Green stool in a baby: there is not always reason to worry

There are norms for physiological secretions of the human body. In particular, feces are assessed by consistency, color, smell, and composition. In healthy people, stool has a shaped appearance, a soft consistency, and a brown color ranging from light to dark brown.

If green stool is noticed, it often becomes a frightening factor and forces people to look for pathology. We will look at the causes of green intestinal discharge. To do this, let us first briefly recall what determines and how the color of stool is formed.

Why is my stool usually brown?

Feces are a mixture of dead red blood cells, undigested food, bile, and waste products formed as food passes through the intestinal microflora. Dead red blood cells are black, bile is greenish-yellow, and waste from processing leftover undigested food by intestinal bacteria is brown. Therefore, the brown color of the stool is provided by intestinal bacteria, which also perform a number of other vital functions (for example, facilitating the absorption of nutrients from food entering the body).

Unhealthy stool color:

  1. Dark stools with mucus may indicate bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract
    . The cause may be a burst stomach ulcer or other serious illnesses.
  2. Yellow-green stools usually occur with diarrhea
    . Yellow color may be associated with diseases of the liver and biliary tract.

Changes in stool color from dark brown to another shade (black, light or dark green) occur for a number of reasons, including bleeding from the rectum, stomach, or esophagus. Among the causes are diseases of the pancreas and gall bladder. But most often it is caused by diarrhea, in which food passes through the digestive tract faster than usual. Because of this, intestinal bacteria do not have time to give the stool the “correct” color.

Green stool in pregnant women

Now let’s look at why green stool occurs during pregnancy. Any mother wishes her child happiness and health. During pregnancy, her goal is to give birth to a healthy baby. For this, the body requires a large amount of nutrients and vitamins. Therefore, a pregnant woman’s diet contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals coming from plant foods and vitamin complexes. Excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals are not absorbed by the body and are excreted along with feces, which is what gives poop its green color. Please note that there should not be any other symptoms indicating the presence of pathology.

Is green poop a sign of cancer?

When green stool appears, there is no reason to immediately panic or create catastrophic scenarios. Although abnormally colored stool can be a sign of cancer, most cases involve black, sticky stool. This is due to either bleeding from the stomach, esophagus, duodenum, or impurities of fresh blood (for colorectal cancer).

Although green stool is not usually a symptom of cancer, it should not be underestimated, especially if other symptoms (severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, high fever) appear.

Green coloring of stool 1-2 times in a row without side effects, most often caused by artificial food dyes, consumption of some natural foods, in particular leafy vegetables and berries. A change in the color of feces in combination with periodic diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting may indicate nonspecific intestinal inflammation, such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome.

Green stool - what to do

The coloring of feces in an unusual color should alert you. But this is no reason to panic. Perhaps the reason was menu errors. Remember your diet in the previous two to three days. If the discharge is of normal consistency and you are feeling well, there will be no need to worry. After a couple of days, the intestines will restore the normal brown color of the feces.

If the cause of the color change is food poisoning, but the person feels quite healthy, it is recommended to buy over-the-counter medications at the pharmacy: activated carbon, Enterosgel. They are taken after cleansing the stomach with two to three liters of water, according to the instructions.


Activated carbon


Enterosgel

In the future, Regidron is indicated to suppress the gag reflex, normalize water-salt metabolism and restore intestinal function . To restore the microflora, you will need probiotics (Lactobacterin, Colibacterin, Bifikol or other drugs).


Regidron Lactobacterin


Colibacterin Bificol

A gentle diet will help restore the body. Fatty foods (animal oil, lard), sausages, smoked foods, soda, bread, pastries, herbs, foods colored with pigments, and milk are removed from the diet.

The menu during the recovery period includes pureed vegetable soups, mashed potatoes and porridge cooked in water, jelly, herbal tea and compotes, yogurt, kefir. You can eat low-fat protein foods - lean fish, meat (pay attention to the amount of kcal).

Food

The most common cause of green stool is a change in eating habits and consumption of certain foods. This condition is typical for infants and toddlers when consuming artificial milk (Nutrilon, Milupa, etc.) or other baby food. Until the digestive system is completely accustomed to the new food, their stool may be colored green. The condition returns to normal quickly (within a few days). If this does not happen, an examination is required.

Foods that cause green (usually dark or even black-green) stool include:

  • spinach;
  • broccoli;
  • blueberry;
  • cabbage.

Leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll, a green dye that allows plants to produce oxygen. But the human body is not able to digest chlorophyll, so after eating this vegetable, the stool turns green. But it doesn't do any harm. Leafy vegetables are good for health.

In addition to healthy foods, such as the above-mentioned types of vegetables and fruits, changes in the color of stool are also caused by artificial food colors added by manufacturers to certain foods. The human body cannot process them, so it excretes them unchanged.

When to call a doctor

If the stool turns green, but nothing else bothers the person, there is no reason to panic. However, if additional warning symptoms or even just one occur, you should not hesitate to contact a doctor:

  • Changes in the consistency of stool - liquid, foamy stools, the appearance of inclusions of blood, mucus, and undigested food.
  • Persistent increase in temperature.
  • Weakness, drowsiness, apathy.
  • Syncope (fainting).
  • Anemia.
  • Lack of appetite.
  • Sudden loss of body weight.
  • Change in skin tone - paleness, blueness.
  • Nausea, vomiting.
  • Pain in the abdominal or epigastric region.

Bile dyes

Bile is a yellow-green liquid. It is formed in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, from where it flows through the bile duct into the small intestine. Along the way, it connects with the pancreatic duct, through which pancreatic juice enters the small intestine (duodenum). It contains pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that facilitates the absorption of fats. Bile activates pancreatic lipase, increasing its efficiency in digesting fats. As a result, more fat is absorbed from the small intestine into the body.

Bile dyes are a group of biological dyes; the most important is bilirubin. It is supplemented by biliverdin, which results from the breakdown of hemoglobin. Typically, bile decomposes as it passes through the intestines, its color changes to brown, and the remainder is excreted in the feces. But with diarrhea or other digestive disorders, the digestion of bile slows down, it is excreted unchanged, which can cause a change in the color of the stool from green to greenish-yellow.

Green stool in an adult: causes, diagnosis, treatment

The color and consistency of stool can say a lot about a person's health.
This is one of the body’s original litmus tests, letting you know about problems. If you pay close attention to your condition and observe changes in excrement, you can recognize hidden processes in time. Green stool in an adult: reasons

The causes of green stool are divided into physiological and pathological.

Physiological reasons

Normally, human feces are moderately soft, have a uniform consistency and have a color ranging from light yellow to dark brown. However, there are natural factors that influence its coloration in a greenish tint, these include:

  • some types of food. The abundance in the diet of such foods as: green vegetables, sorrel, spinach, red meat, sea fish, beans makes the stool greenish. At the same time, there may even be undigested fragments of food in the stool, but this does not pose any threat; Green vegetables
  • dyes. Frequent consumption of food with artificial colors (chewing gum, candy, cocktails, alcohol) invariably leads to coloration of not only stool, but also urine. Stool takes on its normal color after 1–2 days; Food with dyes
  • medications. Many medications can affect the color of excrement. For example, iron-containing, iodine-containing agents, vitamins, and some laxatives cause similar changes. Usually this information is indicated in the instructions for the drugs as a warning that this is the norm. Medicines can affect the color of excrement

Physiological causes do not have any additional symptoms, the person feels well. However, if nausea, weakness or diarrhea appear, this is already a sign of the disease.

Pathological causes

Serious illnesses or disorders in the body always manifest themselves with a number of pronounced symptoms. In addition to green stool, the following signs may be observed:

  • temperature increase;
  • diarrhea; Clinical features of diarrhea
  • the presence of mucus or blood in the stool;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • bitterness in the mouth; bitterness in the mouth as a symptom
  • loss of consciousness.

Important! If several symptoms appear at the same time, you should consult a doctor. Self-treatment with simple activated carbon may not help if the disease is serious.

Diseases that cause green stool

  1. Dysbacteriosis. Improper functioning of the intestines due to a lack of necessary microorganisms leads to fermentation and rotting of food debris. As a result, bowel movements often occur with unformed stools of a greenish tint.

    Dysbacteriosis

  2. Dysentery. The causative agent is a bacterium of the Shigella family, which multiplies in suitable nutrient media. Once in the body, it releases toxins that damage the intestines, liver, kidneys and nervous system of a person. The disease is transmitted through household contact, water or food.

