

Foul-smelling stool with fever

If the fecal matter has become liquid, it has a sharp putrid odor, and your overall health has worsened; this may be a sign of an intestinal infection. They can be bacterial (salmonellosis, dysentery) or viral (rotavirus and enterovirus infection). The symptoms are the same in almost all cases: first, the patient experiences profuse vomiting containing particles of undigested food, after which the temperature rises (up to 39°-40°), foul-smelling diarrhea occurs, and symptoms of dehydration increase. General signs of intoxication, which include lack of appetite, nausea, drowsiness and weakness, persist with intestinal infections for 3-5 days, after which improvement occurs.

Treatment of any intestinal infections and poisoning is always comprehensive. The basis is detoxification and rehydration therapy. One of the dangers of dehydration is the rapid leaching of potassium and magnesium ions, which can lead to acute heart failure, therefore an important task in the treatment of ACI is the restoration of water and electrolyte balance. For this purpose, the patient is prescribed specialized salt mixtures, for example, “Hydrovit” or “Regidron”. Enterosorbents (Polyphepan, Activated Carbon, Neosmectin) are used to remove bacteria and their toxins.

Powder for preparing Regidron solution

Further treatment is carried out using the following drugs:

antidiarrheals (“Lopedium”, “Diara”, “Loperamide”);
centrally acting drugs to stop vomiting (“Cerucal”);
antimicrobial drugs with a broad spectrum of action (“Nifuroxazide”, “Enterofuril”);
probiotics and prebiotics to populate the intestines with beneficial bacteria and restore the normal balance of microflora (Linex, Bifiform);
antiviral drugs for viral infections (Ergoferon, Arbidol);
antispasmodics to eliminate paroxysmal intestinal spasms (“Drotaverine”, “Spazmol”).

The drug Enterofuril in the form of a suspension

For the entire period of treatment, the patient is prescribed a gentle diet, excluding dairy products, chips and crackers with flavors, fatty, spicy and fried foods.

Note! With properly selected therapy, normalization of stool should occur on the fifth day of treatment.

Signs of gastrointestinal infections

Strong smell of feces due to intestinal diseases

If a person feels well, but periodically notices that the excrement has a foul odor, it is necessary to examine the intestines to rule out diseases. First, you should take a stool test for helminths (including scraping for enterobiasis) and a coprogram. These studies will make it possible to determine the chemical composition of feces, detect signs of an inflammatory process and identify possible disorders in the digestive processes (for example, during inflammatory processes, an increased amount of detritus is detected in the feces).

After receiving the results of laboratory diagnostics, the doctor will make a preliminary diagnosis and prescribe additional examination, if there are indications for this. Secondary diagnostics may include hardware and instrumental methods, for example, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, ultrasound or irrigoscopy. In some cases, a consultation and examination by a proctologist may be required to make an accurate diagnosis.

What does the color of stool mean?

Intestinal inflammation (colitis and enteritis)

The human intestine consists of two sections: the large and small intestine. The small intestine is located immediately after the stomach, and its inflammation is called enteritis. Inflammation of the epithelial lining of the large intestine is called colitis and occurs in every fourth patient with diseases of the digestive system. Foul-smelling feces in an adult are characteristic mainly of chronic colitis, since acute forms of the pathology occur with severe symptoms, and their clinical picture is similar to the symptoms of intestinal infections.

Chronic inflammation of the small or large intestine can occur for several reasons, including food and drug allergies, dietary errors, alcohol abuse, and smoking. Tumors in the intestines can also provoke an inflammatory process, so preventive endoscopic diagnosis is indicated for all people, regardless of their health, at least once a year.

Signs of chronic colitis or enteritis are:

painful intestinal spasms accompanied by bloating and flatulence;
bloating and pressure in the central or lower abdomen;
nausea (rarely vomiting);
unpleasant, pungent odor from excrement;
bowel disorders.

Intestinal condition with colitis

Treatment of both pathologies involves a therapeutic diet (table No. 4 according to Pevzner), physiotherapy, and massage. Drug correction may consist of symptomatic drugs (carminatives based on simethicone, antispasmodics, antidiarrheal or laxative drugs), antibiotics. Patients are also necessarily prescribed medications that accelerate the healing of damaged mucous membranes (Methyluracil tablets).

Methyluracil tablets

Important! If the inflammation occurs as a result of circulatory disorders in the intestinal vessels, the patient is additionally prescribed medications to prevent thrombosis (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants).

