Characteristics of Stool Heather Nelson, RN

Stool: Color Normal: –Adult: brown –Infant: yellow

Stool: Color Abnormal: –Clay or white: Absence of bile pigment (bile obstruction) or diagnostic study using barium –Black or tarry: Drug (e.g., iron), bleeding from upper gastrointestinal tract (e.g., stomach, small intestine), diet high in red meat and dark green vegetables (e.g., spinach)

Stool: Color Abnormal: –Red: Bleeding from lower gastrointestinal tract (e.g., rectum), some foods (e.g. beets) –Pale: Malabsorption of fats, diet high in milk and milk products and low in meat

Stool: Consistency Normal: Formed, soft, semisolid, moist Abnormal: Hard, dry, constipated stool –Dehydration, decreased intestinal motility resulting from lack of fiber in diet, lack of exercise, emotional upset, laxative abuse Abnormal: Diarrhea –Increased intestinal motility (e.g., irritation of the colon by bacteria)

Stool: Shape Normal: Cylindrical (contour of rectum) about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter in adults Abnormal: Narrow, pencil-shaped, or stringlike stool –Obstructive conditional of the rectum

Stool: Amount Normal: Varies with diet –About 100 to 400 g per day

Stool: Odor Normal: Aromatic, affected by ingested food and person’s own bacterial flora Abnormal: Pungent –Infection, blood

Stool: Constituents Normal: Small amounts of undigested roughage, sloughed dead bacteria and epithelial cells, fat, protein, dried constituents of digestive juices (e.g., bile pigments), inorganic matter (e.g., calcium, phosphates)

Stool: Constituents Abnormal: –Pus: bacterial infection –Mucus: inflammatory condition –Parasites –Blood: gastrointestinal bleeding –Large quantities of fat: malabsorption –Foreign objects: accidental ingestion