    Bacterial dysentery

    It is characterized by symptoms such as:

  • chills, fever;
  • dizziness;
  • dry mouth;
  • vomit;
  • repeated diarrhea with greenish foamy stools. Dysentery is accompanied by fever, dizziness
  1. Salmonellosis. A type of bacterial infection caused by Salmonella. Infection occurs through unboiled water and unheated products: animal meat, fish, milk, eggs. There are known cases of infection directly from animals. The disease is characterized by symptoms such as:
  • heat;
  • vomiting (often repeated and uncontrollable);
  • profuse greenish liquid stools with mucus;
  • bloating, pain. Symptoms and treatment of salmonellosis
  1. Crohn's disease. A chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, in which the mucous membrane is affected and granulomas (nodular formations) appear on it. Factors that provoke the development of pathology: weakened immunity, previous infection, stress, allergies. Symptoms do not appear immediately, but gradually accumulate, these include:
  • general weakness;
  • significant weight loss;
  • elevated temperature;
  • pain in joints and muscles;
  • conjunctivitis.

In the acute course of the disease, the following symptoms occur:

  • heat;
  • frequent diarrhea, with greenish-black stool mixed with blood;
  • rapid pulse. Crohn's disease
  1. Rotavirus . An infection transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets or household contact. Another name for the disease is intestinal flu, since the virus primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Characteristic symptoms:
  • bloating, flatulence;
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • chills;
  • runny nose;
  • frequent foamy stools of a yellow-green color and a specific sour odor;
  • lethargy, fever. Rotavirus
  1. Ulcerative colitis. A disease as a result of which the mucous membrane of the colon suffers, inflammation and swelling occur, and ulcerative elements also form.

    Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon mucosa

    The causes of colitis can be: infection, the body's immune response, hereditary factors, even stress and bad habits. Symptoms of the disease:

  • weakness;
  • cramping pain in the abdominal area;
  • temperature increase;
  • frequent stools of a greenish tint mixed with blood;
  • tachycardia;
  • pallor;
  • dizziness.
  1. Lactose intolerance. Lactase deficiency is a lack of the enzyme to break down lactose, which is present in all dairy products.

    Lactose intolerance

    The causes of the disease can be either a genetic failure, which disrupts the body's production of lactase, or acquired pathologies, for example, Crohn's disease, pancreatitis. People suffering from this anomaly are aware that they must follow a certain diet.

    If you are lactose intolerant, you should follow a diet

    If they violate it, symptoms such as:

  • increased gas formation;
  • colic;
  • nausea;
  • diarrhea with foamy feces from light yellow to yellow-green in color with a characteristic sour odor.

If greenish loose stools were observed once, it may be a case of ordinary food poisoning. In this case, after complete cleansing of the intestines from feces and toxins, relief occurs, which is not typical for other diseases.

Food poisoning

Treatment

With frequent diarrhea, accompanied by green feces, as well as with infections, of course, the help of specialists is necessary.

To begin with, based on external symptoms, the doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis, and depending on it, the patient is placed either in the infectious diseases department or, if his condition is critical, in the intensive care ward. In some cases, treatment is possible at home, for example, if the cause is dysbiosis or lactose intolerance.

To make a clear diagnosis, the following measures are prescribed:

  • blood, urine, stool tests; Tests are required
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs; Ultrasound of the abdominal organs
  • FGDS, a procedure consisting of swallowing a special tube at the end of which there is a chamber with a light bulb. This is the most reliable way to study the gastrointestinal tract, used all over the world. FGDS

After research, it becomes clear what kind of disease contributes to the release of green stool.

Depending on the type of pathology, certain measures may be prescribed.

  1. Normalization of diet. Exclusion of harmful or allergenic foods. It is necessary to generally reduce the load on the digestive tract.
  2. Taking medications containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli to normalize the microflora of the stomach and intestines.

    "Bifidumbacterin"

  3. Detoxification of the body. Removing harmful substances from the blood and gastrointestinal tract. Sorbents are excellent at eliminating toxins - preparations that, like a sponge, can absorb all toxins.

    "Polysorb" for cleansing the body

  4. Taking antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs.
  5. The use of antispasmodics to relieve pain.
  6. Restoring water-salt balance using special solutions like Regidron or intravenous drips.

    "Regidron"

  7. Use of antibiotics, enzyme complexes and immunomodulators according to indications.

In case of intestinal bleeding, emergency surgery is prescribed.

