What does black poop mean? — Causes and consequences

The normal color of stool is brown, although the acceptable color range is quite wide. If strong changes occur, such as black stool, this can easily cause concern. In fact, the meaning of such a symptom varies. Some reasons are completely harmless, while others are quite serious illnesses.

If significant changes occur in the color of stool, then, first of all, you need to think about what foods or medications you have taken recently. The chair is very easily stained, for example, due to ordinary prunes.

In this case, it is enough to wait a few days, eliminating the probable cause of the new color from the diet. If during this time there is no improvement, you will have to consult a doctor to find the cause.

Causes of dark stools

The reasons for the appearance of black feces can be different and its appearance does not always mean something bad. This phenomenon can occur in both women and men. Children are also not immune to black feces. All the reasons why stool turns black can be divided into two main categories:

1. Physiological;
2. Pathological.

Physiological causes are less dangerous and usually go away once the source of the problem is eliminated. Pathological ones are associated with dangerous changes in the body and often require medical intervention. The main factor in identifying the root cause is the general well-being of a person.

Provoking factors

The appearance of dark-colored feces is very often associated with the development of ulcerative pathological changes in the jejunum and stomach. Black feces may indicate cirrhosis, hepatitis B, A and C.

If the appearance of black feces is observed against the background of a person’s poor health, then you should urgently sound the alarm and do not delay a visit to a medical facility.

The following pathologies provoke the appearance of black stools:

• stomach ulcer;
• acute lymphoblastic leukemia;
• varicose veins of the esophagus;
• tumor formations in the stomach (for example, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer);
• inflammatory process of the intestines and esophagus.

What foods cause black stool?

If you see your own black feces, you shouldn’t panic right away. Most likely the reason is the food eaten the day before. In the vast majority of cases, this is what causes the change in color of stool.

The most common foods that cause blackening of stool are:

• after beets and salads with them;
• coffee;
• red wine;
• blueberries, blueberries, currants, pomegranate, black grapes, chokeberries, blackberries;
• dried prune fruits;
• bananas;
• tomatoes and juice from them;
• so-called blood sausages and medium-rare steaks;
• liver.

Moreover, there is no need to worry if the change in color of stool is not accompanied by painful or uncomfortable sensations. Just observe your stool patterns for a few days. If the changes are caused by food, then during this time everything will return to normal.

Etiology

There are several groups of reasons why black feces occur. So-called harmless factors include food or drinks that turn the bowel movements dark. If you refrain from taking them for several days, the discharge will return to normal color. Such products include:

• prunes;
• pomegranate and black currant;
• blueberries and dark grapes;
• blood and liver;
• tomatoes and beets;
• juices from the listed fruits and vegetables;
• high-calorie dishes;
• strong black tea and coffee.

Such reasons can cause darkening of stool not only in an adult, but also in a child. If the stool is shaped and does not come out in liquid form, and the process is not accompanied by an increase in body temperature, there is no need to worry. People often notice black fibers in their stool and mistake them for worms. But these are just particles of food that have changed color, for example, a banana, and parasites, if they are found in the discharge, are of a completely different color.

The second group of factors consists of medications:

• black activated carbon;
• medications containing large amounts of iron;
• vitamin complexes;
• heartburn remedies;
• some anti-inflammatory drugs.

Instructions for medications usually indicate that they can lead to a change in the color of stool. This means that before using it, you need to familiarize yourself with it and the side effects, and if this is the problem, you don’t have to consult a doctor - after completing the course of treatment, the feces will return to their normal color. But if during therapy the black stool has a liquid consistency, you should immediately contact a specialist for help.

Sometimes black feces are the first symptom of serious illnesses, such as:

• internal bleeding;
• formation of ulcers;
• oncological neoplasms;
• dilation of veins in the esophagus;
• gastritis;
• plague;
• Crohn's disease, localized in the large intestine;
• histoplasmosis and hookworm disease;
• lymphoblastic leukemia.

Often, black feces occur in a child, but unlike adults, in very rare cases it is a sign of a disease. Basically, the reasons for the appearance lie in what foods the child was given to eat the day before. These include some fruits and vegetables, as well as prunes. All parents are frightened by the color and consistency of the stool of a newly born baby (in the first few days of life), since the child’s first stool, meconium, is most often of a liquid consistency and black, but this is quite normal. But a little time will pass and the discharge will take on a light brown tint.

