Stool color usually tells a lot about your health. Although stool color may vary from one individual to another depending on the lifestyle, there are particularly peculiar characteristics exhibited by some stool that may be a cause of concern. For a normal healthy individual, their poop is usually light to dark brown. Any other color and there may be a mishap somewhere. Black poop could mean a variety of things as explained below.
Why are there changes in poop color?
Although your discharge can vary in color, experiencing a significant shift in color and texture should raise some alarms, as there could be an underlying condition that you need it to be corrected as soon as possible. The fact that there is a change in your poop color and texture could only mean that the body is doing something differently, while it should perform its operations with some degree of normalcy. Dark stool in most cases is summed up using the term black stool.
What is black stool?
This is a situation where stool is black in color. There are several causes for this trend and as such, it is advisable to assess your lifestyle before making any diagnosis. In some cases, it may be normal, whereas in others it may be a case of ingestion of certain medication such as iron that darkens your stool discharge.
Causes of Black Stool
Iron supplements can cause black stool or even green bowel movement. Black colored poop can also be caused by eating foods which are dark blue, dark green or black in color. So blueberries, bismuth and black licorice can cause such an outcome. When your stool is black due to consumption of food, supplements or medication, it is known as ‘false melena’ – black color in your stool without bleeding.
Sometimes, the stool has a very foul smell and has a tarry texture. In such cases, this may be the work of gastrointestinal bleeding ranging from the gullet, stomach to the small intestines. Black stool can also be caused by a number of conditions:
Gastritis
This is the inflammation of the stomach lining, mostly due to overindulgence in alcohol, eating spicy foods, or having an infection with bacteria.
Mallory-Weiss tear
When the mucous membrane that joins the esophagus to the stomach experiences a tear, it can cause bleeding, ultimately leading to melena. Although rare, it can be caused by intense vomiting, epileptic episodes, and violent coughing.
Esophageal Varices
As the name suggests, this is a condition in the esophagus. Patients with this condition are very prone to bleeding, and it is usually a side condition to cirrhosis. Due to their bleeding tendencies, patients’ stool appears to be darker than usual. The symptoms of this condition depend on whether it is in its early or latter stages. Some of the most common signs include dizzy spells and vomiting. In addition, the stool discharged may appear significantly darker in color. Varices, being one of the illnesses associated with liver disease, can also have the patients experiencing other symptoms such as building up of fluid in the abdomen area, yellow eyes which appear teary, and being easily prone to bleeding and sustaining minor bruises.
The main cause of esophageal varices is the blockage of blood flow from the liver. The blockage may be caused by old tissue, and while the blood flow begins to back up, pressure begins to mount on the vein that supplies blood to the liver, therefore forcing the blood to look for alternative pathways through smaller, more vulnerable veins, mostly in the lower part of the esophagus. The pressure on these smaller veins causes rupture and ultimately internal bleeding. This bleeding may decolorize the stool, leading to its dark color.
The prevention of varices starts with oneself as an individual, since there is no treatment that can prevent its development. There are a number of lifestyle practices that can be improved to maintain a healthy body such as minimizing alcohol intake and maintaining a healthy weight.
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Another possible cause of black poop is peptic ulcers. These are painful sores in the abdomen area, specifically in the lower part of the stomach and the duodenum. Ulcers have no definitive cause, but an imbalance of digestive juices is one major cause. They can be caused by a number of factors with excessive use of painkillers and abuse of alcohol being the frontrunners. Other than that, there is also the prospect of developing ulcers from radiation treatment and excessive production of gastrointestinal gases in the stomach.
The major symptoms of peptic ulcers include dark stool, weight loss and sharp pain in the abdomen area. There are certain demographics that are prone to ulcers, and it is crucial to know whether you fall under that category so as to seek treatment early enough. People in families that have a history of ulcers are more likely to develop the condition. The older generation (50 and over) are also more likely to have a change in intestinal juice balance, leading to peptic ulcers.
Untreated ulcers can lead to serious health complications in future. One way of treating ulcers is a lifestyle change, surgery, and specialized medication.
The only sure way to know what the meaning of dark stool is to seek medical help. Otherwise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital for the proper functioning of the body.
