Changes in bowel habits
Bowel (gut) habits vary from person to person. They can provide clues to what your digestive health is like and can indicate any underlying health conditions. Changes can include how often you have a bowel movement, the control over your movements, and their consistency and colour.
There is no set healthy pattern for bowel habits, but significant changes can indicate a problem that may need medical attention. If you are experiencing a change in your bowel habits, speak to one of our specialists to get this checked.
Read on to learn more about the symptoms and causes of bowel habit changes. We also discuss how to treat this.
Related Symptoms
Overview | Emergency care | Symptoms | Causes | Diagnosis | Treatments
Emergency care
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, we advise you to seek immediate medical attention. These can be signs of a serious illness or condition that needs addressing right away.
Potentially serious symptoms include:
- Blood in your stool (poo)
- Mucus in your stool
- Pus in your stool
- Unable to pass gas
- Severe abdominal pain
- Watery, diarrhoea-like stools
Symptoms
Stool colour
Stool colour can vary but is typically various shades of brown. Slight temporary changes in colour can occur due to the food you eat and are usually harmless. If you see small amounts of bright red in your stool, this means that there could be some rectal bleeding. This may be serious, depending on the cause, so we advise seeking medical attention regarding your symptoms.
If you see unusual colour changes (deep red, black and tarry, clay, or white-coloured stools) that don’t clear up, please get in touch with us for a consultation. These could be signs of more serious issues.
Stool consistency
Healthy stools should be soft and easy to pass. Hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass are usually signs of constipation. Loose, watery stools are a sign of diarrhoea. Both constipation and diarrhoea should clear up in a few days, but if symptoms persist for more than two weeks, we suggest seeking further medical advice.
Control over bowel movements
You should have control over when and where you go to the toilet. Not having control is called faecal (bowel) incontinence, which becomes more common as you age. Seek advice if you are experiencing a lack of control over your bowels, as we can assess what the cause might be.
Frequency (how often you poo)
Regular bowel movements vary from person to person, ranging from 3 times per day to once every 3 days. What is considered ‘normal’ is not consistent. However, if you haven’t passed a stool for more than three days or have had diarrhoea for more than a few days, this can be abnormal. Speak to us if you are worried about your symptoms.
Causes
Your lifestyle and the medication you take can affect your digestive health. Improvements in your bowel habits are expected once completing your medication or after adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Many digestive conditions can also cause changes, including:
- IBS
- Crohn’s disease
- Coeliac disease
- Ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD))
- Thyroid disorders
- Bowel polyps
- Bowel cancer
- Diverticulitis
Cancers, nerve damage from a stroke or spinal cord injuries can all also cause changes in bowel habits.
Diagnosis
After assessing your symptoms, we may perform the following tests:
- Stool test
- Colonoscopy or gastroscopy
- Abdominal scans
- Complete blood count via a blood test
- Digital rectal examination
- Bowel cancer screening
These tests will depend on your symptoms and will be handled by our specialists so that you will be cared for every step of the way.
Treatments
Treatment will depend on the cause of your bowel changes, but we can ensure that your treatment plan is tailored to your needs.
Some treatment options include:
- Dietary therapies
- Complimentary therapies
- Lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise
- Courses of medication, such as anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant, or anticancer drugs
- Surgery related to your condition
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Book an appointment
If you are regularly experiencing problems with your bowel habits, our stomach specialists (gastroenterologists) can help. We can perform various tests to understand your problem’s cause and develop a tailored treatment plan.
Book an appointment today to prioritise your gut health.