Uncover health clues from your toilet bowl. For Crohn’s sufferers, abnormal stools, pain, diarrhea, constipation, and mucus in poop are common symptoms. Learn effective management for Crohn’s symptoms today.
It might not be pretty, but what’s in your toilet bowl can reveal a lot about your health. For those withCrohn’s disease, abnormal stools tend to be especially common, especially during a flare.
Crohn’s symptoms often include pain, diarrhea, constipation, and blood or mucus in yourpoop. Full disclosure, it can also show up in a whole rainbow of colors. 🌈 💩
Here’s the deal withCrohn’s diseaseand No. 2s.
What is Crohn’s disease exactly?
Crohn’s diseaseis a type ofinflammatory bowel disease (IBD)thattypically manifestsin the small intestine and colon, but it can affect all parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This is why your poop color, frequency, and consistency are often affected.
Symptom severity can range from mild to debilitating and may change a lot over time. In extreme cases, the disease can cause life threateningflares.
TBH, the pros don’t know what causesCrohn’s disease, who’s most likely to get it, or a tried-and-true cure. But there have been serious treatment advances in the last few decades to help manageCrohn’s.
Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease poop
Theinflammationandulcerscaused by Crohn’s in the small and/or large intestine can cause changes in the appearance of yourpoopas well as how often you go.
Crohn’s diseasemay causepooping probs like:
Crohn’s disease poop may also appear:
What does the color of your poop mean with Crohn’s?
The color of Crohn’s poop can be quite a range. Your No. 2s may also appear totally normal. Here’s what you might experience.
Yellow or white
Yellow or white mucus-covered poop may be caused from Crohn’s due to fat malabsorption. It could show up as streaks on the stool or cover it completely. This can happen when your body isn’t absorbing fat-soluble nutrients very well, which causes your body to make mucus to protect your intestine’s inner lining and make it easier to pass the stool.
If you don’t have othersymptomslike stomach pain, mucusy poo is not typically a sign of concern. The occasional mucus-covered stool could also signal a change in diet or higher stress levels.
Red or black
Crohn’s complicationscould lead toanal fissures, skin tags, fistulas, or abscesses that lead to traces of blood in the stool. Blood can appear bright red to practically black.
Dark, almost black-colored blood means the blood is coming from higher up in the GI, which could indicate a medical emergency. (Call your doc ASAP 🚨.)
If your blood is a brighter red, it’s coming fromlower in the GI tract. While you should def still call a doc about brighter-colored blood, you won’t typically need to rush to the ER.
Vibrant color
If your poop’s bright green, pink, orange, or another color, it may be due to what you ate. Some people with Crohn’s have malabsorption, which basically means that your bod isn’t completely digesting your food and therefore totally absorbing its nutrients. So, if you have Crohn’s and you eat food with a vibrant color, say,spinach, your poop might look pretty green.
If this happens to you, talk with your doc about potential treatments.
Will you poop more with Crohn’s?
It depends. Some people with Crohn’s will hit up the bathroom more often than those without it. In severe Crohn’s disease cases,diarrheacan happen many times a day.
For others withCrohn’s, stools are actually less frequent than average. This could be caused by a narrowing of the intestines, which makes the stool harder to pass.
If you have Crohn’s, it can help to understand what pooping frequency is typical during a flare-up compared to when the disease is in remission. This can help you learn to managesymptomsand live more comfortably.
Can you treat Crohn’s poop probs?
Even though there’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, there are ways tomanage symptoms. Some potentialtreatmentsinclude:
When to talk with a doctor about your No. 2s
If you think you might haveCrohn’sor another digestive issue, it’s a good idea to visit a healthcare professional for a professional diagnosis. See a doc if:
People diagnosed with Crohn’s typically see a healthcare professional regularly, about every 6 months to a year to helpmanage symptoms.
A doctor can take ablood and/or stool sample to test for things like inflammation, which may help the pros arrive at a Crohn’s diagnosis. They may also take any of thefollowing tests:
Crohn’s disease is a type of IBD that can cause changes to your stool. It might look different, occur more or less frequently, or have blood or mucus mixed in.
If your poop looks diff in general, it’s a good idea to see a doc for a professional diagnosis.
