Mucus in Stool
What is Mucus in Stool?
Do you know that your stomach is capable of digesting itself due to the strong acid produced by cells in your stomach? There is a thick protective mucus barrier which prevents that from happening, and without it, ulcers can form which can lead to poor digestion and abdominal pain symptoms.
This jelly-like substance also keeps the lining of your colon moist and lubricated. Usually, experiencing a small amount of mucus in your stool should not be worrisome. Mucus can appear clear, white or yellow.
The presence of large amounts of visible mucus in your stool might be a sign of an underlying digestive problem. Sometimes it can be accompanied by other symptoms, which could be indicative of an underlying problem that may be serious. Symptoms like stomach pain, bloating, cramping, changes in bowel movements or blood in the stool can be present.
If you have concerns about excessive mucus in your motion. Seek medical attention from a gastroenterologist specialist if it persists after a few weeks and there are other symptoms of a gastrointestinaI problem.
Excess mucus in the stool may point toward an underlying gastrointestinal (GI) problem. These GI problems can stem from a benign cause to a more serious condition such as an infection, inflammation or cancer.
Other causes include:
- Intestinal infection
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Malabsorption
- Colon cancer
- Cystic fibrosis
- Medications such as antibiotics
Your doctors may need to take a complete medical history and perform further tests including blood, stool tests and colonoscopy to confirm the underlying problem.
Treatment of the excess mucus will depend on the underlying medical problem. Your doctor may use a combination of lifestyle/dietary changes and prescription-only medications to help treat the underlying GI condition.
