Thin poop what does that mean

Rather, IBS is defined as gastrointestinal symptoms that show up together. Symptoms appear differently in every person, including in severity and duration. However, the standard duration is at least 3 months. The exact cause of IBS is still unknown.

As well, symptoms may resolve only to return. IBS is associated with a number of common symptoms , including :. Treatments for IBS are primarily focused on symptom management :. Some intestinal infections such as salmonella , gastroenteritis , and shigellosis may cause loose stools or diarrhea.

You may get one of these infections through ingesting contaminated food or water, or coming into contact with someone who is sick. Intestinal infections may be marked by the following symptoms :. If stringy poop is caused by a parasite or other infection, you may need medication to clear it up. Most parasites are treated with anti-parasitic drugs. Some are eliminated in one treatment, while others require treatment for several weeks. Salmonella and other intestinal infections often clear up on their own in several days.

In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or antidiarrheal medications. Some intestinal parasites, such as giardia , may cause loose, thin stools.

If you have a parasite, you may have other symptoms such as:. A combination of surgery and medication may be needed. If it happens for more than a week, or you also have vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, or rectal bleeding, you should call your doctor.

They will discuss your symptoms and determine if tests or treatment are needed. Most people experience stringy poop at least once. In most cases, the outlook is good. When stringy poop is caused by a serious condition, your outlook depends on how quickly you receive care and the extent of the damage.

In many cases, dietary changes, medication, surgery, and good aftercare successfully resolves symptoms. When it comes to poop, the important thing is for you to know what is normal for you.

The details of your poop can provide clues to your state of health. With Michael F. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Floch MH. Irritable bowel syndrome and functional gastrointestinal disorders. In: Netter's Gastroenterology. Philadelphia, Pa.

Accessed Nov. Signs and symptoms of colon cancer. American Cancer Society. Wald A. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Picco MF expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. See also Mucus in stool: A concern? Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. An isolated pencil thin stool or stringy poop can be nothing to worry about. Sometimes it's associated with diarrhea that is from either an infectious cause such as salmonella or a medical one, such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , Crohn's, or ulcerative colitis, and can be thin because the stool hasn't spent enough time in the colon to bulk itself up.

Other times, thin poop occurs because you're actually constipated and there isn't enough fiber and water to bulk up the stool. If diarrhea is the culprit, the remedy here is to address the underlying cause of the rapidly moving stool: Make sure to stay hydrated , and wait it out. If the loose stool persists for longer than two or three days, that would be a reason to visit your doctor.

If your poop is thin or stringy because you're constipated , that's pretty easily addressed. Try taking a probiotic supplement to aid digestion. Notice I mentioned fruits last? That's because they should be considered a side dish, not a main course, due to their high sugar content.

Thin poop that occurs infrequently isn't something to worry about. But what if your poop has been thin or stringy for a few weeks? That's a situation in which it's a good idea to see a doctor since it could be a uterine fibroid that has grown large enough to press on the outside of the colon and become a restriction on the colon from the outside.

If you're male, this would not apply to you. Other causes of thin stool can be intestinal scarring that's a result of abdominal surgery cesarean section, tubal ligation, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, removal of an ovarian cyst, etc. You can also have thin stools when the colon is over-distended. In this case, there is stool that is basically blocking the colon, and thin, less compacted bands of stool are able to pass around the blockage. This is another reason to seek medical advice from your physician, since it is an extreme case of constipation and often needs assistance from a medical provider to resolve.

In some cases, stringy poop may be caused by a parasite or other infection, in which case you may need medication from your doctor to remedy the problem. While thin poop is likely not colorectal or colon cancer , if your symptoms are ongoing, you may want to speak to your doctor to check. Additional warning signs for cancer can include blood in the stool, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain that is focused on the left and typically more constant than infrequent , and unexplained anemia.

The take-home message here is that, most of the time, thin poop is nothing to worry about and will pass on its own. If it lasts for longer than one to two weeks and is associated with additional symptoms, then it would be a good idea to visit your medical provider.