A black and tarry Stool is not a disease or disorder but a symptom of dysfunctionality in the GI tract or the food you eat. This article is purely written for you if you have noticed that you have black stool but cannot figure out what that indicates.
Here you will learn all about the causes of black stool causes and how to get the proper treatment for diseases for which black stool is indicated.
This article will help address thoughts in your mind related to the black-colored stool.
What is a black and tarry stool?
A black stool is a blackish appearance of your stool. Black and tarry stool can simply result from the food you ate last night but may be a sign of some chronic disorder that can affect your health as a silent killer. Most of the time, after passing, flush without even noticing it. As it remains unbothered, it remains undiagnosed too.
If you notice your poop before flushing it out, you can prevent most of the impending dangers before affecting your health on time.
What is Black Stool Indicating?: Causes
Black stool causes can be divided into two reasons.
- Medical conditions
- Food or Medications
Black Stool Association with Medical Conditions
The black oily stool can be a red flag of the onset of different medical conditions. So let us figure out other medical conditions associated with black stool.
Black stool and peptic ulcer
Black stool can be considered a clear indication of peptic ulcer. If you have black stool and stomach pain, you might have an undiagnosed peptic ulcer. Now the question that may cross your head includes: How can black and tarry stool indicate a stomach ulcer? How that happens is when your gastric cavity has wounds or ulcers, they merely bleed out; ultimately, blood mixes out with your stool and turns it into black and tarry stool.
Reasons for peptic ulcer include regular use of certain medications like aspirins and ibuprofen or other associated conditions like the presence of bacteria. In addition, stomach ulcers can be associated with other symptoms besides having black and tarry stool.
- Gastric pain
- Burning sensation in the stomach
- Vomiting and burping
- Loss of appetite
- Losing weight ( unplanned)
- Bloating
You will likely have a peptic ulcer if any of the above symptoms are present, along with black poop.
Please consult a doctor and get the disorder to end before your healthy living ends.
Black stool and cancer
Cancer is usually diagnosed when it’s already too late. Late diagnosis of cancer is generally due to ignorance of symptoms like black and tarry stool. Instead, it might be your body warning you about the presence of tumor formation at different GI tract sites, including the gastric cavity, colon, and rectum.
Invasion of cancerous cells can make the stool black and tarry. The reason behind bleeding is the weakness of the GI walls due to the invasion of a tumor or cancer. So observe your stool before flushing out to diagnose deadly diseases like cancer early.
Black Stool and Esophageal dysfunction
Black stool mirrors your gut health and can indicate something is wrong with your gastrointestinal tract.
Different conditions, like esophageal varices and gastroesophageal reflux, can cause esophageal bleeding, ultimately revealed as black and tarry stool symptoms.
Gastrointestinal reflux disease can be experienced by patients in case of ongoing issues of gastrointestinal reflux.
Management of GERD is possible by visiting doctors on time, lifestyle and dietary modifications and medications.
Black Stool and Colon Polyps
Black poop can result from colon polyps. These small growths in the large intestine cause bloody stool, and a patient may experience black stool. In addition, these polyps may become cancerous with time. Therefore, getting a diagnosis and proper doctor consultation on time is essential.
Black Stool Association with Foods and Medications
Having black and tarry stools is only always a big issue, but a last-night food item might be the cause. Also, certain foods and supplements may turn your stool completely black, and you may notice black speck stool.
Following list of foods that can turn healthy stool color into black:
- blood sausage
- blueberries
- black licorice
- green vegetables with high iron content.
Edibles with food color mostly remain unchanged and appear in changing stool color.
Medications for indigestion, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) and aspirins, can cause black stool.
Iron supplements
When it comes to supplementations, iron tablets are responsible. However, if you start having iron supplementation and black stool, too, there is no need to worry; it’s just iron that turns your poop black.
If it continues for longer, visit the doctor to manage your dosage to avoid toxicity.
Best Treatment For Black Stool
Black stool may be present for various reasons, and it must be considered that the treatment for black stool in each case varies from person to person. In addition, one must consider different diseases, state of health, age, and other related factors to treat black stools.
At the same time, many other factors change the course of treatment, as some people might take longer to recover from the condition.
The presence of black stool on its own is usually not dangerous until you notice signs of black stool with blood and stomach pain.
Treatment of Black Stool In Children
You can use simple home remedies for treatment if you see thin stool and gas or oily stool in children. However, the complication increases when there is a black stool or black stool with blood and mucus. The condition is often caused by cow milt colitis and can be avoided by replacing cow milk with formula milk.
