Stool tests
Stool tests look for many problems and conditions that affect your digestive tract. At Digestive Health UK, we offer private stool tests to discover what’s causing your symptoms and provide fast relief. We can discuss your concerns in our initial consultation.
What is a stool test?
A stool test involves examining a sample of your stool, or poo, to determine what is causing your symptoms, such as persistent diarrhoea, constipation, or abdominal pain. Other symptoms we may investigate with this test are a change in bowel habits, feeling or being sick, and unexplained weight loss. We can use it to look for bacteria, viruses, worms, infections, high levels of fat, or mucus and blood in your poo.
How does it work?
Our nurses will provide the sample pot or post it to your address if you have a virtual appointment. You usually obtain the sample at home and bring it to the clinic for testing or post it back.
Wash your hands before starting, and once you finish. You might want to put cling film or something similar over the toilet to help you collect the sample. Then, you can transfer the sample into the plastic container that our nurses provided. It may come with an in-built spoon to help with this. The whole process shouldn’t take much longer than your usual bowel movement.
Ensure the poo does not touch the rim or inside of the toilet, as it could contaminate the sample. Write your name, date of birth, and the collection date on the container if it is not there already. You should bring the container in as soon as you can. Our nurses can answer any questions you have about collecting a stool sample.
What does a stool sample test for?
There are many reasons to have a stool test, as it can help us diagnose a number of digestive problems. These include:
- Inflammation
- Bowel cancer
- Gastroenteritis
- Stomach cancer
- Fat malabsorption
- Helicobacter (H) pylori
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Various parasites or their eggs
- Pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria, such as salmonella, shigella, E. coli and Campylobacter
If we find blood in your poo, it can also be a sign of haemorrhoids, an ulcer, and a rectal tear or rupture. In rare cases, it can also be a sign of bowel cancer.
Types of stool tests
We can use the below tests to look for a range of issues. Some look for specific problems, while others find possible causes and require further investigation.
Bacterial cultures: Involves incubating the stool, giving bacteria time to develop, so we can identify the presence of a disease-causing bacteria.
Faecal calprotectin: Checks for calprotectin, a protein found in white blood cells. You may have IBD if you have high levels of calprotectin.
Stool antigen: Identifies H. pylori antigens in your stool. Antigens are markers that tell your body a substance is foreign, causing an immune response.
Pancreatic elastase: Measures pancreatic elastase, an enzyme made in the pancreas, to assess how well your pancreas functions.
Faecal occult blood or faecal immunochemical test (FOB/FOBT or FIT): Looks for blood in your stool.
Our specialist will explain why you need a test and what they are checking for during your consultation. Depending on your symptoms, we may recommend additional tests, including blood tests, abdominal scans, or a colonoscopy.
FIT tests
We often use a FIT or FOBT test during bowel cancer screening, looking for non-visible trace amounts of blood in your stool. If the test is positive, we may recommend a colonoscopy to investigate further. A FIT is almost 80% accurate at finding bowel cancer, while a colonoscopy – if done correctly – finds almost 100% of bowel cancer cases.
Stool tests and cancer
A positive stool test does not mean you have cancer; it can be a sign of many conditions. However, a colonoscopy could detect precancerous or cancerous tissue and polyps. We can perform a biopsy (small tissue sample) during a colonoscopy, which we can examine for abnormal or cancerous cells. We can use a colonoscopy to remove precancerous or cancerous lesions in the early stages of bowel cancer.
Stool DNA tests, such as Cologuard, look for cancer markers in your DNA but may have a high false-positive rate of 13%. This means that more than 1 in 10 people might incorrectly believe they have cancer or a polyp after this test and receive a colonoscopy unnecessarily. Additionally, 8% of people with cancer had a false-negative with this test.
Test results
It may take three to ten days for you to receive your results, which we can discuss in depth during your consultation. We may say you have a positive or abnormal result if you have any abnormality. A negative result means there was nothing unusual.
We will share our findings with you and make recommendations based on these. You may need follow-up tests or to take medication to treat the cause of your symptoms.
Private stool tests
At our gastroenterology clinic, we offer face-to-face and virtual consultations to address your concerns and decide whether you need a stool test. We will perform a thorough assessment that includes discussing your symptoms and general health.
Let us know if you have already been diagnosed with any condition, as it could influence our recommendations. Our specialist may suggest additional or alternative tests depending on their findings in your consultation.
We can only offer tests coupled with a consultation appointment, as we need to ensure we tailor your tests and treatment according to your health needs.
We cannot offer NHS financial coverage for any appointment or test fees, as we are solely a private clinic and do not receive funding from the NHS.
Offering high-quality personalised care is our priority at Digestive Health UK. Get in touch today to learn how we can help you.
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