What causes ridges in the stool?

Question

Hello doctor,

Are ridges in a bit of poop normal? I do not have a picture, but I found one on the internet that I can share with you. Kindly go through and suggest.

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Yes, you can share the picture as a reference so that I can see it and give you my suggestions.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I have reviewed the attached pictures (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). This is a normal spectrum of stools; do not worry about the ridges that you have mentioned. Regarding stool color, fresh blood, maroon stools like clotted blood, and dark black stools are the three types that are red flag signs.

The rest of the variations are considered normal. Another important point to note is that gut movements and the number and consistency of stools are maintained by the autonomic nervous system, so it is not in our control. Do not focus too much on this, as it will induce health anxiety and lead to abnormal frequency and consistency of stools.

I agree with the possibility of dysbiosis, and I feel that daily yogurt intake, which is a natural source of probiotics, would help you out. There is a wide spectrum of commercially available probiotics, and you can try any other one. Most of the time, probiotics are safe and are one of the best ways to maintain normal gut health.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 3

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Yes, these stools are considered normal, and do not take any new probiotics. You can use yogurt as a source of natural probiotics.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 4

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

For dysbiosis, probiotics are the treatment of choice. Continue yoghurt. Consider Prebiotics like bananas, apples, oats, nuts, etc. These things promote good bacterial growth in the gut.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Answer 5

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Give yourself some time to heal. Do not focus on day-to-day minor changes; this induces health anxiety. Reassess yourself after about a week or so.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 6

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

You can check your stool sample. Stool detailed report to see any infection. This microscope examination of stool would be helpful if you have a sort of non-resolving symptoms.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 7

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

That is very reassuring. No need to repeat investigations at the moment.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 8

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

There is already some improvement, I think Rifaxamin should be considered if there is any worsening.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 9

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

This will resolve with time.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 10

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

This does not seem to be blood in your stools.

Blood in stools can present like fresh red per rectal bleeding/ maroon clots of blood,/ black coloured stools/streaks of blood on stools.
Isolated red spots in normal stools are not blood, because it usually mixes with the stool.
I do not think so; this is linked to your recent periods, too.
Avoid red coloured foods and spices.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 11

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

What you have seen in the stools is not blood.

You have eaten strawberries, watermelon, and tomatoes all red, there would be no small undigested particles of any food item.
You can find a lot of pictures on the internet, but this seems to be your health anxiety.
Colon cancer can occur in any person at any point in time, including me. It does not mean I should be unnecessarily worried all the time
Avoid unnecessary stress, take a proper diet, and drink a good amount of water.
Focusing on certain unnecessary things will trigger significant health anxiety and a disturbed life without an actual issue.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 12

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

No, blood wouldn't look like that, as you have explained in detail. Blood is liquid, and it mixes with stools. A small amount of blood mixed with stools, so no change in stool colour, a large amount of blood, like bleeding gastric ulcers, or the stool colour becomes dark black. Blood near the anal verge will present as fresh red colour, either in the form of drops of blood or streaks of blood on stools. Infection in the colon can cause disturbed stool consistency and a variable amount of blood in stools / If small spots of red colour, as you mentioned, are highly likely to be undigested small food fragments.
Your stools are soft and formed, that's great, it is reassuring too.
You are right about misinformation online, but I do not have the option of attachments at my end.
Unfortunately, talking about colon cancer, I would suggest submitting your stool for microscopic examination, known as a stool detailed report and stool occult blood testing.
Colonoscopy is the best investigation telling about colon cancer in detail.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 13

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Yes, drops of blood will be visible and will either stain the toilet paper or the water. It would not appear as a red spot on the surface of the stool or inside the stool. Mucus would be thick white or yellow secretions along with stools, and if there is blood, it will turn the mucus red or pink in color. However, stool consistency would also be disturbed most of the time.

I would suggest observing at the moment. Avoid red colored meals for a while and do not take too much stress, as this will induce gut disturbances due to health anxiety. If you notice any fresh blood or what we have discussed so far, take a picture and send it to me, and we will decide about further testing at that time if needed. Stay relaxed and stay healthy.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 14

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

You are a very nice person, a little sensitive too.

Gut activity is not under our control by all means, so relax, do not focus too much, and do not try to micromanage things at that end.
Health-related anxiety always triggers different thoughts, thebest strategy is to stay relaxed and avoid focusing on unnecessary details
Enjoy a good time with your family and friends.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Answer 15

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I have seen the pictures (attachment removed to protect the patient’s identity). The stool color itself is absolutely normal. The red spots are undigested food particles and can be tomato-related or anything else in the diet. Considering your age, reddish discharge related to monthly periods sometimes mixes with stools.

