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Health

Why fecal white color, accompanying signs: lumps, slime, grains, worms

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Changing the color of the stool in a person is a reflection of certain processes in the body. Normal feces can have different shades, from yellowish to dark brown. Varying within the limits of the norm does not pose a danger, however, with a significant change in color, one should be alert. A light stool can be the first sign of some diseases that are better to identify in the early stages.

The causes of white stool

The light color of the feces is associated with the lack of entry into the intestine of bilirubin, which is synthesized into sterocilin pigment substance, which stains the stool into the usual brown shade.

The appearance of a light stool can be the result of eating certain foods. White feces after milk indicate that this product had a high fat content. There may also be white feces after kefir, sour cream, butter or fat. In this case, you should adjust your diet. Also associate a light stool and alcohol, the use of which is a risk factor for the development of liver pathologies.

Various drugs can also cause white feces. Among them are:

  • antibacterial drugs;
  • means against the fungus;
  • contraceptives for oral administration;
  • medicines for the treatment of tuberculosis;
  • preparations for epilepsy;
  • medicines for gout;
  • drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid;
  • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • in particular, the pathogenesis of light feces may be a consequence of an overdose of Paracetamol;
  • often there is white feces after candles;
  • after tramadol, white feces may be due to the fact that 10% of this drug is excreted from the body through the intestine;
  • in some cases, white feces are observed after the smect.

After stopping the use of the above medicines, the color of the stool should come back to normal. If the patient's condition remains unchanged, it makes sense to consult a specialist for advice, since this symptom can talk about the development of some diseases. White feces, as a symptom of the disease, can indicate such pathologies:

  • hepatitis (white feces with hepatitis is combined with dark urine and icteric skin color)
  • pancreatitis (this disease is indicated by pain mainly in the left hypochondrium, the cause may be malnutrition, frequent use of fatty foods and alcoholic beverages, which provokes white feces in pancreatitis)
  • cholecystitis (white feces and nausea are combined with high fever and vomiting, pain in the area of the stomach and poor appetite)
  • oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (initially the cancer proceeds with the absence of any symptoms, with the increase of the tumor there may be a painful condition, a change in the consistency of the stool, weight loss, aversion to food and, in fact, white feces)
  • Crohn's disease (a chronic gastrointestinal disease whose pathogenesis is associated with allergy, infection or psychosomatics, symptoms are high fever, white feces with blood, vomiting)
  • rotavirus infection (combined with white feces and vomiting with high temperature)
  • cirrhosis of the liver (white feces with cirrhosis observed in the subcompensation or decompensation stage).

Among other reasons, there are

  • white feces during pregnancy and after childbirth (associated with both the use of certain products, and with pathologies in the form of violations of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or liver);
  • white feces after surgery, most often after removal of the gallbladder;
  • after a radiographic study using barium sulphate;
  • white stool after poisoning.

White feces in children at an early age, according to statistics, are most often not associated with any diseases. The chair can be painted in light color with a milk mixture, products from introduced complementary foods (especially dairy). A child's chair for up to a year on exclusive breastfeeding can have any color. Light staining of feces can be evidence of excessive intake of carbohydrates into the body.

White feces in an adult should alert and become an excuse for reviewing the menu and contacting a doctor. White feces in the elderly can be a sign of serious illness.

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Concomitant symptoms of light stools

Often a light stool has accompanying symptoms. Their combination can be an indicator of the development of various pathologies.

  1. White worms in the stool indicate that in the human body there are parasites such as ascarids, cat flukes or helminths. If a white worm has come out with feces, the doctor-parasitologist should be contacted immediately for appropriate medication.
  2. White lumps in the stool can talk about the fact that the remains of undigested food, mostly of vegetable origin, leave the intestine. They also include white patches, veins in the stool. Most often white clots in stool do not require treatment to a specialist and medical treatment. However, if undigested white lumps in the stool are combined with white liquid feces, this may indicate cholecystitis and cause a doctor. Also it is worth paying attention to the feces in white fibers.
  3. White liquid feces may indicate a violation of the pancreas and liver (chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis, biliary dyskinesia ).
  4. White feces and dark urine are a direct indication for the immediate diagnosis of hepatitis. Especially worth paying attention if you combine dark urine and white feces with jaundice.
  5. Pain in the right hypochondrium and white feces can talk about pathologies of the liver or gallbladder. If pulling the right side and white stool has a usual consistency, it is still the reason for contacting a specialist.
  6. White feces and temperature can indicate the development of inflammatory processes in the body. If temperature, white feces and vomiting in a child are combined, this may be a sign of the development of rotavirus infectious disease. It should be noted that white feces with rotavirus are very often accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.
  7. White mucus in feces or feces with white coating may indicate internal fistulas in the intestine. In the case when white balls of mucus emerge with feces or if feces come out in a white coating in the form of a plaque, there is a possibility of a current proctitis development . The presence of white dots in the feces, similar to mucus, can say that pus from the inflamed intestine gets into the feces. In addition to the fact that the mucus in this case is similar to lumps of white fat in the feces, the patient can feel pain in the anus and other symptoms, up to a rise in temperature. In such a case, there may be almost white feces or feces with a normal color. Blood and white mucus in the feces may indicate concomitant fissures in the anus.
  8. A bad smell and often appearing almost white feces can be an indicator of various pathologies. Sometimes white feces are noted for cancer of the liver, pancreas or gallbladder. Foul-smelling white feces with pancreatitis may indicate the transition of the disease of the hepato-biliary system into a chronic form.
  9. Constipation and white feces can report liver or gallbladder dysfunction.
  10. White frothy feces speak of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, such as an ulcer or enterocolitis. If instead of feces a white foam, nuzheo urgently appeal to the gastroenterologist in order to avoid further consequences.
  11. White feces with dysbiosis have a color that is close to green. In this case, white feces and bloating can be combined.