Important to remember! Folk remedies are not suitable for use in case of green stools. Due to the fact that the cause of the painful condition is initially unknown, one can only do harm with certain decoctions or tinctures.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of liquid green feces, you must follow simple rules:

  • undergo an examination of the body at least once a year in order to promptly detect the presence of hidden pathologies; It is worth undergoing a diagnostic examination of the body
  • eat right: exclude fast food, alcohol and an abundance of fatty, fried foods; Proper nutrition is the key to health
  • take medications only as prescribed by a doctor; Take medications only as prescribed by a doctor; self-medication is unacceptable
  • exercise moderate physical activity; Physical activity is beneficial at any age
  • Maintain hygiene: wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after visiting public places. Hygiene must be maintained daily

The health of every person is in his hands. The percentage of hereditary severe pathologies is extremely small, and if you maintain the condition of your intestines in a normal manner, then it will work like clockwork, and the problem of diarrhea and green feces is unlikely to arise. Learn how to give your child an enema by following the link.

- What does the color of the stool mean?

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Antibiotics and other drugs

Antibiotics, especially strong drugs used for severe infections, often destroy most of the health-promoting bacteria in the gut. Because bacteria produce brown waste in stool, a deficiency of bacteria results in green or greenish-black stool.

To prevent problems caused by antibiotics, it is recommended to take probiotics (a live culture that supplies the intestines with new bacteria) at the same time as they are taken.

There are other medications and nutritional supplements that cause changes in the color of stool. Among them are the following substances:

  1. Indomethacin. This drug belongs to the group of NSAIDs. It reduces inflammation and lowers temperature.
  2. Iron supplements. Basically, the reason for greenish stool is their use in large quantities. Sometimes constipation may also occur. After stopping the drug, the condition quickly normalizes.

  3. A number of hormonal contraceptives (in particular, those containing medroxyprogesterone).

Medical procedures such as bone marrow transplants can cause green stool. When the body rejects the transplanted bone marrow, severe gastrointestinal irritation, diarrhea, and green stools occur.

IMODIUM® Express in the fight against diarrhea

IMODIUM® Express is a drug that is approved for use in the symptomatic treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea of ​​various origins. The active substance, loperamide, has the following effects:

  • helps restore intestinal motor function - slows down the movement of feces and reduces the frequency of the urge to defecate;
  • helps reduce the volume of water released into the intestinal lumen;
  • helps regulate and restore the normal level of absorption of water and salts dissolved in it by the intestinal walls.

Before taking IMODIUM® Express, you should read the instructions and consult a specialist.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Some types of parasites, viruses, and bacteria can also cause changes in the color of feces. Most often these are intestinal lamblia (giardia lamblia), noroviruses. The presence of these microorganisms is accompanied by diarrhea with green stools. Sometimes this symptom also occurs with common traveler's diarrhea. As a rule, the condition returns to normal within a few days without the need for treatment. Greens in feces appear in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other diseases of the digestive system accompanied by diarrhea (including hereditary disorders). Green stool in an adult can occur with irritable bowel syndrome, excessive use of laxatives (medicines that facilitate bowel movements).

An anal fissure is a tiny crack in the tissue around the anus, often caused by chronic constipation, the passage of hard stool. But sometimes this manifestation occurs with chronic diarrhea, nonspecific intestinal inflammation. Anal fissures can bleed, which causes the presence of blood in the stool and its coloration in a red-green hue.

Diagnostics

If green stool appears, you should consult a gastroenterologist. The diagnostic plan includes advanced laboratory tests and modern imaging methods of the digestive system. If necessary, the patient is referred for consultation to related specialists. The most informative ones are:

  • Coprogram
    . When examining green stool under a microscope, it contains a large number of undigested food particles, an increased content of red blood cells and white blood cells, which indicates inflammatory processes in the intestines. If intestinal bleeding is possible, the Gregersen occult blood reaction is performed. A fecal elastase test can rule out pancreatitis.
  • Bacteriological studies
    . When the color of the stool changes, a microscopic analysis is always carried out for helminth eggs. Be sure to culture feces on selective nutrient media to detect typical intestinal pathogens: Salmonella, Escherichia, Shigella. If there are difficulties in diagnosis, blood ELISA is prescribed to detect antibodies.
  • Ultrasonography
    . In an adult, the appearance of green stool is often caused by somatic reasons, for confirmation of which an ultrasound of the abdominal organs is required. Sonography allows us to exclude space-occupying lesions and other severe intestinal lesions. Targeted ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder is necessary to diagnose cholecystitis and hepatitis.
  • Radiography
    . Double contrast irrigoscopy helps evaluate the structure of the colon and identify areas of mucosal destruction, deep ulcers or diverticula. Barium passage X-ray is an effective method with which you can assess the condition of all parts of the gastrointestinal tract and detect signs of peptic ulcer disease.
  • Additional methods.
    FGDS is recommended for signs of gastroduodenal pathology. For patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease, colonoscopy with biopsy sampling is indicated. To make a diagnosis of celiac disease, a cytomorphological examination of small intestinal biopsies is performed and specific antibodies are determined. To find out the cause of severe allergies, an immunogram is informative.

