The foul odor of feces is a symptom associated with various disorders in the body. In the absence of deviations, feces have a specific, but not pungent odor. Depending on the cause of the stench, additional symptoms may also appear in the form of abdominal pain, fever, dizziness and headache. A very unpleasant odor emanating from feces can be caused by both pathological and non-pathogenic causes.
Normal indicators
Normal bowel movements should occur daily or every two days 1-2 times without any straining. After defecation there should be a feeling of comfort. A deviation from the norm is considered if a person goes to the toilet “in a big way” once in three days, or diarrhea bothers him for 5 or more days.
The amount of feces varies from 150 to 400 grams. The more plant foods, the more bowel movements. The color of stool is brown. Deviations in color are acceptable after eating certain foods; for example, if you overuse carrots, your stool may take on an orange tint. But if it turns dark green or black, and this lasts more than 5 days, then most likely a disease has appeared: cirrhosis or an ulcer.
The consistency of your stool can also tell you a lot. Ideally, stool consists of 30% processed food debris and 30% water. Another indicator is the shape of feces. In a healthy person, they should have a cylindrical and sausage shape.
Possible associated symptoms
The disease can only be suspected if there are accompanying symptoms of foul-smelling stool:
- Changes in other stool parameters (color, consistency, cellular and biochemical composition). Indicates a digestion disorder at the level of enzymatic deficiency.
- The appearance of pathological impurities (blood, mucus, foamy layers, fibrin films). They indicate the presence of an infectious process or the formation of erosions and ulcerations (blood), inflammation of hemorrhagic nodes.
- Abdominal pain. A frequent nonspecific syndrome, which can be either the result of organic pathology or a sign of functional disorders in irritable bowel syndrome.
- Flatulence. Indicates the activation of fermentation processes and an imbalance between pathogenic and non-pathogenic intestinal flora.
Sour stool
The most common cause of a sour stench is foods that were eaten the day before. Less often, but still some diseases can provoke a sour smell of stool:
- intestinal infections;
- Crohn's disease;
- allergies to certain foods;
- celiac disease;
- insufficient amount of pancreatic enzyme;
- inflammatory processes.
In addition to the stench, diarrhea may appear and excessive gas may be tormented. In acute intestinal disorders, vomiting may occur.
In infants, this problem appears against the background of an allergic reaction to artificial complementary foods. In children under 2 years of age, this problem may be associated with rotavirus infection, colitis, dysbiosis or fermentation dispersion.
If your body temperature rises to 39 degrees against the background of a sour stool odor, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.
Most often, getting rid of this problem is very simple. It is necessary to normalize nutrition, adults need to stop drinking alcohol, and infants should change their diet.
Causes
The sour smell of feces is an alarming symptom. The reason may be hidden not only in digestive disorders. The pathology is influenced by chronic intestinal diseases, the development of life-threatening infections - dysbiosis, impaired transportation of food masses, damage to the pancreas. If the human body cannot adequately ensure the correct process of absorption of vital substances in the intestines, then a chronic illness develops. Poor absorption and very foul-smelling stool may be caused by:
- Food allergies;
- intestinal infections;
- celiac disease;
- food intolerance;
- Crohn's disease;
- inflammation.
With the above disorders, severe diarrhea (and it stinks), nausea, and insufficient absorption of beneficial components from food are observed. Foul stool is a sign of poor absorption and increased gas formation in the intestines. Similar bowel movements with vomiting occur during acute intestinal infections, when the normal bacterial flora of the digestive system is disrupted.
Why does stool have an unpleasant, pungent odor? The consistency and smell of stool is influenced by bacteria and microorganisms present in the intestines. With various violations, bacteria are activated and begin to multiply quickly. The growth of pathogenic microflora increases. As a result, microbes poison the intestines more with their toxins and provoke increased rotting of food. Diarrhea with a sour smell indicates a chronic disorder of the digestive processes and intestinal infection. Nasty and loose stools in an adult can occur due to pancreatic insufficiency.
Normally, a healthy person has bowel movements no more than twice a day. Feces have a soft consistency. Evacuation occurs effortlessly and without pain. The color of the stool is brown, and in infants it is light yellow. The smell of feces is normally unpleasant, but without fermentative or putrefactive tones.
Foul stool
This problem very often appears due to the consumption of a large number of vegetables, which contain many phytoncides. First of all, it's garlic and onions. This is due to the fact that these products destroy pathogenic microflora, which is present in small quantities in the intestines of every person.
Provoking foods also include legumes, cabbage and foods that contain large amounts of fat. Provocateurs of foul-smelling stool also include so-called artificial foods, that is, those containing a large amount of stabilizers, preservatives and flavorings.
In children, such a smell often indicates that dysbiosis is present. At the same time, a rash may appear all over the body. This can also occur during antimicrobial or antibacterial therapy.
The most dangerous symptom is the smell of feces, similar to the smell of rotten carrion. This symptom is typical for malignant neoplasms in the intestines, so you should immediately consult a doctor. This may not be the reason, but you should definitely undergo an examination.
