Normal stool color varies from brown to green. Your stool color might change based on changes in your diet, although color changes sometimes indicate a serious condition. Because of this, see your doctor if the abnormal stool colors are ongoing,...
Your toddler’s body is growing and changing, so her stool often changes frequently as well. Looking at her waste may not be fun, but it’s an easy way to keep track of what’s going on inside her. Stool that varies in color and...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five American adults is infected with genital herpes. In some cases, genital herpes involves the anus and surround tissue. Anal herpes is most common among people who engage in...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a functional disorder of the colon also known as the large intestine. IBS can cause diarrhea or constipation, or may cause both at different times. With IBS, the colon does not function normally although there...
One in five American adults is infected with genital herpes, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, in some cases, genital herpes may also affect the anus. Anal herpes are most commonly experienced by people who...
Abdominal pain is defined by Medline Plus as pain felt anywhere between the chest and the groin. Vomiting is a defense mechanism used by the body to force stomach contents up and out through the esophagus and mouth to avoid potential bodily harm....
One in five American adults is infected with herpes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Proctitis, explain surgeons Matthew L. Voth and Robert P. Akbari of Temple University College of Medicine, is defined as...
Excessive thirst is characterized as having the urge to drink more fluids than necessary. This is commonly referred to as polydipsia and is not considered to be normal in toddlers. A toddler that exhibits symptoms of excessive fluid consumption...
Once food has passed through your digestive system, where your body removes the nutrients it needs, a bowel movement removes the waste from your body. Your bowels are the large intestine, or colon, located in your lower digestive tract. A bowel...
Constipation is a common gastric problem affecting almost everyone at some point. Abnormal stool frequency, straining during bowel movements and a feeling of incomplete evacuation are hallmarks of the unwelcome condition. Causes include...
A normal range of bowel movements can go from three a day to three a week. When you have fewer than three bowel movements weekly and your stools are dry, hard and difficult to pass, you may have constipation, the National Digestive Diseases...
Vaccinations are a front-line defense against diseases that at one point in time were commonplace. Today, many of the illnesses that we currently vaccinate against are rarely seen. The schedule of vaccinations depends on your baby's age. Within...
It may seem odd or even uncouth to examine your stool. Your stools, however, often reveal health problems you might otherwise miss. Before you flush, note changes in your stool and tell your doctor about unusual odors or composition, particularly...
Prevacid is a medication prescribed to reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. It can also be used to treat or prevent ulcers, erosion and other conditions affecting the digestive system. Individuals who are treated with Prevacid often...
Mucus is a substance that can be clear, white or yellowish in color. Mucus is typically found throughout the gastrointestinal tract and in the airway system, such as the lining of the nose and throat. Its primary purpose is to lubricate and...
The primary symptoms of lactose intolerance include explosive and sudden bowel movements with loose and watery stools. Lactose intolerance symptoms are uncomfortable and embarrassing but do not cause any permanent damage to your digestive system....
The inability of an individual to control when he has a bowel movement is called fecal incontinence. While a disorder involving the gastrointestinal or neurological system is typically the cause of fecal incontinence, other conditions may also...
Bile, mucous and the colors of the foods you eat can all determine the color of your stool. Brown is considered normal, but if you eat a a diet high in leafy green vegetables or foods with green food coloring, your bowel movements may assume a...
Your infant's stools can be an early indication of changes or problems in his digestive system. Although there is a wide range of normal in infant stools, changes in his stools can indicate problems. Observing his stools can enable you to notice...
A hemoccult test or fecal occult blood test might be indicated if you notice a change in your stool color or blood in your stool. The test detects abnormal gastrointestinal bleeding and can aid in the early diagnosis of colon cancer. But the exact...
Colon cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lower intestine, or bowel. According to MayoClinic.com, colon cancer often originates from tiny growths that cause few detectable symptoms; therefore, doctors recommend regular testing for colon...
Metformin is commonly sold under the brand names Glucophage, Fortamet, Glumetza and Riomet. It is used to control type 2 diabetes ( a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels) by maintaining normal blood glucose (sugar) levels, according...
Metformin is an oral medication used primarily to lower blood glucose levels in type II diabetes. Metformin works by lowering the amount of glucose produced by the liver and decreasing the amount of glucose absorbed by the intestines. Metformin is...
When diarrhea occurs regularly for more than two weeks it is considered chronic, according to The American College of Gastroenterology. Diarrhea is defined as an abnormal looseness of the stool accompanied by increased frequency and urgency....
Bloody stool is an abnormal finding. Although on a microscopic scale our bodies discard spent and dead blood cells regularly, visible and/or testable blood in the stool reflects a problem. The presence of bright or dark "tarry" stools is very...
Colorectal cancer--or cancer that originates from the colon or rectum--is a prevalent form of cancer. The National Cancer Institute reports that 106,100 new cases of colon cancer and 40,870 cases of rectal cancer were diagnosed in the United...
Celiac disease, also known as sprue, is an autoimmune condition that is brought on by a genetic sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and, to a lesser extent, barley and oats. In people with celiac disease, the immune system reacts...
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder in which the defective gene causes abnormally thick mucus secretions. The thickened mucus tends to clog the passageways into which it is secreted. The lungs and pancreas are particularly susceptible to the...
The normal pancreas aids in digestion by secreting enzymes. It also secretes hormones that regulate blood sugar metabolism. Tumors, benign and malignant, can grow in the pancreas leading to cancer, or possibly cancer can spread to the pancreas...
