Health Topics
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Summary
A bowel movement is the last stop in the movement of food through your digestive tract. Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus. Another name for stool is feces. It is made of what is left after your digestive system (stomach, small intestine, and colon) absorbs nutrients and fluids from what you eat and drink.
Sometimes a bowel movement isn't normal. Diarrhea happens when stool passes through the large intestine too quickly. Constipation occurs when stool passes through the large intestine too slowly. Bowel incontinence is a problem controlling your bowel movements. Other abnormalities with bowel movements may be a sign of a digestive problem.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Bacteria Culture Test
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- Magnetic Resonance (MR) Defecography (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Stool Color: When to Worry (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Biofeedback and Bowel Disorders: Teaching Yourself to Live without the Problem (International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders)
Specifics
-
Bowel Control Problems (Fecal Incontinence)
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also in Spanish
- Frequent Bowel Movements (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Defecation
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Feces
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Microbiome compositional changes and clonal engraftment in a phase 3 trial...
- Article: Effect of short-term dietary intervention on fecal serotonin, gut microbiome-derived tryptophanase,...
- Article: Effects of sake lees intake on fecal uremic toxins, plasma D-alanine,...
- Bowel Movement -- see more articles
Children
- Constipation and Fecal Soiling (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition) - PDF
- Elimination Problems or Constipation in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Black or tarry stools (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Daily bowel care program (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- External incontinence devices (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Fecal culture (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Fecal smear (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stool guaiac test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stools - floating (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stools - foul smelling (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stools - pale or clay-colored (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Tenesmus (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.