All the spots can be related to the same diet and are mixed with normal stools. There is nothing to worry about. Please avoid red food products specifically. A stool microscopic examination can also help clear your doubts.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 16

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Yes, this is not blood coming from your gut. Blood can present as black stools, maroon colored stools, or fresh red blood, and sometimes as streaks of blood mixed with stools. It does not present as a few red spots in the stools. Please avoid red colored food products, as you are very sensitive to your stool color.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 17

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Blood is liquid and always mixes with stools, leading to discoloration such as black stools.

Too much blood leads to clot formation, presenting as maroon stools or fresh red blood.

Isolated spots with normal stool color are highly unlikely to be blood.

If there is a problem with the distal gut, such as the rectum or anal verge, one can see fresh blood or streaks of blood on stools, and sometimes mucus and blood mixed. Isolated spots with no mucus, normal stool color, and no other symptoms such as anal verge pain, swelling, or discomfort are very unlikely to be blood. Avoiding red foods for a couple of days will help greatly in differentiating.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 18

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I agree. You should avoid eating tomatoes for a week or so and observe. There is no need to dissect the stool, especially if you are passing normal colored stools. Occasional mucus or occasional constipation can occur in any individual, so that is fine. Yes, I agree with your explanation in the last paragraph.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 19

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I have reviewed the attached pictures (attachment removed to protect the patient’s identity). It can be external hemorrhoids or skin tags. A prolapse is less likely.

How old is your child?
Did you have an episiotomy cut during delivery?
Have you ever had issues with anal tone, such as fecal incontinence or poor control of stools?
Has there been any size change since the onset, whether minor or major?

A physical examination is always helpful to assess consistency, anal tone, and surrounding areas. Whenever you visit a doctor, please ask him or her to examine you once again.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 20

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

No, you should not be worried.

Hemorrhoids do not always bleed, and they do not always cause pain. There is a high probability of it being a skin tag, but if there is some vascular congestion suggesting hemorrhoids, there is still nothing to worry about.

An appropriate examination has already been done, including a proctoscopy, so please relax.

The size has remained the same, which is reassuring. Just avoid constipation or straining while passing stools.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 21

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

A clear rectal examination is reassuring and reduces the likelihood of anal cancer. Such cancers usually show progressive growth and symptoms over time.

An increase in size is concerning only if it is progressive, irregular, or associated with pain, bleeding, or discharge. Stable findings are usually benign.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 22

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Another important point is that cancers are typically irregular and asymmetrical growths. In cases of anal cancer, they may sometimes lead to fecal incontinence.
Based on the information provided, the risk factors appear to be negative.
Yes, it is most likely a hemorrhoid or a skin tag. This is because such conditions commonly occur after childbirth, whereas cancers do not usually follow this type of pattern or sequence.
A concerning sign would be if the swelling increases to more than half or becomes double the size of the previous one over the last three years.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 23

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

No red flag signs are identified based on the history and description provided, and it does not appear suggestive of cancer. Over the past couple of years, a cancerous growth would typically have increased in size or caused bleeding. Cancerous lesions are usually firm or hard lumps and may also be associated with fecal incontinence in some cases. There is no need for excessive stress at this time, as the lesion has remained unchanged for the past three years, which is a reassuring sign.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 24

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

A persistent change in bowel habits refers to a long-term disturbance in bowel movements, such as frequent semi-solid or watery stools followed by constipation, lasting for weeks to months.
The type of diarrhea described can occur in anyone occasionally. Sometimes a trigger, such as diet, can be identified, while at other times no clear cause is found.
It is advisable to take probiotics and consume yoghurt, which is a natural source of beneficial bacteria.
Maintain a balanced diet, and the condition is likely to improve.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 25

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Bowel frequency, consistency, and color can vary normally. However, during conditions such as food poisoning or enterocolitis, these variations can be more pronounced.
Your description suggests a temporary gut disturbance, which can occur in any individual.
In the absence of blood or black/red stools, it is reasonable to wait for a few days as bowel habits usually return to normal. Maintain a regular diet, avoid reheated or outside food, and include probiotics such as yoghurt.
The absence of vomiting and severe symptoms is reassuring.
Abdominal gurgling before bowel movement that resolves afterward often indicates a transient infection or gut irritation.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 26

