You might have experienced white stuff in your poop. The change of the color in stool varies to various factors such as the foods eaten and the physical health of an individual. Isolated appearance of the white substance can be ignored but subsequent appearances may indicate a possibility of an underlying problem. If the white spots persist in the poop, visiting a doctor should be considered to get to the bottom of the issue.
Causes of white stuff in poop
Lack of bile
The bile juice produced by the liver, and stored in the gall bladder, is responsible for giving our bowel movement, its typical brown color. If the liver is not able to produce bile or if the flow of bile juice is compromised, the poop may become light colored or even white. Also, the blockages of the bile tubes lead to the white substance in the poop. Patients with Hepatatis and Liver Cirrhosis may notice poop to be whitish. In addition, any problem with the gall bladder such as stones may hamper the release of the bile. Also, the blockages of the bile tubes lead to the white substance in the poop.
Mucus in the poop
The mucus may be secreted by the inner lining of the intestine as a response to its inflammation, or infection. When the mucus is produced in excess, it causes the stool to appear whitish. The walls of the Intestines produce excess mucus due to infections.
Parasitic Infections
The presence of the tapeworms in the stool may make it appear whitish. The parasite found in the unclean water could also be the possible reason of the infection. The parasite attaches itself to the wall of intestines and the most common symptoms of this infection include nausea, diarrhea and bloating.
Fungal Infections, Immunity Suppressed Illnesses and Certain Treatments
You may notice clumps of white stuff in stool, caused due to chronic fungal infections Candida yeast infections or have illness that compromise the immune system like AIDS or undergoing treatment like chemotherapy.
Oily stool
This occurs when the fatty substance in the food is not digested. The fat is then secreted as it is and it is coupled with a foul smell. The undigested fat appears as the whitish substance. The stool appears more oily and pale.
Antacids and antibiotics
Some of the medication prescribed that contains aluminum hydroxide, like antacids, leads to the whitish specks in the poop. Also, the residues from certain prescribed antibiotics may manifest in the form of white stuff in the stool.
Cancer
The presence of cancerous tissues could be the reason to the appearance of the white spots in stool. Most of the common symptoms of the cancer include yellow skin, poor appetite, back pain, tiredness and diarrhea. It is worth noting that the cases of cancer are usually very rare, with regards to white poop.
Other Factors
Among other issues that results in the whitish stool is due to allergy to lactose. After consuming dairy products such as milk cheese or butter, you are likely to have whitish stool. The products may not be able to be digested into the system hence they are excreted as they are. Poor digestion also leads to the whitish appearance in the stool. Weight lifting contributes to the excessive production of the calcium. The calcium may be excreted out through the poop therefore making the stool appear whitish. Sensitivity to gluten also may cause the white substance in the stool
Treatment for white spots in poop
The treatment of the whitish stool can only be achieved when you visit the doctor and test is done to establish the root cause of the whitish appearance. When the white stool is due to the liver problems, the correctional remedies should be done.
When the white spots are due to some medication, you may discuss with your doctor to substitute the medication. Also, you may be advised to stop using those drugs completely. For the excessive calcium production in the body, taking a vinegar solution may assist. The vinegar neutralizes the excess calcium by dissolving it.
Taking balanced diet may also assist in the prevention of the white substance. For those who are unable to digest fats, change of diet is advised. The appearance of the white patches, spots or specks should not be a reason to worry if they appear once in a while. If they appear frequently, it could not be possibly due to that food that you have eaten, you could be facing a very huge underlying problem that ought to be corrected to avoid complications.
Other accompanying symptoms such as high fever, severe abdominal pain and dehydration along with white poop, need to be given urgent medical attention.