Intestinal candidiasis

Fungi of the genus Candida are opportunistic microorganisms, that is, they are normally present in the human microflora, but in small quantities, which does not allow the development of a fungal infection. If the body's protective functions are weakened, Candida begins to actively multiply and secrete toxins that cause acute intoxication and poison the intestines.

Symptoms of intestinal candidiasis

It is almost impossible to detect intestinal candidiasis without laboratory diagnostics, since there are usually no specific symptoms for this disease. The main manifestations of intestinal thrush are associated with changes in bowel movements and the appearance of stool. The patient may be bothered by frequent false urges to have a bowel movement, pain of varying intensity in the lower abdomen, and stool disorders. Feces with candidiasis become foul-smelling, it may contain white particles similar to cottage cheese, as well as a small amount of grayish mucus. Other symptoms of the disease include:

lack of appetite that occurs against the background of moderate nausea (in rare cases, single vomiting is possible as signs of intoxication of the body);
itching in the anal ring during bowel movements;
rumbling in the stomach;
intestinal cramps;
flatulence;
flatulence syndrome (“explosive” release of large amounts of odorous gases).

Development of intestinal candidiasis

Treatment of candidiasis is carried out with the help of antifungal drugs (in oral dosage form). Their list is given in the table below.

Antimycotics for the treatment of intestinal thrush in adults

Sour-smelling feces: causes, treatment, prevention

Causes

The sour smell of feces is an alarming symptom. The reason may be hidden not only in digestive disorders. The pathology is influenced by chronic intestinal diseases, the development of life-threatening infections - dysbiosis, impaired transportation of food masses, and damage to the pancreas. If the human body cannot adequately ensure the correct process of absorption of vital substances in the intestines, then a chronic illness develops. Poor absorption and very foul-smelling stool may be caused by:

Food allergies;
intestinal infections;
celiac disease;
food intolerance;
Crohn's disease;
inflammation.

Important! If the diarrhea has an odor, you should consult a doctor. Smelly diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, flatulence, and fever. All of these conditions can be extremely dangerous.

What does feces smell like?

A sour smell occurs if a person has consumed too much sugar, peas, legumes, or fruits. Foods rich in carbohydrates cause fermentation and dyspepsia.
The stench develops with impaired pancreatic function and pancreatitis. Also, the stench occurs when there is hypersecretion of the intestines, if diarrhea occurs.
A putrid smell is a sign of impaired digestion. Appears when proteins are poorly absorbed in the digestive system.
Oily accents in the smell indicate the influence of bacteria and the decomposition of fats.

Treatment

On a note! Diarrhea in adults is treated with medications that harden the stool. Infection is indicated by strongly foul-smelling stools and frequent bowel movements. In some dangerous situations, hospital treatment may be necessary.

Prevention

To avoid various disorders in bowel movements and digestion, it is important to properly handle foods when preparing food.

Signs of gastrointestinal diseases: when the smell of stool is especially unpleasant

Let's be honest. Even healthy stools always smell not very pleasant. But if you notice that the smell in the toilet is more pungent than usual, this may be a sign that something is wrong in the body.

According to board-certified gastroenterologist Larry Good, the specific odor of toilet discharge after a bowel movement always depends on two factors:

what you eat;
what type of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract) predominates now.

The human gastrointestinal tract is home to billions of microorganisms. The smell of stool is formed due to gases that are produced in the intestines when indigestible fiber is broken down enzymatically. So if your stool smells too strong for a few days, don't worry: it may be due to the foods you've eaten recently.

But what to do if the smell of stool remains too unpleasant and intense for a long time? Then you should first of all talk to a gastroenterologist.

Associated symptoms:

This is especially important if, according to your observations, the consistency of your stool has also changed. This can be a sign of many gastrointestinal diseases, including:

Clostridial infection (or gas gangrene) is an infection that is caused by spore-forming anaerobes (clostridia).

Associated diseases:

You may not be very excited about the prospect of sharing your bowel observations with your doctor. But don't let this bother you! The fact is that doctors had encountered such symptoms before meeting you. Moreover, this information is currently personally relevant to your well-being and condition. Therefore, you have a good opportunity to improve your health, and then your intestines will function flawlessly.

Immunology and biochemistry

Foul-smelling stool

What causes bad stool odor?