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Diagnosis of light stools

Light feces are a symptom of many conditions. What white feces speak about can have fatal consequences and complications. Since this symptom may indicate the development of some serious diseases, including cancer and chronic diseases, a timely diagnosis of a light chair should be made.

First of all, you should take tests of feces, urine, general and biochemical blood tests.

Further instrumental diagnosis depends on the results of the analyzes. 

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Differential diagnostics 

Differential diagnosis is the delineation of the above diseases and conditions.

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What if the feces are white?

First of all, it is necessary to establish the cause and treat it precisely, and not to carry out symptomatic treatment of white feces. Medications are prescribed depending on the diagnosis. It is strictly forbidden to engage in self-medication. According to the doctor's prescription, you can resort to symptomatic treatment.

When diarrhea, vomiting and light stools should not be allowed to dehydration and take the drug for oral rehydration. You can use Regidron, which must be diluted in water at a rate of 1 packet per 1 liter of water. In therapeutic doses, this drug is harmless, but with overdose, general fatigue and drowsiness, arrhythmia can be observed. If a large overdose occurs, respiratory arrest may occur.

The remedy for diarrhea is Smecta, which is used up to three times a day, dissolving one dose of one sachet into half a cup of water. This drug can not be used for intestinal obstruction, as well as for hypersensitivity to components. It should be noted that Smecta can lead to constipation and stain the stool in a light color, so do not take this medicine if it previously caused a light stool color.

Treatment of diseases such as hepatitis, pancreatitis or cholecystitis requires complex therapy. When hepatitis is usually prescribed hepatoprotectors, such as Essentiale. Usually this drug is prescribed for 2 capsules no more than three times in 24 hours. Also, this drug is administered intravenously in an amount of about 10 ml per day. Use Essentiale is prohibited in case of individual hypersensitivity, intravenously is not allowed to appoint newborns and premature babies. Very rarely, as a side effect, diarrhea is observed.

With chronic pancreatitis and impaired pancreatic function, Pancreatin is taken. This drug is not used for acute pancreatitis or exacerbation of chronic, as well as in pediatric practice for children under 6 years. Pancreatin can only be prescribed by a doctor. Usually prescribed 1-2 tablets of the drug during or after a meal. With an overdose, constipation is possible (mainly in children), hyperuricemia. Possible adverse reactions in the form of violations of the gastrointestinal tract or allergic reactions.

As an auxiliary therapy, alternative treatment is used.

If a light stool indicates hepatitis, it is advised to brew a spoonful of raw corn stigmas in 200 ml of boiling water and drink this broth throughout the day.

Also, with hepatitis, you can take honey by dissolving a tablespoon of the product in 200 ml of water.

Also, studies have shown that in pancreatic diseases, black cumin should be taken. Another effective recipe is tincture on walnut leaves (100 g of leaves and 600 ml of vodka), which is infused for 7 days.

Herbal treatment is optional and can not be used as a basic therapy. However, depending on the etiology of the light stool, it is recommended to drink broths of different herbs. So, when hepatitis is advised to drink a decoction of sage or seeds of milk thistle. When problems with the pancreas use the so-called "Tibetan tea", consisting of the collection of St. John's Wort, birch buds, chamomile and immortelle.

Depending on the pathogenesis, homeopathy can be prescribed.

In case of hepatitis and cholecystitis, Pyrogenium is prescribed (from 6 to 200 doses per week), Selenium (from 6 to 30 dilutions), Phosphorus (from 3 to 30 dilutions), Kizil (from tincture to 6 dilutions). Contraindications are hypersensitivity to the components.

Since a light chair can be a manifestation of various pathologies, physiotherapeutic treatment can be prescribed for the diagnosis. With a particularly complex diagnosis, surgical treatment can be performed.

Prevention

Prevention of light stool is the prevention of diseases, the symptom of which it is. It is desirable to minimize the intake of alcohol, fatty foods, to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Forecast

The prognosis of this symptom depends on the disease, its form and stage. In most cases, if the patient duly complies with the doctor's instructions for adequate medication, the prognosis can be comforting. However, in cases of development of oncological pathologies or chronic diseases, different variants of the development of events are possible.

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