Possible causes of different stool colors

If black feces appear in an older child, parents should not panic, but need to remember what foods he ate or what medications he took. If the child is healthy and mobile, then there is no need to worry, but if weakness, nausea and intense abdominal pain also appear, he should be shown to a doctor. It must be remembered that pathological processes develop much faster in a child than in adults.

Black stool most often occurs during pregnancy, as women try to take more vitamins, supplements containing iron, and eat rationally, i.e., eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and prunes, which will also lead to colored stool. This means that if such a feature is not accompanied by deterioration in health, there is no reason to worry about the course of pregnancy and the state of health of the child.

Medicines that cause stool to darken

These include:

1. Activated carbon, which is often taken for intoxication. During the removal of coal from the body, the color of the stool changes to black. This phenomenon can last for several days, and then everything goes away without consequences.
2. Medicines aspirin, nimesil, ibuprofen and long-term use of antibiotics can also change the color of stool.
3. Bismuth-containing drugs prescribed for the treatment of intestinal ulcers and other pathologies developing in the duodenum.
4. The color of excrement is affected by certain vitamins (which include blueberries or iron) and iron-containing preparations. A change in stool color is not an indication to stop taking the drug. Feces may remain black throughout the course of therapy and up to 7 days after its completion.

Dark feces: list of possible diseases

The appearance of dark stool in an adult may indicate the following diseases:

1. Food poisoning is considered the most common cause of any problems with feces in humans. Various viruses and bacteria that penetrate the gastrointestinal tract with dirty, stale or poorly prepared foods can provoke intoxication of the body. Poisoning can be suspected if accompanying symptoms occur, such as attacks of nausea and vomiting, stool upset, headache and dark green stool. Certain types of poisoning pose a serious threat to the patient's health and can provoke dysbacteriosis and chronic enteritis.
2. Ulcers are a very common cause of internal bleeding. Ulcers are open wounds that bleed when they come into contact with food. The blood is then transported in the large intestine and mixed with feces.
3. Intestinal diverticulitis is a dangerous pathological condition that is accompanied by a rapidly progressing inflammatory process in the intestinal mucosa. Diverticula are small protrusions of the intestinal walls, resembling a hernia. The leading cause of their appearance is considered to be weakness of the intestinal muscles and constant problems with bowel movements. Diverticulum usually manifests itself acutely, and inflammation of the intestines causes changes in the color and composition of stool, as well as a rise in body temperature and increased gas production. In addition, the patient complains of lack of appetite, attacks of nausea and vomiting, combined with a deterioration in general health.
4. Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract most often appears as a complication of a stomach ulcer or varicose veins. When there is bleeding in the digestive system, the patient complains of an unexpected deterioration in general health, the development of severe vomiting, a change in the consistency of the stool and its dark color. This condition is considered extremely complex and can lead to the death of the patient.
5. Esophageal varicose veins are a disruption of the esophageal veins in the esophagus. The disease can manifest itself as dull pain behind the sternum, nausea, the appearance of black stools of liquid consistency, and sudden weight loss.
6. Colitis is a disease that is accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process in the colon. The main reason for its development is considered to be bacterial infection, chemical poisoning and severe stress. In fact, the tendency to inflammatory processes in the intestines is inherited. Signs of colitis include a constant urge to go to the toilet, dark stool, a rise in body temperature, and pain in the abdomen. Most often, with this pathology, the stool becomes liquid and may contain blood. This sign may indicate that the human body cannot sufficiently absorb carbohydrates.
7. Haemorrhoids. Characterized by inflammation of the hemorrhoidal veins. It occurs due to heavy lifting, a sedentary lifestyle, constipation and problems with bowel movements. It manifests itself as bleeding outside the stool - the feces may remain brown, and a small stream of blood flows separately from the anus, which confuses the patient.
8. Cancer of the stomach, esophagus, duodenum - oncological processes that develop as a result of ulcers, polyps and other diseases, manifested by periodic darkening of the color of stool and vomiting with blood.