Feces usually have a foul odor, but it is an odor that is general and unremarkable. Fetid feces have an unusually strong, putrid odor. In many cases, foul-smelling stool is due to the foods you eat and the bacteria that have colonized your colon. But foul-smelling stool can also indicate serious health problems. Diarrhea and flatulence (gas) may accompany foul-smelling stool. Such feces are often soft or liquid, and there is no regular bowel movement.

Causes of smelly stool

Often the cause of foul-smelling stool is changes in your diet. Another common cause is chronic disturbances of digestion, absorption and transport in the small intestine (malabsorption). Enteropathies (chronic diseases of the small intestine) occur when the body is unable to absorb the required amount of nutrients from the food you eat. Typically, this occurs when there is an intestinal infection or disease of the intestinal lining that makes it impossible to absorb nutrients from food.

Common Causes of Malabsorption

Celiac disease is a reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the small intestine and interferes with the normal absorption of nutrients.
Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or colitis
Carbohydrate intolerance – inability to digest sugars and starches
Food allergies, such as to milk protein

A common symptom of malabsorption is foul-smelling diarrhea.

If you have inflammatory bowel disease, your reaction to certain foods may include foul-smelling diarrhea or constipation and flatulence. The gases may also have an unpleasant odor.
Intestinal infections can also be accompanied by an unpleasant smell of feces. Shortly after the infection develops, abdominal cramps may occur, followed by foul-smelling, loose stools.
Some medications may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea. If you are allergic to ingredients or dietary supplements, taking some multivitamins may also cause foul-smelling stool. Unpleasant stool odor may occur after a course of antibiotics and persist until normal intestinal bacterial flora is restored.
Foul-smelling diarrhea may be a side effect of overdosing on a multivitamin or on any one vitamin or mineral. Diarrhea associated with multivitamins or medication overdose is a sign of a medical emergency. High doses of vitamin A, D, E, or K can cause life-threatening side effects.
Other conditions that can lead to foul-smelling stool include chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and short bowel syndrome (surgical removal of part of the small intestine that interferes with the absorption of nutrients).

Signs of smelly stool

Symptoms that may be associated with foul-smelling stool include:

Foul-smelling stool may be a sign of a serious illness. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

Blood in the stool
Black chair
Pale stool
Fever
Abdominal pain
Unintentional weight loss
Chills.

How is foul-smelling feces diagnosed?

Your doctor will diagnose foul-smelling stool after you answer questions about your stool, such as:

consistency
When did you first notice the unpleasant odor?
how frequent are the urges?
what has changed in your diet (well analyze what you ate before your stool became smelly), foods you have recently started eating.

Your health prognosis depends on what is causing your foul-smelling stool. Most conditions that cause foul-smelling stool are treatable. However, diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease will require dietary changes and drug therapy throughout life.

Prevention

Necessary dietary changes can help prevent foul-smelling stools. If your gut condition is related to a reaction to certain foods, your doctor can create a diet plan that's right for you. The right diet can help reduce stomach pain, bloating, and foul-smelling stools.

Avoid foodborne bacterial infections by proper food preparation. There are no dietary restrictions; it is important to prepare beef, poultry, pork and eggs in such a way as to prevent bacterial contamination. Don't drink raw (unpasteurized) milk. Do not cook meat and vegetables on the same cutting board. Preparing them on the same board can result in the vegetables being contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and using the toilet.

Strong smell of feces, why?

To begin with, I’ll say that, thank God, I feel great, I have a healthy appetite, I eat well, I don’t smoke, I don’t abuse strong alcoholic drinks..

But there is a certain flaw that my family really doesn’t like and they are very indignant about it. In short, I’ll tell it like it is.. when I go to the toilet, for the most part, after me it’s not possible to go to the toilet for a long time, because, according to my Mom, after me there’s a surprisingly rare pungent stinking smell that hurts the eyes and turns the insides out..

It seems that all people go to the toilet, this is nature, this is how we are built, everyone has their own unpleasant odors during the process of bowel movement.. but for some reason my smell is not the same as everyone else’s, it is very strange and very foul.

Don't take this as a joke or anything like that! I’m asking in all seriousness, I need a serious answer from a person who is close to medicine and understands what he is saying. I need an advice,

You will wash all the beneficial substances from the body!

Try switching to a dairy-plant diet.

Maybe something will change.