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Based on your description, this appears to be a recovery phase. The stools are becoming more formed, but symptoms such as gas and bloating suggest a temporary imbalance of gut bacteria (dysbiosis). It is advisable to include probiotics in your diet for a few days. Consume fresh food and avoid reheated meals or outside food

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 27

Thanks for asking again. So, 1) Sometimes viral infections can have some gastrointestinal effects too and can cause diarrhea, but it will be self resolving. Gets better on its own. 2) Once there is diarrhea, it resolve slowly, you may have semi solid / partially hard type of stools and then will go back to your normal routine. Last picture which you have shared , has formed stools already, so it will improve more. 3) Once you will empty all get, still there is normal gut secretions aswell. 4) Periods also causes abdominal pain and disturbed bowel to some extend 5) So to sum up, stay relaxed, eat clean food, probiotics are recommended for healthy gut , take good care of yourself wishing you best health. kind regards

Answer 28

Thanks for your consultation with icliniq So, 1) That's normal. Distal part of colon or gut is known as rectum. Maximum water absorption occur in rectum, so if stool will stay longer in rectum, it will be more formed or even hard (incase of too much time like 2-3 days - hard constipated stool, initially followed by relatively soft stools) 2) similarly, if you go to toilet more frequently, stool will not stay in rectum for longer period and it will be semi- solid. So nothing to worry Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 29

Thanks for asking again, So, 1) Diseases don't read books, so there spectrum can be any thing. 2) Giving you an example like , you must have heard of smoking causes cancer or persistent cough can be a feature of underlying lung cancer. There are many patients around , who have been diagnosed with certain type of cancers without any symptoms even. 3) Now coming back to gut , there is no hard and fast rule for colon cancer , recurrent diarrhea or persistent constipation or mixed symptoms. It can present in any form. If a person is totally asymptomatic, still there is a possibility he or she might develop cancer anywhere in the body including gut 4) you are thinking too much, medicine is not black and white or 2+2 is 4. This needs combination of symptoms, relevant investigations and clinical experience to make final assessment. 5) Gut is controlled by (subconscious mind) automatic nervous system, which is influenced by our thinking process and reacts accordingly. Once you will avoid paying too much attention to stools , it will automatically starts improving 6) If you are too much worried or stressed out, colonoscopy is the ultimate solution for your concerns. Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 30

thanks for asking again So, 1) Persistent means , abnormal bowel habits (either semi-solids to loose stools or unusual constipation which is new onset ) for more than a month. ( incase of loose stools only/ we label it persistent diarrhea if 2-4 weeks and chronic,if more than 4 weeks) For constipation, new onset conditions for couple of weeks should be evaluated. 2) All invasive procedures will be risk Vs benefits, alternative to colonoscopy is CT scan colonography (no sedation and no insertion of tube in gut ). 3) You have significant health anxiety. You are paying undue attention to minor things , which we can't control as a human. To calm down your anxiety, either you have to ignore minor issues and give your gut some time to be regular or consider procedures as mentioned above Wishing you excellent health best regards

Answer 31

You are always welcome. 1) You are having a sensitive personality which somehow induces health anxiety. 2) Just relax and give yourself about 2-3 weeks to recover, don't pay too much attention to bowel frequency and consistency, until and unless obvious red flags like blood, black or maroon. Wishing you best health and take care of yourself Kind regards

Answer 32

Hello, thanks for asking again and I am sorry for delayed response this time , was busy in hospital with some emergency cases. So, 1) You have passed normal BM, that's great. 2) Continue with good diet, avoid eating out, reheated meals and red/ or coloured foods 3) Mucus is always white, when it mixes with stools, colour can be yellow , dark yellow or brown. Nothing to worry. Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 33

Thanks for asking again. So, 1) Mucus in normal gut production to lubricate stools. It mixes with stools and can be yellow / white / brown. 2) excessive mucus with altered bowel habits like semi solids stools , abdominal pain etc are concerning, otherwise it is normal to have some mucus like in your case 3) Yes , red coloured and black coloured stools and mucus both need to be evaluated. Wishing you best health Regards

Answer 34

Hello, thanks for asking again. So, 1) This seems to be some alterations is your stool consistency and frequency, might be related to change in your surroundings and eating habits due to vacations 2) Nothing is concerning as such, I would suggest to add probiotics to your diet or daily Yoghurt as a source of natural probiotics 3) Otherwise enjoy your holidays and don't take stress about this minor variations. Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 35