Black feces caused by gastrointestinal pathology require immediate examination by a doctor, identification of its causes and treatment. Internal bleeding may manifest itself in a slightly different way, requiring emergency assistance - calling an ambulance. Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract is usually accompanied by additional symptoms:

• weakness, dizziness;
• tachycardia;
• vomiting blood;
• sharp pallor.

With severe bleeding, acute heart failure develops quite quickly, accompanied by pain. The condition will only get worse and can be fatal. Before the ambulance arrives, it is not recommended to take medications on your own to stop it. In the postoperative period, such a symptom may indicate the development of bleeding.

Dark stool during pregnancy: causes of the condition

Pregnant women can also experience dark stool, which is directly related to the presence of the following conditions:

1. Iron-deficiency anemia. A change in stool color is not caused by the disease itself, but by the need to correct the condition of the body with iron supplements (without them, the hemoglobin level remains unchanged, which will affect the condition of the fetus and mother).
2. Impaired liver function. Women notice additional (and in some cases excessive) load on the liver during pregnancy. This is due to an expansion of the diet and the need to take certain medications. A sign of a liver problem will be, first of all, very dark stools, an unpleasant bitter taste where the root of the tongue touches the palate, a dull pain in the right side, increased fatigue, and drowsiness.

Despite these reasons, expectant mothers need to know that both of these conditions can be eliminated even before pregnancy - correcting hemoglobin levels and treating the liver. It is also necessary to emphasize that these health problems are not associated with hormonal changes inherent in the body of pregnant women.

Forecast

Gastritis has become a common disease of our time, which is associated with the fast pace of modern life, irregular and poor-quality nutrition.

Experts say there has been a significant increase in this disease over the past 10 years. According to statistics, in developed countries, 95% of the population has problems with the digestive system.

People who drink large doses of alcohol and take corticosteroids are at risk. Pathological changes that occur in the body at advanced stages of the disease cause bleeding, the symptom of which is the appearance of black feces.

Treatment of gastritis in the early stages is effective and treatable. In advanced stages, the disease will cause significant complications:

• stomach ulcers;
• bleeding;
• transition of the disease to a chronic form.

Esophageal cancer is a common disease in adults. If there is bleeding in the later stages of the disease, such people experience black stool.

The earlier the disease is detected, the greater the likelihood of a favorable prognosis in the treatment of the disease.

In total, there are 4 stages and each of them has its own healing process:

• first stage - 90%;
• second stage - 50%;
• third stage - only 10% live 10 years;
• stage four - life expectancy is no more than 6 months and there is practically no chance of cure.

Black feces can be the result of either a harmless reaction of the body or be a harbinger of serious problems that require immediate treatment.

Normal stool from a healthy person has a brown tint, and any deviations indicate an abnormal reaction of the body to the processes occurring in it.

Diagnostics

In the absence of obvious signs of illness, you can observe a change in the color of the stool for several days. If the cause is the intake of coloring substances into the body along with foods, then after eliminating them from the diet, the color should normalize. If the problem persists for several days, you should consult your doctor for diagnosis.

Problems in the digestive system are indicated by the black color and smell of feces. At the same time, by the nature of the smell, you can determine the most likely problem area in the human body.

The nature of the smell says a lot:

• putrefactive - problems in the digestive system associated with disruption of protein breakdown processes or chronic inflammation of the large intestine;
• rancid - problems with the digestive tract associated with pancreatic secretion or lack of bile in the intestines;
• sour - the presence of dyspepsia, that is, enzyme deficiency.

To determine the causes and treatment, the following tests are prescribed:

1. Coprogram. The naked eye evaluates the color of the stool, mucus and pieces of undigested food. Small inclusions in the stool, such as villi or strings, can also be detected. This method allows you to detect altered red blood cells in the stool using a microscopic examination - a sign of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Analysis of stool for dysentery group with determination of sensitivity to antibiotics. If black or dark green feces appear, diarrhea, fever and stomach pain, these are symptoms of an infectious disease (shigellosis, salmonellosis).
3. Stool test for occult blood (Gregersen test or ICA). Prescribed when the color of the stool is normal, if there is a sign of internal bleeding. A week before the test, you must follow a special diet, which means excluding meat, liver, fish and tomatoes. Avoid the use of oral medications (bismuth, iron). Do not brush your teeth for 3 days before the test.
4. Complete blood count with leukocyte formula. Tarry stool indicates heavy bleeding, which is accompanied by clinical signs of anemia (pallor, shortness of breath) and changes in blood tests: the level of hemoglobin and hematocrit becomes less than normal.