Fetid and putrid odor of feces in an adult. Reasons for changes in stool odor in an infant

An important indicator that helps diagnose intestinal diseases is the smell of stool. It can be affected by pathogenic microorganisms that cause food rotting. Normally, the smell should be unpleasant, but not pungent. If it is sour or rotten, strongly reeks of ammonia, bleach, and bitterness, this indicates disturbances in the digestive tract.

Reasons for changes

The smell of feces depends on the food consumed. If a person eats a lot of meat, the excrement smells more pungent. The aroma weakens when the daily diet includes a lot of plant foods, fermented milk products, and milk. Eating fish, garlic, onions, and kvass can affect the smell. With diarrhea, the stool smells more pronounced, but with constipation, the aroma is practically absent.

Why does the smell change? This is influenced by microorganisms that live in the intestines. If there is any failure, they begin to develop rapidly, which leads to the growth of pathogenic microflora. As a result, bacteria poison the intestines with their toxins, which increases the process of food rotting.

This may be caused by the following factors:

food allergies;
dyspepsia;
colitis;
liver disease;
enteropathy;
rotavirus or “stomach flu”;
dysbacteriosis;
inflammation.

In a healthy person, the stool has an odor, but it does not smell rotten. Defecation should be painless. It is unacceptable for the stool to be liquid and contain blood, mucus, and pus. The color of stool should not change much: it is normally brown in both men and women.

What changes does the specific aroma of stool indicate?

The fetid and pungent odor of feces in an adult is observed when the pancreas does not function properly, in which bile does not enter the gastrointestinal tract.

A putrid and pungent odor of feces can occur in stomach diseases associated with the consumption of large quantities of foods containing protein.

If it tastes somewhat sour, this may indicate digestive problems. This sometimes happens after consuming carbohydrate foods, as well as drinks made using the fermentation process.

When stool smells weak, this indicates insufficient digestion of food and the possible development of constipation.

Oily feces with a smelly aroma indicate the decomposition of fats, but if the feces smell like rotten eggs (sulfur), this indicates poisoning with hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide.

Stool that smells of vinegar, ammonia, rubber, ammonia, or has a chemical aroma is an indicator of the growth of bacterial colonies in the body. The ammonia smell occurs when nitrogen is not broken down and absorbed properly. Sweetish - may appear when infected with cholera.

When stool smells like acetone, we are talking about the possible development of diabetes mellitus, improper nutrition (fasting, eating large amounts of protein foods, fats, lack of carbohydrates), heavy physical activity, and alcohol abuse.

If children's feces smell of something sour, then the reason may be related to the development of the disease. We are talking about the following pathologies:

The sour smell of feces in a baby does not always indicate a serious problem. Sometimes this is triggered by a banal stomach upset in the baby. This can occur both in a breastfed (breastfed) child and when fed with artificial formula. Mixed feeding can also affect this, after introducing complementary foods to an infant up to a year old.

A sour smell of feces in a child under 2 years of age indicates a possible food allergy. If vomiting and fever are observed, these are symptoms of rotavirus infection.

What should you do if your child’s stool has no odor at all? There is no need to panic about this. For example, for a newborn this is a completely normal phenomenon that is observed in the first 2-3 days of his life. Original feces (meconium) are dark green or tar-colored and have no odor at all. The baby's stool also does not have a characteristic odor after prolonged use of antibiotics.

Changes in stool in adults

The appearance of an unusual aroma - putrefactive, sour, bitter or reeking of something metallic - is an indicator of a serious illness in the body or a disruption of the usual digestive process.

The most common cause of a strong and strange odor is changes in the intestinal microflora. A sour smell can appear when eating large amounts of plant foods. Feces begin to smell rotten when there is a lack or complete absence of digestive enzymes in the intestines. Excrement that smells like glue can be seen in dysentery. The appearance of an abnormal odor may be accompanied by bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, and flatulence. If you have these symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to find out the cause.

Diagnostics and tests

To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to conduct a chemical analysis of the excrement. The identification of undigested food particles in the stool is of great importance in making a diagnosis. These include residual fat or muscle fibers from meat products.

When a change in the properties of stool is accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination of the intestines, FGDS, MSCT of the abdominal cavity, and sometimes a biopsy of the small intestine.

Prevention and nutrition

If the cause of the strange smell of stool is poor digestion, the patient will have to follow a special diet. It is necessary to remove smoked foods, fatty meats, spices and hot sauces from the diet. Another important condition is complete abstinence from alcohol.