Thanks for asking again. Yellow is not concerning as such. 1) Too many loose stools or fever or disturbing abdominal pain/ cramps would be concerning for infection, related to travel or eating out 2) Otherwise, yellow is not a red flag sign. Best wishes, Kind regards

Answer 36

Thanks for asking again. 1) fat malabsorption is long term continuous problem, not episodic or occasional symptoms. 2) There is very large amount of oily stools and sometimes they float on water. 3) There are certain other associated symptoms like weight loss, some other risk factors like intestinal surgeries or injuries or malabsorption syndromes 4) don't Google your symptoms, this will induce health anxiety Wishing you good health best regards

Answer 37

Hello, Thanks for your consultation with icliniq again. I hope your holidays went well. 1) I am unable to see any attachments ? have you attached any picture? 2) Dark yellow or brown colour of stool is normal, this comes under normal variations Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 38

Thank you for your consultation again. So, 1) I have seen, this colour comes under normal spectrum of stools 2) There is nothing concerning, stool colour can change from yellow to light brown to dark brown. 3) It should not be black, maroon and fresh red blood Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 39

Hello, thanks for asking again. 1) I have seen attached picture, Yes this is normal looking stool 2) Colour of stool is within normal limits Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 40

Hello, thanks for asking again so, I will explain don't worry. 1) Bile ( yellow colour) is normal production of liver cells and it flows from the liver and get stores in the gall bladder ( not produced in gall bladder, that's the reason why, when people operated for gall bladder removal, they don't have issues with their digestion later on). 2) This is same bile which come to small intestine via ducts and help in digestion of food, this bile have yellow pigments, which mixes with food contents, help their digestion and ultimately give colour to our stools. ( it can be yellow, brown , dark brown etc etc, depending upon amount of bile, type of food, frequency of bowel movements etc ) 3) This is the same bile pigment (bilirubin) which gives colour to our urine aswell, more dark when more dehydrated and more clear when well hydrated 4) Fats malabsorption is totally different, it causes significant large amount of greasy stools, even one can feel oil in her stools, and difficult to flush, floats on water and abnormally large quantity. 5) Patient may loss weight and there may be multiple large amount of stools. I hope , this will clear your point Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 41

Thanks for asking again. So, 1) Yellow is normal colour of stool. I have seen the picture you attached, there was nothing abnormal. 2) Don't concentrate too much on your stool colour, it is not in our control, black, maroon or fresh red blood should always be noticed. 3) Greasy stools mean, too oily stools, even you can feel like oil, difficult to wash and difficult to flush out Wishing you excellent health Best regards

Answer 42

Hello, thanks for your consultation with icliniq again. So, 1) I have reviewed the probiotics which you had taken , I have reviewed all attached reports including Complete blood profile, blood coagulation, Liver function tests, blood lipid levels, Thyroid function tests, blood protein analysis etc. 2) Your all reports were normal, nothing significant to explain your symptoms like frequent burbs etc 3) I haven't seen abdominal scans like ultrasound abdomen etc (to see liver and gall bladder specifically) 4) Sensitive stomach is one of the possibilities in your case, considering overall sensitive personality, this means, small triggers can upset your stomach and the more you will concentrate on it, the more it will be symptomatic. 5) Regarding your esophageal or stomach cancer like concerns , endoscopy is the best possible way to rule this out ( chances of tumor in your case, is exactly the same like me or any other normal individual) 6) I think, you should take acid suppression medicine like tab Lanzoprazole 30mg half hour before breakfast for 2 weeks and gaviscon 10ml post meals , for your symptoms and you will feel better. Wishing you excellent health, best regards

Answer 43

Thanks for asking again So, 1) Your baseline investigations which I have checked right now, are absolutely normal, so medically there is nothing alarming at my end too. 2) I haven't find any alarming symptoms concerning cancer in our discussions so far 3) I think, you should continue Lanzoprazole 30mg 4) I don't think so there is any horrible and sinister situation. Kind regards

Answer 44

Thankyou for asking again. So, 1) Temporary intolerance due to stomach upset is the possibility, but it will go away, it can take longer in over sensitive individuals 2) Your investigations and symptoms, both are ok( I mean no red flags , no pain, no major issues like bleeding, weight loss and family history of cancer etc) 3) Try to focus less on burbs and it will start improving 4) instead of Lanzoprazole, you can try tab Pantoprazole 40mg half hour before breakfast for 2 weeks, if you feel your burbs are too disturbing for you 5) slippery elm is sort of herbal medicine I think , I don't have any experience with that 6) Your LFTs are normal, less likely an active gall bladder issues, also there is no pain, which is agreed gall bladder issues too. Best regards

