Narrow stools that occur infrequently probably are harmless. In some cases, however , narrow stools — especially if pencil thin — may be a sign of narrowing or obstruction of the colon due to colon cancer.
Narrow stools can be caused by several things, ranging from harmless, temporary conditions to more serious underlying medical conditions. These include anything from low-fiber diets, temporary infections, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), to colorectal cancer.
Chronic constipation often leads to blockages that develop in the colon, leading to the passage of thin, stringy stools. A simple way to counter constipation is to increase intake of fruits and vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereal, beans, and lentils.
Changed Digestion - Anxiety releases adrenaline, and adrenaline may slow down the speed of your digestion. Any time your digestion speed changes, it may cause either diarrhea or constipation.
Hemorrhoids can cause pencil-thin stools. While this is a common diagnosis, you should see your doctor if the problem persists and is accompanied by symptoms such as rectal bleeding, pain, and discomfort.
If you have IBS with diarrhea, you will have frequent, loose, watery stools. You may have an urgent need to have a bowel movement, which may be hard to control. If you have IBS with constipation, you will have a hard time passing stool, as well as fewer bowel movements.
In chronic diverticulitis, inflammation and infection may go down but never clear up completely. Over time, the inflammation can lead to a bowel obstruction, which may cause constipation, thin stools, diarrhea, bloating, and belly pain.
Narrow or pellet-like stools: if you have advanced or severe diverticulitis, your large intestine may narrow, causing stool to become thin, narrow, or pellet-shaped.
Tenesmus is a frequent urge to go to the bathroom without being able to go. It usually affects your bowels, but sometimes your bladder. Severe inflammation that irritates the nerves involved in pooping or peeing is often the cause. Your nerves overreact, telling your muscles that you constantly have to go.
Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
Narrow stools that occur infrequently probably are harmless. In some cases, however , narrow stools — especially if pencil thin — may be a sign of narrowing or obstruction of the colon due to colon cancer.
Thin stools are a sign of colon cancer. Any time you notice a narrow or ribbon-like stool, it indicates changes in your colon.
It goes dark red or black and can make your poo look like tar. This type of bleeding can be a sign of cancer higher up the bowel. Or it could be from a bleeding stomach ulcer for example. It is important to go to your doctor if you have any bleeding and get checked.
They may be hard and small, pencil-thin, or loose and watery. The way stools pass changes. You may strain, feel an urgent need to have a bowel movement, or feel that you haven't completely passed a stool. You may have bloating or a feeling of gas in the intestines.
Common causes of benign strictures include diverticular disease, IBD, ischemic colitis, radiation-induced colitis, and anastomotic strictures. Other rare causes include cytomegalovirus colitis, amyloidosis, tuberculosis, amebic colonic strictures, and endometriosis.
Can a colonoscopy detect IBS? No, a colonoscopy can't detect IBS, a condition also known as irritable bowel syndrome.
a change in your bowel habits – such as diarrhoea, constipation, or sometimes both. bloating and swelling of your stomach. excessive wind (flatulence) occasionally experiencing an urgent need to go to the toilet.
Painful bowel movements can occur in the presence of inflammation or injury in the anal canal. An anal fissure is an example of a condition that can produce painful bowel movements. Certain cancers may partially obstruct the bowel and produce pencil thin stools.
Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, masses in the abdomen or tumors in other organs, like the ovaries or bladder, can cause thin stools due to external compression of the colon.
Research suggests chronic constipation occurs in about 29% of people with GERD. In some cases, the condition may have links to issues with how food moves through the digestive system. In other cases, constipation may have associations with medications people use to treat GERD.