Nutrient malabsorption

This is a disorder associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Most nutrients are absorbed in the mucosa of the small intestine. This requires digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile. Failure of any of these components results in a deficiency in the body's supply of nutrients.

DiseaseCharacteristic
Celiac diseaseAn autoimmune disorder characterized by a cross-reaction of the body's antibodies against gluten
Lactose intoleranceA condition caused by a congenital or acquired deficiency of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose
Short bowel syndromeA condition in which the absorption area of ​​the small intestine through which nutrients are absorbed is reduced.
Blind loop syndromeA condition in which bacteria enter the small intestine, disrupting metabolism and the normal functioning of bile
Irradiation of the small intestineA disorder that occurs when malignant neoplasms in the abdominal cavity are irradiated
Intestinal amyloidosisA systemic disorder in which the compound amyloid accumulates in an organ

Treatment involves a combination of cause-and-effect solutions. The patient’s diet is adjusted, missing nutrients, minerals, and vitamins are introduced. If necessary, drug treatment is prescribed.

Salmonellosis

This is an intestinal infectious disease, usually not fatal, but unpleasant. It is risky for both children and adults. Its causative agent is the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis. This pathogen belongs to the group of Salmonella, which causes a number of other diseases (in particular, typhoid fever). The bacterium is often found in milk, eggs (and all products containing eggs, especially egg mayonnaise).

Sufficient heat treatment of any of the risky products destroys salmonella.

When food containing Salmonella bacteria is consumed, pathogens enter the intestines, attack the cells of the intestinal wall, and inflammation occurs. The infection manifests itself as fever, diarrhea with loose, watery stools. It is usually green in color and may contain mucus and blood. Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting may occur. In people with weakened immune systems (eg, people with AIDS), salmonella can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. In this case, serious blood poisoning (sepsis) occurs, which can be fatal. The main prevention of the disease is to avoid eating foods (especially dairy and eggs) from unknown sources, especially in the absence of proper heat treatment of food.

Treatment measures at home

Treatment of diseases is carried out in the infectious diseases department or gastroenterology, depending on the diagnostic results. If salmonellosis is suspected, pre-medical care includes:

  • plenty of drinking regimen, even when vomiting you should give boiled warm water to drink in small portions, the best drug is Regidron;
  • taking sorbents - drugs that attract toxins in the intestines and remove them with feces; activated carbon (every 2 hours an adult should drink 4 tablets), Smecta, Polysorb are suitable.

Do not rinse the stomach, give antibiotics or drugs that stop intestinal motility. Toxic substances should be removed with diarrhea. If bleeding is suspected, the patient should be placed on his side, prohibited from getting up, a heating pad with ice or cold water should be placed on his stomach (something from the freezer, wrapped in cellophane and a towel will do), you can allow him to swallow small pieces of ice.

When to seek medical help?

You should consult a doctor if symptoms, in particular diarrhea, persist for more than 3 days. Prolonged diarrhea can lead to dehydration and malabsorption. A visit to a specialist is also required if green stool is accompanied by other symptoms, such as abdominal cramps, blood in the stool, and nausea.

It is often uncomfortable for a person to talk to a doctor about stool and its external characteristics, but it is necessary. The doctor is called to help improve the condition. Before visiting, it is advisable to make a list of medications you are taking. It is also important to inform your doctor about your eating habits (if there are no changes, about recently consumed foods) and the presence of other diseases. This is the only way to make a correct diagnosis, determine the cause of green stool, and apply the correct treatment.

With a one-time symptom, as a rule, we are not talking about a serious problem. It is most likely caused by eating leafy vegetables. If the green tint of stool persists for more than 3 days in a row, accompanied by other signs mentioned above, a disorder may occur that requires a specialized therapeutic approach.