Answer 45

Hello, Thanks for asking again So, 1) If it is not bothering you much, I think ignore them for couple of weeks and eat normal home cooked meals, avoid triggers like eating out and reheated meals 2) Don't Google symptoms, it is unfiltered medical information from internet which is actually causing trouble for you. For example, if you search headache, it will give you a possible reason as brain tumor too, so not every headache is brain tumor, similarly not every burb is cancer Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 46

Thanks for asking again and for your trust. So, 1) Eating out or reheated meals are just the risk factors for gut infections. Once you will be fine , you can have meals once in a blue moon like any normal individual. 2) Rifaxamin is locally acting antibiotics ( not absorbed in blood), keep be in gut and kill bad bacteria and go away in stools. This works good in bloating, changing bowel habits and in sensitive gut too , not specific for burbs. 3) You can try it , if gut related issues. For Burbs Pantoprazole 40mg half hour before breakfast would work best. Kind regards.

Answer 47

Thanks for asking. That's why I switched PPI from Lanzoprazole to Pantoprazole, it doesn't mean, you didn't respond to one so you will never respond to other. Dysbiosis/ SIBO for both rifaxamin is good option. If you want to try it, that's relatively good and safe medicine. You can use this medicine for 7 days no issues kind regards

Answer 48

Thanks So, 1) Well, In that case , I don't think so using same medicine ( which you have already tried), will help you out. 2) Yes I agree, I don't think so you have SIBO, but Dysbiosis is a possibility and Rifaxamin is one of the safest medicine (I mean, this is one of its kind type of medicine, we don't have exact alternate of this medicine, this is the only one available for this purpose) so you can try it for good 7 days ( usually we give for 2 weeks ) 3) Your concerns are valid that what is going on, but to be honest stomach is way to sensitive to our thoughts and it will keep bothering you till you will be paying extra attention to it ( try to ignore burbs for couple of days and you will feel the difference :-) 4) I will email them, it shouldn't be like that. I apologise for inconvenience. Best regards

Answer 49

Thankyou, stay calm and relax , don't Google things :-) You will be as normal as before probiotics. Wishing you excellent health kind regards

Answer 50

Hello, thanks for asking again. So, 1) stool composition is not only what we eat, it also includes what is secreted by intestine mucosal cells, intestinal secretions act like lubricant for our stools and sometimes this may give similar appearances as you explained. 2) Less likely with urine, but can occur sometime, Your investigations have been done already and there was nothing remarkable. Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 51

Thanks for asking again, So, 1) Yes, I don't think so. There is nothing to worry about. 2) Internet is a source of unfiltered information and people's opinions ( both right and wrong) so avoid it especially in your case , because you are too sensitive to information and it triggers your health anxiety too. 3) Fat malabsorption is very obvious and you can feel oil while cleaning, even relatively difficult to wash. Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 52

Thankyou 1) Regarding fat malabsorption, using little paper means no fat malabsorption at all, and I agree , this is a good sign. 2) Feel of oil means , fat malabsorption is that bad, it literally feels like an oil on your fingers and difficult to wash and flush. Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 53

Hello, thanks for asking again. So, 1) Burbs after eating heavy meals, can cause some simple regurgitation of food, that is pretty normal. 2) The food which you consumed a while back should not be that much acidic as I didn't mix with acid that much and as stomach is already full so it is not immediately contracting. Food takes 2-4 hours to leave stomach and go to small intestine 3) Barrett esophagus is very long term complications of reflux like more than 15-20 years of reflux, not few weeks or months of reflux can cause Barrett esophagus 4) I think, there is nothing to worry , just take normal meals and don't fill your stomach at once Wishing you best health kind regards

Answer 54

Hello, thanks for asking again So, 1) Immediately after meals, within minutes, if you burb and there is regurgitation of food , that is not that acidic, because there is no digestion of food within mins and it taste almost the same, may b mild acidic sometimes 2) Point 2, explanation is- People get heartburn and in fact a bad heartburn after heavy meals , but that is not immediately after meals , may b half hour or 1-2 hours after meals, that's why usually people have a very bad night after eating out or eating too heavy. Immediately after meals, there might be regurgitation of food, but less likely true acid reflux 3) In your case, stomach is working good that's great, nothing to worry. Wishing you excellent health kind regards

What causes ridges in the stool?

Worried about your bowel movements?