Taking antibiotics will help get rid of the infection. When eating food, medications are prescribed that can relieve intoxication. If the infection has not been detected, then the patient will only need to eat properly and take vitamins.

To prevent problems with digestion and bowel movements, it is important to properly process foods. The meat should be exposed to heat, the vegetables should be washed well. It is necessary to drink enough clean water per day. It is best to exclude soda and freshly squeezed juices from your diet. The functioning of the digestive system is improved by physical activity, so do not forget about daily exercises, which can be done at home.

The smell of feces or why does poop stink?

Each of us will be able to distinguish the smell of shit from any other. This is inherent in us at the genetic level. True, today people do not attach much importance to it. Modern man only strives to get rid of it by using air fresheners while he shits so that it doesn’t stink. But the smell of feces can carry a lot of valuable information for us. You yourself have probably noticed that it is not always the same and for each person it may differ in one direction or another. One person's shit stinks horribly, while another person's poop has a significantly lower concentration of pungent stench. Also, the smell of feces differs not only in the strength of the stench, but also in other indicators; it may have sourness, rottenness or some other additional aroma in its palette of odors. Returning to the information conveyed by the stench of poop - our feces are a kind of marker that is one of the first to warn us about almost all changes in our body. Thus, a change in the color, shape, consistency, as well as the smell of feces may indicate the presence of some kind of ailment that has settled in the human body or a disturbance in the functioning of a certain organ. Therefore, dear reader, do not underestimate feces and their smell. After all, not every medicine has a pleasant smell and taste, right?

Did you know that our ancestors very actively used feces in their life. Using the color and smell of feces and urine, ancient people determined the health status of their neighbor, and thus, when an illness was discovered, they tried to attack him in order to take him by surprise and give themselves an advantage in battle.

Why does shit stink?

Well, first of all, let's look at the question of why feces stink, where does its characteristic smell come from? To do this, we need to dive into the depths of our intestines and find out what kind of processes are happening there. After all, as we all know, feces are nothing more than digested food that we ate for lunch. But the fried potatoes and chops seemed to smell quite appetizing. What could have distorted their smell so much?

The fact is that when passing through the links of the digestive chain, food is broken down into simpler components and at each stage splitting occurs various kinds substances contained in food products. The intestines are home to many different bacteria that are involved in the digestion process. During their life, gases are released. Which, in the process of forming feces, are mixed with poop making it porous. Gases contained in the intestines are divided into 2 types: inert and caustic (so-called fecal gases, which actually stink).

Thanks to the formation of inert gases, we fart, and fecal gases give poop and farts, among other things, a corresponding fetid odor. The inert gas mixes with the fecal gas and fills the cavities in the feces and that's why shit stinks when we shit it.

Also, depending on the concentration of fecal gas, the intensity of the stench of poop can also affect the intensity of the stench.

How can shit smell?

It is worth noting that any poop stinks, but within normal limits. That is, healthy feces certainly have an unpleasant odor, but it should not be pungent. So to speak, the bias of stench aromas in one direction or another, of course, also depends on the type of food consumed. Since this in turn affects the processes and nature of fermentation and rotting of digested food. So, for example, meat food gives a sharper smell, and dairy food, in turn, is sour. With constipation, a putrid odor appears as food stagnates in the intestines and begins to rot. And with poor absorption of nutrients, they become food for pathogenic bacteria, which leads to their development and the appearance of a characteristic deviation in the smell of feces.

As you can see, the palette of smells of shit is quite wide, and if you notice a deviation in the smell of your feces, pay attention to this and consult a doctor. Perhaps this is a bell that calls on you to respond and provide medical assistance to the body or make adjustments to your lifestyle to maintain health.

There are several types of shit stench:

Sour - shit acquires a sour stench with excessive consumption of sugar, flour products, fruits, peas, etc., foods that are rich in carbohydrates, a large amount of which can cause fermentative dyspepsia.
Foul odor of feces - quite often the cause of fecal stench is pancreatitis - a dysfunction of the pancreas. The cause may also be a lack of bile secretion, intestinal hypersecretion (increased mucus secretion).
The putrid smell of shit - this type of aroma of feces is acquired when digestion in the stomach is impaired. It can occur with excessive consumption of protein foods, which are slowly digested and begin to rot.
Oily smell of feces - occurs due to bacterial decomposition of fats.