Black stool with mucus may be a sign of a bacterial infection, and its possible treatment is using antibiotics with a doctor’s prescription. Strep skin infection often causes red specs in black stool and should be treated through anti-inflammatory or anti-bacterial drugs.
On the other hand, anal fissures should not be cured with high-dosage drugs until or unless the stool passage becomes too painful or more blood is seen. It is present in 90% of children, and it can be cured by the improvement of diet or by treating constipation through medicine and hydration.
If the child is consuming Pepto-Bismol, no necessary action is required in Pepto-Bismol black stool.
Black Stool During Pregnancy Treatment
Black stool in pregnancy is not uncommon. However, most women who have recently undergone Caesarean section or normal birth are prescribed iron and folate supplements. Thus, to avoid black specs in stool, you should try replacing iron supplements with more intake of iron-rich foods. This notable change in the dietary style can significantly reduce the black liquid stool in these cases.
Try avoiding unnecessary OTC medicines, as they may change your stool color. Moreover, if you face black stool alongside constipation, the best method may be to start eating more fiber-rich foods. A fiber-rich diet can help improve your GI tract and reduce the risk of hemorrhoids or any other complication that may occur due to this.
Black stool with bleeding during pregnancy is the underlying symptom of GERD. Hence, the best way to treat this is to consult your doctor to treat gastrointestinal issues.
However, if you face melena, foul odor, black stool, heavy bleeding with black stool, or black leather stool, the best choice would be to contact your doctor immediately as it may be a sign of internal bleeding.
Black Stool With Blood Treatment
In case the condition worsens, you may have to choose different treatment methods, including angiographic embolization, in which coils are placed into the attached catheter to your body to reduce blood flow.
Surgery may be required in extreme cases if the anal fissure occurs with symptoms of black stool in adults. The doctor may prescribe you proton pump inhibitors, or you may have to undergo thermal techniques or injection therapy for treatment. In rare cases, when it leads to cancer, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery is highly likely.
Home Remedies For Black Stool Treatment
Black stool treatment home remedies are some of the most preferred methods to reduce clinical symptoms at home. These remedies are mostly safe and may be preferred when someone treats himself without medical aid or specialist help. Some of the most beneficial treatments for black stool and additional preventive measures are
- Try increasing your water intake, as hydration can improve black stools in diarrhea and black stool in constipation with blood.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes, alcohol, vaping, and other toxic substances, as black stool after drinking is common.
- Stay away from increased amounts of artificial food coloring as it may increase the chances of black spots in stool.
- Eat less spicy food and incorporate healthy food choices with fruits and vegetables that reduce acid reflux.
- Some herbs can help treat loose black stools, including allspice, arugula, basil, and bay leaf.
- Vegetables and fruits that should be considered include carrots, avocado, almond milk, cooked apple, apple cider vinegar, barley, acorn, acai, and alfalfa sprouts.
- Almond date shakes with cinnamon is one of the most used ayurvedic treatment for black stools. This is followed by chickpea and coconut pesto, a banana with cinnamon, and an almond milk smoothie.
- As pungent foods cause tarry black stools, it is best to avoid acai, anise, buckwheat, cardamom, and celery seeds.
When to consult a doctor if you notice a black stool?
Seek medical attention for a black stool when you have had the same blackish stool or black speck in your stool for a long. Besides watching the duration, you must look at your medical history and associated problems.
It is necessary to get medical aid when the patient has the following:
- Liver disease
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- High fever
- Yellowish green or pale yellow eyes or skin
- Manifestation of a parasitic ailment, i.e., worms in the stool
- Infants having a black color stool
If you have any above conditions or have noticed that your stool color has changed, talk to our doctor at Your Doctors Online.
FAQs about black stools answered by Your Doctors Online Team
Black stool may or may not cause death. It depends on the underlying cause. Some chronic diseases, like cancer, may result in death.
Yes, black and tarry stool is treatable, depending on the cause. Prompt diagnosis and treatment help avoid complications.
Black stool cannot lead to cancer, but it can be a symptom or indication of cancer that can help in early cancer diagnosis.
Yes, not having iron-rich food or iron tablets can restore normal stool color, but that only works if consuming iron is the real cause of black stool.
There might be multiple reasons for having black stools. The major ones are intestinal bleeding, consuming foods with high iron content or artificial food colors, iron supplementation, and certain medications.
If you have had a black stool for a long duration or have any medical history like liver disorder or cancer, it is a good idea to consult your doctor for evaluation.
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