The composition of feces can tell a lot about human health. Moreover, special attention is paid not only to its smell and texture, but also to color. If suddenly the stool becomes black and liquid, you need to see a doctor. A specialist will help to understand the causes of such changes, and if necessary, prescribe treatment.
Normal stool color in adults
In different people, the shade of feces can vary depending on certain factors. This indicator is affected by the diet for the last few days, the individual characteristics of the body, as well as the presence of bile. In a healthy person, a decorated chair is considered to be the norm, uniform and dense in its consistency. Its color should be as close as possible to tan. A slight change is allowed in the direction of a dark shade, but not black.
Any deviations from the norm should alert. A change in the consistency and color of bowel movements usually indicates serious violations in the body. Black diarrhea is an alarming symptom that cannot be ignored. Such a disorder can be due to both physiological causes and health problems. We consider each of the cases in more detail.
Physiological reasons
The color of feces affects the daily diet of a person. Certain foods (beetroot, black pudding) can give a dark shade to stool . However, they do not affect the consistency of the stool, therefore, in this case, diarrhea is not necessary. Some coloring products with excessive consumption still contribute to diarrhea. A prominent representative of this group is the well-known prune.
Diarrhea of black color may occur after taking activated carbon. However, the drug itself does not cause diarrhea. If the disorder already occurs, and the patient decided to take activated charcoal, then the stool may change its color to black. This medication is not absorbed in the intestine, but acts as a sorbent. The tablet absorbs toxins and other harmful substances, after which it is excreted from the body.
Black diarrhea, the causes of which are physiological in nature, is not dangerous for the body. This is a temporary phenomenon that passes very quickly. The disorder does not require specific therapy, just reconsider your diet. If diarrhea lasts more than three days, it is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo an examination.
Black Diarrhea Diseases
Sometimes staining loose stools in black indicates violations in the digestive tract. Such a symptom appears with bleeding in the stomach or esophagus. The duodenum may also be involved in the pathological process. Blood mixes with bile. Therefore, the color of feces changes from brown to dark.
The following pathologies can provoke internal bleeding and, as a result, black loose stools:
- Stomach ulcer. The pathology is characterized by the appearance of black diarrhea, severe pain in the epigastrium, vomiting.
- Gastritis. There are many varieties of this disease. For example, erosive gastritis often leads to internal bleeding.
- Stomach cancer. At first, the disease is asymptomatic, but is detected only with a profile examination. The appearance of black liquid stool indicates the progression of pathology.
- Varicose veins of the esophagus. This disorder can lead to bowel movements in black, but is not always accompanied by loose stools. The veins of the esophagus are fragile, so they are easily damaged by food.
- Polyps. These are benign lesions that can be localized in the stomach or esophagus. After they are discovered, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, polyps can transform into cancerous tumors.
Any of the listed diseases requires competent treatment. Therefore, do not drag out a visit to the doctor in order to prevent the development of complications.
Black diarrhea during pregnancy
During the bearing of the baby, the woman’s body undergoes various changes. The hormonal background is being reorganized, the taste preferences and needs of the future mother are changing. Black diarrhea during pregnancy is not uncommon. Gynecologists warn about this in advance.
The reasons for such changes are fairly clear. After the conception of a child, a woman begins to take vitamin complexes and various supplements so that the fetus develops correctly. Very often in their composition there is an increased content of iron. This trace element also leads to a change in the color of feces to black. This symptom indicates that all the vitamins that the future mother takes are absorbed in full. Their excess is similarly excreted in order not to harm the growing fetus.
When to see a doctor?
Stool disorder does not always occur without complications. When alarming signs appear, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor. Symptoms include:
- the presence of mucus in the feces;
- the number of bowel movements per day exceeds 20 times;
- increase in body temperature;
- severe abdominal pain;
- change in human consciousness.
If black loose stools is accompanied by one or more of the symptoms on this list, a medical team must be called in. Hospitalization is indicated for patients with such disorders. Already in the hospital, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the disorder and prescribe treatment.
The basic principles of therapy
Black diarrhea in an adult is a symptom of disorders in the body, and not an independent ailment. After a full examination, the doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis. The treatment of the disorder depends on the identified disease, the nature of its course and the condition of the body. The administration of drugs with diarrhea can be limited only if the violation is caused by physiological reasons. In all other situations, a qualified approach to solving the problem is required.
For example, antibiotics and medications are prescribed to treat ulcers and gastritis to reduce the acidity of gastric juice. All drugs are selected individually, and the duration of their administration usually does not exceed 10 days. Also, patients with this diagnosis are recommended a special diet.
Black diarrhea is often accompanied by bleeding in the digestive tract. The most dangerous complication of the pathology is stomach cancer. If tumor formations are detected, surgical intervention is indicated, and then a course of chemotherapy is prescribed. The operation is possible only if the cancer has not had time to metastasize.
If the cause of bleeding is polyps in the stomach, they should also be removed. Surgery is the only way to treat an ailment. After the operation, constant monitoring of the health status of the gastroenterologist is required.
Drug use
Of course, each of us at least once in a life had to deal with this violation. In most cases, people do not pay attention to black diarrhea. Their treatment is usually limited to taking antidiarrheal drugs.
A popular medicine from this group of drugs is Loperamide. It quickly restores peristalsis, but is dangerous for the development of complications. After taking it, slight intoxication of the body is possible due to the penetration of harmful elements into the blood. Therefore, immediately after Loperamide, Enterosgel should be taken. This sorbent absorbs toxins perfectly and removes them from the body.
If loose stools are dark in color, you should try to analyze your diet over the past few days. What causes diarrhea is easy to understand. Certain foods or medicines may have affected the disorder. Therefore, for some time you should abandon them. Most likely, after a few days the condition returns to normal.
Therapeutic diet
During diarrhea, doctors, in addition to drug therapy, prescribe a special diet. It implies the exclusion of fatty and spicy foods, canned foods and pickles from the diet. Also banned are soda and butter.
All food should be as light and simple as possible. Do not overload the intestines, which require a long rest. With diarrhea, you can eat boiled meat of chicken or rabbit, rice porridge without milk. Particular attention is recommended to be given to the drinking regimen, because with diarrhea, the body loses a large amount of water.
Help traditional medicine
How can I get rid of diarrhea at home? Opponents of drugs prefer to treat stool disorder with folk remedies. The recipe with rice broth is the most popular among them . To prepare it, you need half a glass of cereal. Rice should be boiled in a liter of water, allowed to cool and strain. It is recommended to take the medicine instead of eating five times a day.
A decoction of blueberries also helps with diarrhea. At home, cooking it is not difficult. It will take a tablespoon of dried berries, pour 500 ml of water, boil and leave to simmer over low heat. After half the volume of liquid disappears, the decoction can be used for medicinal purposes. It is recommended to take it once a day for a tablespoon.
Preventive measures
To prevent diarrhea and its complications, doctors recommend following simple rules:
- wash your hands thoroughly before eating;
- do not use expired eggs, milk, etc .;
- wash fruits and vegetables under running water.
Every conscious person should know what causes diarrhea and try to avoid factors that trigger the disorder. In addition, it is necessary to periodically undergo examination, and in case of detection of gastrointestinal diseases, immediately proceed to treatment.