Such diagnostic methods make it possible to accurately determine the presence of pathological changes in the human body and develop therapeutic treatment tactics.

Treatment

If the cause is the entry of coloring pigments into the body during the use of medications or after eating food, then to restore the color of stool it is enough to eliminate coloring products and medications.

In case of serious problems, the likelihood of needing hospitalization is very high. In some cases it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. If your condition suddenly worsens, you should immediately contact an ambulance service. Before the doctors arrive, the patient should not be given water or food; if possible, try to ensure recumbent rest.

For serious pathologies, the doctor can prescribe only two types of treatment - surgery and medication. Any therapy necessarily involves a low-calorie diet and bed rest.

Under what circumstances do you need to urgently call an ambulance?

If the cause of unusual stool in a person is bleeding or the development of a disease, it is usually accompanied by:

• abdominal pain;
• increase in temperature (sometimes very sharp and dangerous - up to 41˚C);
• dizziness;
• nausea and/or vomiting (including blood);
• presence of blood in feces;
• bleeding from the anus.

If you have at least one of the listed symptoms, immediately call an ambulance or try to get to the hospital yourself as soon as possible!

It is especially important to do this if you are diagnosed with an ulcer, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or another disease described in the previous sections. Remember that even a 5-minute delay can cause death, since often very dark or black-green stool is a consequence of internal bleeding. Also, do not delay visiting a doctor if you have been experiencing symptoms for several days or the problem has occurred in a small child older than one week.

Symptoms

Serious symptoms are abnormal behavior of the body and a person usually experiences the following symptoms:

• stomach pain;
• temperature increase;
• heartburn;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pale skin;
• dizziness;
• increased sweating;
• bleeding from the anus.

Against the background of such a reaction of the body, anemia, constipation, and diarrhea may occur. Sometimes the appearance of black stool is a consequence of bleeding after surgery.

The disintegration of malignant tumors also leads to internal bleeding, leading to the coloring of stool in a rich black color.

The presence of viral or bacterial infections can also be a provoking factor for the appearance of chernukha.

Prevention

Prevention of black stool is:

• consuming small amounts of foods such as black pudding, grapes, prunes, blueberries, tea and coffee, as well as medications that can color the discharge;
• maintaining a balanced diet - meals should not be high in calories;
• At the first symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction, seek advice from specialists. This should be done as soon as possible if this feature of the color of feces was discovered in children, because pathological processes in a child’s body proceed much faster than in an adult;
• regular visits to an obstetrician-gynecologist by a pregnant woman;
• undergoing examination at the clinic at least twice a year.

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Complementary and alternative treatments at home

The main rule of treatment is moderation in diet and adherence to a correct lifestyle. For the treatment and prevention of diseases such as gastritis and ulcers, the fasting method can be used.

The therapeutic effect is achieved by maintaining a break in food intake, which allows the mucous membrane of the organs to recover. This method should be approached with caution and used only under the supervision of a physician.

Nutrition and supplements

Proper and balanced nutrition contributes to the normal functioning of the digestive system, failures in which lead to the appearance of black feces.

You should pay close attention to the calorie content of the food you eat and avoid spicy and salty foods as much as possible. Don't get carried away with fast foods and dry snacks.

It is recommended to provide the body with a balanced and proper diet, with a sufficient level of fruits and vegetables in the menu. The diet should include:

• dairy products;
• various types of cereals;
• bran;
• vegetables and fruits.

When preparing dishes, it is better to use the steam cooking method. Try not to eat foods that are too hot, as they provoke the formation of new foci of erosion in the stomach.

Do not overuse antibiotics. It is necessary to take such drugs only as prescribed by the attending physician in compliance with all rules and dosages according to the instructions.

Uncontrolled use of antibiotics will ultimately lead to an imbalance of the intestinal microflora, which can lead to serious pathological changes in the future.

Folk remedies

The experience of traditional medicine is effectively used to prevent and eliminate the root cause of the appearance of black stools.