You should quickly consult a doctor if there is bright red blood in the stool, or if it turns black (this may be a sign of melena - the presence of digested blood in the stool). But sometimes blueberries and licorice consumed the day before can cause it to turn black.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Greenish color of stool associated with the consumption of certain foods does not require specific therapy. It is enough to exclude provoking factors from your diet, and after a couple of days the color of the stool will normalize. If the symptom is accompanied by nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, you should consult a doctor to find out why the stool has turned green. The presence of blood streaks in the stool is an indication for emergency hospitalization.

Conservative therapy

An important component of treatment is a special diet. In the acute period of intestinal infections and other gastrointestinal pathologies, a person is transferred to a gentle diet - mucous soups, pureed porridge with water. After normalization of stool, the patient gradually returns to his usual diet. Celiac disease is treated with a lifelong gluten-free diet. Medications are selected depending on the cause of green stool. For therapeutic purposes use:

  • Sorbents
    . Prescribed for all cases of greenish stool and diarrhea, as they effectively remove toxic metabolic products and bacterial agents from the body. Darkening of stool due to the use of activated carbon preparations is a normal variant.
  • Probiotics
    . In case of dysbiosis, during the recovery period after intestinal infections, probiotic agents are necessary for the colonization of the colon with beneficial lactobacilli. The drugs improve motility, eliminate abdominal discomfort, and help normalize the frequency and consistency of stool.
  • Antisecretory agents
    . In hyperacid conditions, medications that reduce acidity in the stomach and prevent the development of ulcers and bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract are effective. Preference is given to protein pump inhibitors, which have a long-lasting effect and minimal side effects.
  • Enzymes
    . For the gastrointestinal form of intestinal infections and chronic enteritis, pancreatin and dry bile have a good therapeutic effect. Enzyme replacement therapy stimulates digestion and eliminates malabsorption syndrome, due to which all dyspeptic disorders disappear.
  • Antibiotics
    . Antimicrobial agents are indicated for severe generalized forms of bacterial diseases to target the infectious causes of the disorder. Mostly medications from the group of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines are used. Sometimes therapy is supplemented with sulfonamides. For viral infections, etiotropic drugs are not prescribed.

Treatment of causes of changes in stool color

If a person has an allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity to certain foods that cause chronic diarrhea, the risky food should be eliminated from the diet or its consumption reduced. This is mainly caffeine, dairy, fatty products, carbonated drinks. Keep a diary and write down which foods cause problems.

Treatment of a patient with infectious diseases is carried out by doctors from the infectious diseases department.

In case of infection, bed rest and increased fluid intake are usually prescribed (to prevent dehydration). It is advisable to use drugs that cleanse the intestines (for example, drugs containing dichloroquinoline). In severe cases, antibiotics are also prescribed.

In most cases, green stool is a condition that does not require concern. Long-term persistence of the problem may indicate the presence of a serious illness, but a one-time case may indicate the presence of natural dyes (from spinach, broccoli) in the stool.

Treatment for green stool caused by salmonella

Treatment of salmonella depends on the clinical form of the disease and the patient’s immune status. Therapy is symptomatic. The most important thing is to replenish fluids and minerals.

Treatment consists of:

  • rehydration (oral and parenteral);
  • diets;
  • drug therapy;
  • Antibiotics (penicillin, cotrimoxazole, quinolones).

In all acute diarrheal illnesses, rehydration is critical. It should take into account the basic daily fluid requirement, stool volume, vomiting, and temperature.

For salmonellosis, it is important to exclude all fatty, irritating foods, milk, meat, including diet ham, chocolate, leafy vegetables, fresh fruits (except bananas, grated apples). The diet includes mashed potatoes, rice, root vegetable soup, dry bread. Gradually, as the condition improves, pasta, lean meat, and fruits are added.

Medicines used include intestinal disinfectants and adsorbents. Drugs that slow down intestinal motility are not suitable for salmonellosis, because they enhance the absorption of toxic bacterial products.

Treatment of green stool caused by malabsorption

Symptoms should disappear once the offending foods are eliminated. If you are lactose intolerant, avoid milk and some dairy products. You can try lactase tablets, lactase-containing milk, or milk without milk sugar.

If you have celiac disease, you must follow a gluten-free diet that excludes products from wheat, rice, oats, and other grains. Gluten is also found in a number of processed foods, so it's a good idea to carefully research what ingredients are in each product.

