Possible causes of mucus in your stool include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and other digestive disorders. 2 Bacterial infections, bowel obstructions, and anal tears (fissures) also can cause it.
Answer From Elizabeth Rajan, M.D. A small amount of mucus in stool is usually nothing to worry about. Stool normally contains a small amount of mucus — a jellylike substance that your intestines make to keep the lining of your colon moist and lubricated.
Two common causes of mucus in your stool are dehydration and constipation. These two conditions may cause the normal mucus in your colon to leave the body. Mucus caused by these issues may resolve on its own or with medication.
Having a small amount of mucus in the stool is normal. Excess mucus can occur due to IBS, Crohn's, UC, or proctitis. It may also be an indication of colon cancer. If a person is concerned about the amount of mucus in their stool or experiences other symptoms, they should talk with a doctor.
Mucus in stool is normal but when you see a lot of white or yellowish mucus, it means you may have a GI problem, like a stomach bug, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac, or other issue.
Gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
Those with celiac disease are hypersensitive to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Eating gluten causes an immune reaction, inflammation, and damage to the small intestine. As a result, more mucus in stool can occur, among other symptoms.
A small amount of mucus in your poop is normal, but there are times it could be a sign of a condition that needs treatment. A layer of mucus lines and protects the inside of your large intestine (aka your colon). If this layer gets damaged, you'll see a lot more mucus in your stool.
Shigellosis is a bowel infection caused by bacteria from the Shigella family. Other names for shigellosis include Shigella infection, Shigella enteritis and bacillary dysentery. Common symptoms include diarrhoea that may contain blood, mucus or pus, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Mucus in Stool Signs and Symptoms
If you feel fine and there's only a little mucus, you probably don't need to worry. But it may be a sign of a problem when: There's a lot of mucus. You notice it often.
Mucous is a normal secretion of the bowel, although most of the time it cannot be seen. IBS patients sometimes produce large amounts of mucous, but this is not a serious problem. The cause of most IBS symptoms — diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain — are due to this abnormal physiology.
IBS can also cause: farting (flatulence) passing mucus from your bottom.
Other signs of IBS may include feeling very full, flatulence (gas) or mucous discharge.
Possible causes of mucus in your stool include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and other digestive disorders. 2 Bacterial infections, bowel obstructions, and anal tears (fissures) also can cause it.
“Like IBS, people with IBD can suffer from diarrhoea and abdominal pain but the red flags we look out for are blood in the stool, unintentional weight loss, waking up in the middle of the night with pain or needing to go to the toilet urgently and unexplained mineral and vitamin deficiencies.
The most common symptoms of IBS are: abdominal (stomach) pain and cramping, which may be relieved by moving your bowels. a change in your bowel habits – such as diarrhoea, constipation or sometimes both. bloating and swelling of your stomach.
The main symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain, bloating and change in bowel habit. Red flag symptoms include unexplained weight loss, rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit in patients under 60 years of age, family history of bowel/ovarian cancer, anaemia, abdominal/rectal/pelvic mass and raised inflammatory markers.
Shigellosis is a bowel infection caused by bacteria from the Shigella family. Other names for shigellosis include Shigella infection, Shigella enteritis and bacillary dysentery. Common symptoms include diarrhoea that may contain blood, mucus or pus, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting.
A layer of mucus lines and protects the inside of your large intestine (aka your colon). If this layer gets damaged, you'll see a lot more mucus in your stool. If you have diarrhea with mucus, inflammatory bowel disease or an infection could be to blame. It can be accompanied by blood and fevers.
Can a colonoscopy detect IBS? No, a colonoscopy can't detect IBS, a condition also known as irritable bowel syndrome. You may wonder why a colonoscopy can't detect IBS when it can diagnose the IBD conditions we outlined earlier. IBS is different from IBD.
While irritable bowel syndrome is not life-threatening, if left untreated it can lead to hemorrhoids, mood disorders and impact quality of life for anyone who suffers from it. Irritable bowel syndrome affects about 10 – 15 percent of the worldwide population.
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.
A healthy intestine produces a certain amount of mucus in order to protect and lubricate the bowel area. When a person is affected by Crohn's disease, the production of mucus can increase, resulting in surplus mucus emerging with one's stools.
Like UC, Crohn's disease can also cause mucus in the stool because of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This mucus may also contain blood and undigested fats. It appears as a gel-like substance coating the stool. Treatment involves managing the underlying Crohn's disease through medication and diet changes.