Preventing poop stench

To reduce the risk of diseases, the symptom of which is foul-smelling poop, it is enough to follow simple rules, and they consist of diet. If the strong stench of shit is caused by a reaction to food, then you need to adjust your diet, your doctor will help you with this. Also follow the rules for preparing meat products and their placement on refrigerator shelves. Do not cook meat and vegetables on the same cutting board, otherwise the vegetables may be contaminated with salmonella and other bacteria that lead to bacterial infection of the intestines.

Sometimes, foul-smelling stool can mean more than just a strong stench from your poop, but can be a diagnosis made by your doctor. Pay enough attention to your poop and its properties, including stench. If you suddenly have a drastic change in the smell of feces and this continues for a long time, then perhaps this indicates a disturbance in the functioning of your body. If other symptoms are added to the stench of feces, then this is a significant reason to consult a doctor to undergo examinations and, if necessary, receive timely treatment.

Kakasic is here, we hope we were able to provide you with a small portion of useful information about poop.

Thank you for your support, Kakasic appreciates your help.

Stool smell

The smell of feces is determined by the presence of aromatic substances in it (phenol, indole, skatole, etc.), which are formed as a result of bacterial breakdown of proteins. Normally, the smell should be unpleasant, but not pungent.

The smell of stool usually depends on the nature of the food. If the food is dominated by meat products, the smell of feces becomes stronger and more pungent. When plant or dairy foods predominate, the smell becomes weaker. With diarrhea, the smell of feces is sharper, and with constipation, the feces have almost no odor, due to the absorption of protein breakdown products in the intestines.

A sour smell is observed with fermentative dyspepsia (a digestive disorder associated with excessive consumption of carbohydrates (flour products, sugar, fruits, cabbage, peas, etc.) and fermented drinks, such as kvass).

Feces may have a sharp putrid odor due to indigestion in the stomach, putrefactive dyspepsia (a digestive disorder associated with excessive consumption of protein products that are slowly digested in the intestines), colitis with constipation.

A foul odor occurs when the secretion of the pancreas is impaired, in the absence of bile entering the digestive tract.

A weak odor occurs with constipation, insufficient digestion, and accelerated evacuation from the small intestine.

Only children and people with limited thinking can giggle when it comes to defecation. An adult should understand the fact that feces is the end product of the breakdown of nutrients and a reflection of the health of the digestive tract, as well as the entire body. Sometimes a dangerous symptom is bowel movement in the form of mushy stool.

On average, a healthy person has no more than three bowel movements per day. In this case, the total mass of adult feces ranges from 200 to 900 grams. This is a mixture consisting of approximately equal proportions of residual nutrients, waste digestive juices and microorganisms.

An increase in the volume and weight of feces occurs due to increased fluid consumption or in diseases associated with impaired digestion of food. Normally, according to the Bristol scale, stool should look like a soft, smooth sausage without lumps or inclusions and have an unpleasant but not foul odor. In other cases, we may be talking about deviations in the functioning of the digestive system. However, many people sometimes only dream about ideal bowel movements.

Feces are a multicomponent product of the vital activity of the intestines, digestive glands and microflora

Causes of mushy stools

Quick release of feces is not always the norm. Pasty feces, frequent urge to defecate, unformed stools - all this can be a symptom of a pathological condition. Such ease of emptying, repeated regularly day after day, is often fraught with danger.

What your stool can tell you: video

Frequent, mushy, sometimes profuse stools:

Excessive fluid intake can also be one of the reasons for the appearance of mushy stool. But there is another aspect of the occurrence of such a chair. This is insufficient absorption and absorption of fluid by the body, which leads to dehydration. It should be remembered that many diseases change the nature of stool. And it is softened, sometimes liquid stools that are evidence of such conditions. Unfortunately, there are many reasons:

Mushy-looking stools may be homogeneous or heterogeneous. Sometimes dense, sometimes hard particles of feces are released accompanied by thick mucus or foul-smelling liquid.

Density

Pasty stools can vary in nature:

Foamy stool indicates the presence of fermentation processes in the body. It can appear with heavy consumption of beer and kvass;
with a sharp decrease in the flow of bile into the intestines due to the presence of stones or inflammation of the pancreas, ointment-like loose feces may be observed;
loose, porridge-like stools are present when food is digested in the small intestine for various reasons, as well as due to the accelerated passage of feces;
liquefied stool like pea puree may be evidence of a dangerous disease such as typhoid fever;
colorless stool with the consistency of rice water is a characteristic sign of cholera;
the presence of clay inclusions or gray masses in the feces is observed when there is a difficult outflow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which leads to impaired breakdown of fats;
Watery stools may be evidence of heavy consumption of water or other liquids.

