Having a look at your stool on a regular basis might not be your concept of a good time, however it is still wise routine to get into. Because stool color and other attributes can be a crucial indicator of your overall health. In this article we reviewed common causes of dark spots you can find in your stool.
From the earliest times in human history, healers have actually examined bodily fluids to provide info on what was going on inside the body that might be causing symptoms of illness. Analyzing the stool frequently provided important insight on the function of digestion organs, the liver, the gallbladder and other physical processes.
Food Intake
Think it or not, among the most typical factors for black specks in your stools is the foods you have been consuming! What are the main offenders? Bananas top the list, frequently triggering black, fibrous-looking spots in your poop after eating them. As a matter of truth, any food that is high in fiber can cause stool to handle this appearance. Other foods which include seeds and/or dark pigments, such as plums, figs, strawberries or blueberries, can also cause this phenomenon. Other perpetrators? Iron-rich foods like beets and spinach or foods which contain a great deal of blood, such as undercooked steak. Black pepper and foods which contain dark dyes, such as licorice candy, can likewise be at fault. These foods aren’t necessarily bad for you and these black specks are not an indicator that you have an allergy or sensitivity. It is simply a matter of the method your gastrointestinal system manages what you are eating. The simplest treatment for this issue is just to prevent the particular food or foods that are triggering the dark spots to begin with.
Medications
After food, medications are another typical reason why you may be having dark or even black spots in your stool. If you have anemia, a blood condition marked by low iron levels which can cause tiredness, shortness of breath and pale skin, your doctor might have recommended iron supplements to assist treat your condition. However, while these supplements might be helping to build your red cell back up, they might likewise be causing those black spots in the stool. Lots of people take over-the-counter medications for pain, inflammation or indigestion. These medications include aspirin, a group of medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and medications like Pepto Bismol, which includes salicylic acid (the active ingredient in aspirin). These medications can cause small, small open areas to form in the stomach. These openings can cause a small amount of bleeding and result in those dark spots also. Antimicrobial medications (such as antibiotics or antifungal medications), in addition to probiotics or laxatives, can cause die-offs of microorganisms in the digestive tract and these die-offs, too, can lead to dark-speckled stools. Another group of items to watch out for are those containing vanadium. Vanadium is a trace mineral discovered in foods like whole grains, seafood and mushrooms. It is also popular as a supplement and is typically used among athletes and body-builders.
However, research studies have been performed which suggest that there is not improve to athletic performance when this supplement is taken– and it has also been associated with internal bleeding, triggering specks of blood to appear in the stool.
Again, the easiest method to treat this problem is just to stop taking the medication which is causing it, mentioned by iytmed.com. If this medication is one that has been recommended to you by your doctor, it is important to speak with them first. Your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternate medication.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Another typical cause for stools that are speckled with the black spot is some kind of digestive disorder or condition. These can include:
- Inflammatory disorders. Conditions in this category consist of Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis.
According to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, conditions like these all involve inflammation someplace along the gastrointestinal tract. This inflammation can cause small amounts of bleeding which can then appear as black spots in the stool. Treatment for these disorders differs, but it can include medications to minimize inflammation (such as corticosteroids), medications to reduce the immune system and anti-spasmodic drugs to assist unwind the muscles of the digestion system.
- Physical injury to the digestion tract. These conditions can include stomach ulcers, often brought on by infections of the H. pylori infection and Mallory-Weis tears, which harm the lining of the esophagus.
These injuries, too, can cause a small amount of blood to get away into the stools and present as black specks or dots. Other physical injuries can consist of problems like tears or fissures of the rectum which can bleed during a defecation and also cause this dark spots appearance. Treatment for ulcers can consist of antibiotics to exterminate the h.pylori and medications to decrease the quantity of stomach acid. Mallory-Weis tears typically need hospitalization to manage bleeding and may involve IV treatments to increase hemoglobin (iron) in the blood. Surgery on the esophagus to cauterize the tears or injections of epinephrine might be had to stop the bleeding. Anal fissures and tears often likewise require surgery
- Colon cancer. Among the most serious possible causes of black specks in the stool is colon cancer, which describes malignant developments in the colon, the most affordable part of the digestive tract.
These growths (tumors) can bleed sometimes and this blood can also present with speckled stool. Your opportunities of survival are higher if this disease is caught in its early stages.Treatments for colon cancer can vary from removing polyps during a colonoscopy to laparoscopic surgery to partial removal of the colon; radiation and chemotherapy might likewise be used.
- Liver Disease or Damage. Although the liver is not part of the digestion tract, it is a needed part of the digestion system.
It launches bile to assist your body break down food as well as assists to regulate blood sugar levels. Another severe cause of black specks in the stool is liver disease, including inflammation (hepatitis) and scarring (cirrhosis). Apart from the speckled stools, these diseases can cause weak point, tiredness, jaundice (a yellow or orange tint to the skin) and unexplained weight loss. They can also cause modifications in the flow of blood throughout the body and lead to an increased blood circulation to the veins of the esophagus. Bleeding from these veins can also cause speckled stool. Treatments for liver disease differ depending upon the underlying cause, however can consist of treatment for hydration, surgery to remove gallstones or clear obstructions, a low protein diet, alcohol addiction treatment and, in severe cases, a liver transplant.
Infections
Yet another possible cause of this problem could be an infection in the digestion tract. Consuming infected drinks or consuming infected food can cause infections in the digestion tract. The parasites that lead to giardiasis and amoebic dysentery or water-borne diseases like cholera can also cause this issue. The dark spots that you see can likewise be triggered by clumps of bacteria. Luckily, there are a number of antibiotics or anti-parasitic drugs your doctor can prescribe to assist clear up this sort of infection.
Conclusion
So now that you know a bit more about why you may be getting black specks in your stool, here are some actions to take to set about fixing this issue:
- Try a removal diet and cut out the foods mentioned above for a few days. Examine your stools to see if the diet change has made a difference.
- If you are taking aspirin, Pepto-Bismol or other comparable items, try removing these as well, but make sure to alert your doctor first.
- If you see changes in your stool that continue for a period of time, make a visit with your doctor to eliminate any possible severe causes for the black flecks.
