What It Means When Poop Is Fluffy, Hard, Colored, and More
Understanding the Strange Appearance of Stool
Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD
Unusual-looking poop, such as poop that is fluffy or has ragged and torn edges, can be a sign that something is not right in your digestive system. Although there is wide variability as to what a normal stool can look like, there are also some significant changes to stool appearance that may warrant follow-up.
Healthcare providers use a chart called the Bristol Stool Chart to help describe differences in the color, shape, and consistency of stool. These differences can help diagnose gastrointestinal conditions like constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
This article goes over some of the stool characteristics that could indicate a problem in your gastrointestinal system.
Takeaway
If the appearance of your stool has changed, it is essential that you bring it to the attention of your healthcare provider.
Hard Stools
Hard stools are those pebbly nuggets that are hard to pass. Sometimes the pebbles lump together into one larger mass that passes through in a single bowel movement. In such cases, there may be a sharp edge to the front of this lump. At other times, only a single pebble or a few small nuggets make their way out during a bowel movement.
Takeaway
Hard stools indicate that the fecal matter lacks sufficient moisture, typically because it has been in the large intestine for too long.
Some of the more common causes of hard stool include:
Not drinking enough liquids
Not eating enough fiber
Waiting too long to have a bowel movement
Health problems with constipation as a symptom
Related: What to Do When You Have Hard Stools
Loose Stools
Loose stools are those with a loose, watery appearance. Most often loose stools are associated with the frequent bowel movements of diarrhea.
At times, loose stool may be accompanied by strong urges for passage or a sense of urgency to get to a bathroom quickly. Typically, stools become looser and more watery with repeated trips to the bathroom.
Loose stools can be caused by:
Diet
Stress
Intestinal infection
Health problems with diarrhea as a symptom
Medications with diarrhea as a side effect
Related: What Are the Causes and Fixes of Loose Stool?
Floating Stools
Floating stools can be caused by something relatively harmless or be an indicator of a more serious health problem.
Your floating stools are not something to be too concerned about if they are:
Infrequent
Accompanied by intestinal gas
Associated with a recent diet change
Takeaway
If you start to experience floating stools on a regular basis, it is essential to tell your healthcare provider. Floating stools may be the result of too much fat in your stool, a condition known as steatorrhea.
Other symptoms of steatorrhea include:
Foul smell
Oily appearance
Soiling episodes
Steatorrhea may indicate a problem with fat malabsorption. This means that fats are not being broken down and digested completely in the small intestine. This may be the result of a lack of adequate amounts of pancreatic enzymes and/or bile acids. The cause of these insufficiencies include:
Certain diseases such as pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis
Gallbladder removal
Medication side effects
Related: Causes of Floating Stool
Fluffy Stools
Stool that looks fluffy or mushy and has ragged edges may be an early sign of diarrhea or it may indicate that you have excess fat in your stool. If you have poop that looks this way and it doesn't resolve after a few days, it could mean your body isn't absorbing nutrients the way it should be.
Fluffy or mushy poop could be a symptom of a number of conditions, including:
Celiac disease
Irritable bowel syndrome
Pancreatitis
Giardiasis
See a healthcare provider if this symptom happens more than just occasionally or if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, blood in the stool, or unexplained weight loss.
Strangely Colored Stools
Normal stools can come in a range of colors, including:
Different hues of brown
Tan
Yellow
The following stool color changes should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider:
Mucus Covered Stools
Mucus is that clear or slightly yellow gunky substance that sometimes is eliminated alongside the fecal matter of a bowel movement. Small amounts of mucus on the stool are considered normal. Larger amounts indicate the presence of an infection or a more chronic health problem.
Related: Mucus in Your Stool
Bloody Stools
If you see any sign of blood in your stool, you must immediately bring it to the attention of your healthcare provider. The blood may appear bright or dark red and may or may not include clots. Black or tar-colored stools can also be a sign of the presence of blood, but not always.
Blood in stools does not always mean that there is something dangerously wrong with you. It could just be the result of a bleeding hemorrhoid or anal fissure. However, some serious health conditions, such as cancer, can cause blood in the stools.
Takeaway
See your healthcare provider for immediate medical investigation of any sign that blood is present in the stool.
Pencil Thin Stools
If you only experience thin stool every now and then, it is probably not cause for significant concern as this is not necessarily a sign of a serious health problem. However, you should still bring the symptom to your healthcare provider's attention. If you are experiencing persistent pencil-thin stools you need to tell your healthcare provider immediately.
The causes of pencil-thin stools include:
Diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease
Scar tissue in the colon
Summary
Stools can vary in consistency from hard to watery. Floating stools, stools that are fluffy or ragged, and stools that are an unusual color, contain mucus, or are pencil-thin can be a sign that there is something wrong in your digestive system.
Changes in the consistency and color of your stool don't always indicate a health problem. Sometimes these changes can happen because of something you ate. See a healthcare provider, however, if the changes persist for longer than a few days or if they are accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.