Color

In adults, the normal color of stool is considered to be from yellow-brown to dark chocolate, depending on the level of bilirubin (bile pigment) in it. In addition, stool may change color depending on the foods or medications consumed:

orange color can be caused by eating large amounts of pumpkin, carrots, apricots, and citrus fruits;
a reddish tint appears due to the consumption of beets and red currants;
green feces appear after taking iron supplements, eating spinach, lettuce, sorrel, and fresh peas;
black color occurs after consuming activated carbon, bismuth preparations, as well as large volumes of black currants, blueberries, and chokeberries.

In other cases, mushy stool of other abnormal colors is evidence of pathology:

Changes in the color of feces in each specific case should be assessed strictly individually, taking into account the patient’s age, state of health, diet and lifestyle, as well as the presence of other symptoms. If there is a sudden change in a person’s general well-being, you should not postpone your visit to the doctor.

Chair - health indicator - video

Smell

You should not only visually evaluate the type of feces. Depending on the presence of various diseases, the quality of the products consumed, and the severity of the digestion processes, feces have a certain smell:

Additional factors

Mushy feces may have additional characteristics:

If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor to identify the true cause and treat it.

Gas formation

The release of gases when emptying the rectum is normal. This is the result of the vital activity of various microorganisms that inhabit the human intestine. The volume of gases directly depends on the amount of undigested food entering the large intestine.

Normally, an increase in gases may occur against the background of:

heavy consumption of sweets and baked goods;
abundant consumption of foods containing fiber;
eating large amounts of food that stimulates fermentation processes: bread, kvass, beer;
swallowing large amounts of air while eating;
consumption of carbonated drinks.

Causes of mushy stool - video

Diagnostic methods

Absolutely all stool indicators can tell about the presence of diseases, diet, presence of problems, and use of medications.

Feces help to make a diagnosis when other results of studies and analyzes are not able to do so. When diagnosing diseases, it is very important to promptly identify the nature of mushy stools. The main signs that allow us to judge the presence of infection are:

increased body temperature;
the presence of impurities in feces;
severe dehydration of the body;
mass occurrence of the disease.

Feces contain many components that can shed light on the cause of the disease

During the study, the acid-base balance is determined:

high acidity is due to the presence of fermentation processes;
an alkaline environment occurs only with intense decay and lack of digestion of food.

In the process of searching for the cause of mushy stool, the following diagnostic measures are carried out:

The most common type of diagnosis is stool culture for dysbacteriosis. This study allows us to detect in the patient’s body not only the presence of pathogenic and opportunistic microbes, but also a possible deficiency of lacto- and bifidobacteria, which are necessary for normal life. To detect toxic substances, the method of gas-liquid chromatography of feces is used. It is based on the separation of biological material into parts followed by analysis of all components.

To find out the true reasons for the appearance of regular, long-lasting mushy stools, various studies of the abdominal organs are carried out: radiographic, ultrasound, tomographic.

Treatment

After conducting the necessary examination and identifying the causes of the disease, the doctor will prescribe adequate treatment. Typically, therapy is complex and consists of several components.

Drug therapy

The following medications will help normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, improve their functionality and restore the thickness of stool.

Pharmacological agents used to eliminate pasty stools - table

Pharmacological group	Enterosorbents	Prebiotics	Antisecretory	Drugs to normalize peristalsis	Carminative	Antispasmodics	Antidepressants	Biologically active additives
Examples of drugs	Smecta; Absorbent carbon; Polysorb; Polyphepan; Filtrum.	Bificol; Lactobacterin; Lysobacter; Riolaflora Balance; Bifiform; Halicforte.	Nolpaza; Omeprazole; Emaner.	Sulgin; Furazolidone; Enterol; Imodium; Enterofuril; Intetrix; Phthalazol; Nitrofungin.	Pepsan-R; Motilium; Espumisan;	Duspatalin; No-shpa; Halidor; Drotaverine; Papaverine; Took; Spazgan.	Imipramine; Amitriptyline; Fluoxetine; Sertalitin;	Loklo; Bifidophilus; Nutrikon; Litovita; Gastrophilin.

