Many of us have been there, though we may not care to admit it publicly – you finish a session in the smallest room in the house only to flush, and there’s still a big brown streak on the bowl.
Try as you might, flushing repeatedly with increasing desperation, that streak simply will not budge, until eventually you have to admit defeat and reach grimly for the brush and the bleach.
It’s not something anyone particularly enjoys having to do, though, mercifully, it may not happen very often.
However, an expert has shared that if you frequently find that you’re leaving a ‘mudslide’ behind on the bowl after wrapping things up, then this might be indicative that all is not as it should be in the bowel department.
In fact, there are a few things that this could mean, but certified nurse practitioner Bryn DeSantis, who specializes in digestive disorders, explains that there is something you can do about it.
Fat in your diet
What goes in must come out, and the food we put into our bodies can of course have an impact on the contents of the toilet bowl.
If you have a lot of fat in your diet this can lead to more it coming out in your poo, which in turn can lead to more streaks.
DeSantis says: “Fatty stools tend to be pale, loose and buoyant — they often float.”
So, if this does happen, you might try looking at your diet and see if there’s anything like deep fried foods that you could cut down.
Mucus
No-one likes the thought of mucus-y poo, but this might be a sign of something going on in your bowels.
“Sticky stool with visible mucus is very common in people with irritable bowel syndrome or IBS,” DeSantis advises.
This could also be a sign of conditions like lactose intolerance, hemorrhoids, or cystic fibrosis. Of course, if you are worried. you should always speak to a medical professional.
Ulcer
Unfortunately, having a sticky stool could also be a sign that something a bit more serious is off as well. If you find that your stool is black and tarry, then this could be an indication of internal bleeding.
DeSantis said: “Bleeding in the upper GI tract can lead to stools with a tar-like color and consistency, as well as a stronger odor.”
But what does that itself mean? Well, one possibility is an ulcer, meaning if you see this in your poo then going to the doctor is probably a good idea.
Pancreas
This fits partly back into our first problem of a fatty stool.
The pancreas helps the body to break down fats, so if you find you have a fatty stool but not an excessively fatty diet then this might be a sign of a problem with your pancreas.
“People with pancreatic insufficiency don’t make enough digestive enzymes to break down fats and other essential nutrients from foods,” said DeSantis. “The stool is often yellow and may cling to the toilet bowl, leaving a yellow stain.”
When to be worried and what happens next
First things first, if you only have to scrub the bowl occasionally after relieving yourself, DeSantis explains that this probably isn’t anything to worry about.
However, if you find that this is happening frequently, then it might be cause for concern.
Once you go to the doctor, this might involve a series of tests to determine if there’s a problem, and if so what’s causing it.
You probably won’t be surprised to find out that stool tests are common, but also blood tests, and imaging scans.
If there is concern about something more series, including cancer unfortunately, then doctors may order a colonoscopy, a camera up your rear end.
Finally, medics might take a biopsy, a sample of your tissue, to be tested.