Patients with malabsorption are prescribed high doses of vitamins and minerals. In case of lactose intolerance, calcium intake is increased (the daily dose of the supplement is 500 mg 2-3 times a day). Tablets containing live Lactobacillus bacteria may reduce flatulence, diarrhea and other symptoms associated with taking antibiotics, such as green stool. Lactobasillus acidophilus restores the natural intestinal microflora disturbed by drug therapy and diarrhea.

Treatment of green stool caused by parasitic infections

Parasites sometimes disappear on their own. But specialized treatment is always advisable, especially if symptoms are long-lasting.

Each disease has a specific treatment. Sometimes it is necessary to use antibiotics, sometimes corticoids, drugs that act directly against parasites. The choice of method always depends on the severity of the condition.

In most cases, the body copes with viral diseases on its own. Regular replenishment of fluids and proper nutrition are sufficient. The body needs to replenish missing minerals lost during diarrhea and vomiting. During treatment, auxiliary drugs in the form of probiotics and minerals can be used to support the exhausted body and stabilize the intestinal microflora.

Mild forms of bacterial infections are treated with sufficient fluids and a strict diet. Activated carbon and other anti-diarrhea medications are used. Imodium and Hilak forte are prescribed. For localized inflammation, antibiotics are used. In severe cases, hospitalization is required.

Treatment for green stool caused by anal fissure

An anal fissure either heals on its own or usually becomes chronic after 3 days. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. Conservative therapy includes sitz baths (in a decoction of chamomile, oak bark), laxatives, suppositories with a substance that affects the tension of the anal sphincter (antispasmodics), and analgesics.

The goal of surgical treatment is to heal the crack itself in the wall of the rectum and influence the tension of the anal sphincters. Dilatation (enlargement) of the rectum is performed under local or short general anesthesia. The expansion provides blood circulation to the torn edges of the crack, improving healing.

The crack is also removed (excision). This is a less effective method and does not affect sphincter tension. The first choice method is the Eisenhammer operation or internal lateral partial sphincterotomy (intersection of 1/3 of the height of the internal sphincter). This is a delicate surgical procedure that can lead to fecal incontinence and should be performed by an experienced proctologist.

Causes during pregnancy

Digestion in a pregnant woman is no different from the physiological processes of a healthy person. It is possible that sensitivity to certain foods increases due to a change in taste. Therefore, the basis for green stool during pregnancy should be sought in nutrition. Pregnant women enjoy eating: broccoli, dill, spinach, parsley. An increase in the rate of transit of such plant products through the intestines has an effect.

Some vitamin supplements containing iron also affect stool color. They are prescribed by obstetricians quite often to prevent anemia. Managing pregnancy in women with chronic diseases requires the attention of a doctor and relatives. It is impossible to predict an exacerbation in advance. Therefore, it is necessary to come early for examination if you have suspicious bowel movements.


The ban on spicy foods and pickles increases the need for fresh greens

Risks of changes in stool color

Removing waste is one of the main, most important functions of the human body. The appearance and smell of the stool itself indicates the state of health and warns of a serious illness. Therefore, paying attention to its changes is advisable.

Greenish stool with mucus is most often caused by nonspecific inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. The condition itself is not dangerous; the problem arises when it occurs simultaneously with rectal bleeding, because Irritable bowel syndrome may occur.

Hard, heavy stools are a common consequence of insufficient fluid and fiber intake. Such stools may be dark in color, mainly due to prolonged residence in the colon.

Constipation and diarrhea indicate an intestinal imbalance that can weaken the immune system. Prolonged diarrhea may indicate serious intestinal illness; there is a risk of dehydration. Long-term constipation can cause eczema, hemorrhoids, and psychological discomfort.

What diagnostic measures are prescribed?

If greenish-colored stool appears in an adult, the doctor will definitely prescribe examinations and studies.

  1. Coprogram. Thanks to this technique, a specialist can identify what is in the microscopic composition of stool. The method also allows you to study the chemical composition. Basically, these factors are enough to understand why the stool is green.
  2. Other laboratory methods include blood and urine analysis, bacterial culture and microscopic examination. The latter is carried out if parasites are suspected. During the procedure, specialists use a polymerase chain reaction, during which DNA of the life cycle is isolated. If a person's stool is green, the cause may well be parasite infection.
  3. Sowing tank Allows you to identify the causative agent of intestinal infection, the presence of bacteria, and the state of the microflora. The biomaterial is placed in a special environment, where the causative agent of the disease is determined.
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