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What Causes Excess Mucus In Stool?
Posted on
Wed, 26 Oct 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 26 Oct 2016
Answered on
Wed, 16 Nov 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : Not sure that anything is really wrong but have noticed a lot of mucus in my stool lately. Curious. Is that a problem?
Brief Answer:
usually not
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
normally the stool contains a small quantity of mucus, so small that you can barely notice it. Certain disorders may cause an increase in the amount of mucus. Examples of such disorders are: irritable bowel syndrome, various inflammatory bowel diseases (like ulcerative colitis), infections and eve tumors. Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common cause, particularly in patients with a long history of minor bowel symptoms like minor pain, bloating, transient diarrhea or constipation, etc. Infections and inflammatory bowel diseases usually require significant symptoms to be present in order to see visible mucus in the stool. Abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea are the most common symptoms. Finally tumors may cause it. There is a certain type of tumor that resides in the lower part of the colon and causes the production of an excessive amount of mucus. Such disorders can be diagnosed with colonoscopy.
So in conclusion, if you're having a lot of mucus consistently, the rest of the symptoms will guide the diagnostic thought. Colonoscopy is very important to exclude (or confirm) various disorders.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
usually not
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
normally the stool contains a small quantity of mucus, so small that you can barely notice it. Certain disorders may cause an increase in the amount of mucus. Examples of such disorders are: irritable bowel syndrome, various inflammatory bowel diseases (like ulcerative colitis), infections and eve tumors. Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common cause, particularly in patients with a long history of minor bowel symptoms like minor pain, bloating, transient diarrhea or constipation, etc. Infections and inflammatory bowel diseases usually require significant symptoms to be present in order to see visible mucus in the stool. Abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea are the most common symptoms. Finally tumors may cause it. There is a certain type of tumor that resides in the lower part of the colon and causes the production of an excessive amount of mucus. Such disorders can be diagnosed with colonoscopy.
So in conclusion, if you're having a lot of mucus consistently, the rest of the symptoms will guide the diagnostic thought. Colonoscopy is very important to exclude (or confirm) various disorders.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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