If the cause of mushy stool is a serious illness, the doctor will prescribe medications to treat the corresponding condition. It is possible that antibiotics, pancreatic enzymes, sedatives and antifungals, and corticosteroids will be needed. In severe cases, hospitalization is necessary.

Drugs used to eliminate mushy stools - photo gallery

Bruskopan will relieve pain
Colofort reduces gas formation in the intestines Trimedat slows down peristalsis Linex will quickly restore the intestinal microflora Omez helps restore the gastric mucosa Fevarin is often used in the treatment of depressive disorders Enterosorbents Polyphepan and Polysorb will help normalize stool

Traditional medicine recipes

There are a large number of traditional medicine recipes to alleviate the condition of a patient suffering from frequent bowel movements and pasty stools. The most popular recommendations are:

Infusion of oak bark. Pour 1 tablespoon of plant material into a glass of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour, then filter. The resulting drink is taken 1–2 tablespoons 3–5 times a day.
Rice water. A thick broth is prepared from rice grains (preferably crushed) without adding salt, oil or seasonings. The resulting product is taken throughout the day, ¼ cup every 3-4 hours.
Decoction of dried blueberries. One tablespoon of raw material is poured into a glass of hot boiled water, brought to a boil, and boiled for 5 minutes. The resulting drink is filtered and cooled. Take instead of tea several times a day.
Chamomile tea. For one glass of water, take 1 tablespoon of plant material. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, cooled, and filtered. The resulting decoction is drunk as tea before meals 2–4 times a day.
Decoction of pomegranate peel. The dried peel of the fruit is crushed. Pour 1 teaspoon of raw material into one liter of boiling water and cook in a water bath for 30–40 minutes. Cool, filter and consume 2 teaspoons 3–5 times throughout the day.

To consolidate the effect of the medications used, you can additionally use herbal teas based on medicinal herbs and plants:

lemon balm;
St. John's wort;
mint;
chamomile;
bird cherry;
carrot seeds;
dill;
fennel;
ginger

Folk remedies for eliminating mushy stools - photo gallery

Products based on oak bark have a pronounced antimicrobial effect. Chamomile has a disinfectant property. Blueberries contain vitamin C and other useful substances. Pomegranate peel contains many useful substances.

Diet

If mushy stool appears, the following foods should be excluded from the diet:

milk;
fructose and sugar substitutes;
legumes;
carbonated drinks;
fresh vegetables and fruits;
herbs and spices;
coffee;
fatty foods;
alcohol;
baked goods;
fresh bread;
mushrooms;
juices;
canned food;
smoked meats.

Foods that need to be excluded from the diet - photo gallery

Eating dishes made from legumes can lead to increased gas formation. Carbonated drinks can cause flatulence. Alcoholic drinks have a negative effect on the liver. Sweet confectionery products contain a lot of sugar and yeast. Smoked products increase the secretion of digestive juices.

The following products must be present in the diet:

stale bread;
crackers;
boiled eggs;
lean meats and fish;
steamed and boiled dishes;
compotes and jelly;
bananas;
quince;
persimmon;
cottage cheese;
baked apples;
pureed or slimy porridges;
cream soup;
lean broths;
fresh carrots.

Rusks are healthier than rich pastries Kissel envelops the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines Persimmon contains vitamins and fiber Porridge is a product that is extremely beneficial for the intestines It is useful to include a hard-boiled egg in the first meal of the day

After long-term use of the diet, you should gradually switch to eating foods that were temporarily excluded from the diet. Fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and natural juices must be included in the menu with caution, in small portions.

Preventive actions

In order to prevent the appearance of softened, mushy stools, certain measures must be taken:

drink only boiled or purified water;
observe the rules of personal hygiene;
prepare food in accordance with sanitary standards and regulations.

An additional incentive for recovery will be giving up bad habits and leading a healthy lifestyle. Drinking plenty of fluids (at least 2 liters), eating small meals, and walking in the fresh air will help cope with problems. Yoga, swimming, race walking, and meditation will help relieve tension and get rid of the influence of negative environmental factors.

Race walking is an excellent method of preventing loose stools.

Consequences and complications

In the absence of timely treatment, the situation is fraught with serious consequences:

deterioration of general condition;
the appearance of painful sensations;
vitamin deficiency;
sudden weight loss;
dehydration.

Any deviation from the norm is fraught with the development of pathological processes. Pasty stools are no exception. The presence of this problem requires medical intervention. Self-medication is unacceptable.