Allergic reaction of the body
This kind of reaction of the body is expressed in the body’s refusal to accept certain foods. The most common allergens are:
- chocolate;
- cocoa and products containing it;
- fish;
- seafood;
- honey;
- citrus;
- cow's milk.
In addition to diarrhea and foul-smelling stools, a person is bothered by dry and itchy skin, mucus flowing from the nasal passages and tears from the eyes. Enzyme deficiency also affects the smell of stool. Poor nutrition, as well as the presence of congenital pathologies in which certain elements are not absorbed by the intestines, can cause a lack of enzymes, due to which food is fully digested. As a result, a foul odor emanates from the stool.
Enzyme deficiency
Enzymopathy is a pathology in which the production of digestive enzymes necessary for the absorption and breakdown of certain products is partially or completely stopped. It can be congenital or occur as a result of various disorders in the functioning of internal organs. One of the forms of fermentopathy in adults is lactase deficiency - a lack of the enzyme responsible for the absorption of milk sugar. Symptoms of lactase deficiency in patients over 18 years of age may include abdominal pain, foamy or watery stools with a strong, foul odor, and weight loss associated with poor absorption of milk protein.
All signs of pathology appear mainly after consuming fermented milk products or products based on whole cow's milk. It should be noted that true lactase deficiency is rarely diagnosed - such patients are forced to adhere to a special diet throughout their lives that excludes dairy products. Temporary lactase deficiency is treated with enzyme preparations (Lactazar, Lactase).
Eliminating stool odor. Treatment
If the stench of feces appears against the background of dysbacteriosis, then the following drugs are used in therapy: “Bifidumbacterin”, “Lactofiltrum” and others.
Problems often appear due to an allergic reaction. Some of the most allergenic foods include honey, milk, citrus fruits, and chocolate. Along with a change in the smell of feces, a rash and peeling often appear on the skin. Flatulence, diarrhea and even chills can also be tormented. Food allergies can be cured in only one way - eliminating foods that trigger them from the diet. The following drugs are used in symptomatic therapy: Suprastin, Loratadine, Claritin and Tavegil. In addition to taking medications, it is recommended to cleanse the intestines of toxins and waste; for this you can use activated carbon, Polyphepan or Neosmectin.
Bowel diseases
An unpleasant smell of feces in an adult or child is often associated with gastrointestinal diseases. To determine the cause, it is necessary to examine the intestines and take a stool test, and do a coprogram.
If a diagnosis of “enteritis” or “colitis” has been made, then most likely, along with a change in smell, the patient is worried about flatulence, bloating, intestinal spasms, and pressure in the lower abdomen. For treatment, first of all, table No. 4 according to Pevzner is used. As a symptomatic treatment, carminatives, antispasmodics, laxatives, and, in extreme cases, antibiotics are used.
Folk remedies
In combination with drug therapy, folk remedies are widely used to eliminate smelly diarrhea. A cup of black or green tea helps strengthen stools and improve bowel function. Take the tea warm, not hot, so as not to irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Potato starch is the number one remedy for foul-smelling diarrhea. It is stirred in one hundred milliliters of boiled water and drunk on an empty stomach. Starch coats the gastric mucosa, eliminates inflammation and bad-smelling stool.
You can also use cloudy and sticky rice water. It resembles starchy jelly and strengthens stool well.
Even if a person is completely healthy, after a bowel movement there is always an unpleasant smell in the toilet. But if suddenly a strong smell of feces appears, then perhaps some diseases are developing in the body, although this is often associated with the food that was consumed the day before.
The smell of human waste is formed by gases that are produced during the digestion and breakdown of food.
Worm infestations
The smell of a child's stool often changes due to the presence of worms. After all, this problem is inherent specifically in children who have not yet reached 14 years of age. At this age, they still do not know how to carefully monitor hygiene.
In addition to the foul odor, the presence of parasites may cause diarrhea or, conversely, constipation, rumbling in the stomach, pale skin, and a decrease in the resistance of the entire body as a whole.
In this case, anthelmintic drugs are used, for example, “Dekaris”, “Nemozol”, “Levamisole” and others. However, you should not prescribe them to your child yourself. First of all, it is necessary to undergo an examination to determine the type of parasites. In addition, all drugs for worms are very toxic, so the dose for the child must be determined by a doctor. The main thing is to get rid of parasites without fail, since there is a risk that in the future the child will develop systemic anemia, since worms feed on blood.
A few words at the end
In addition to the sour stench of feces, a putrid odor may appear, which is characteristic of people suffering from constipation. A faint odor indicates that an accelerated process of fecal evacuation is occurring in the small intestine. And if the smell resembles the aroma of rancid oil, then most likely the process of decomposition of fats has been activated in the intestines.
In most cases, getting rid of foul-smelling stool is quite simple by adjusting your diet. In addition, it is recommended to cook food well (boil, fry or stew well), wash food thoroughly and avoid bacterial infections. You should carefully monitor your personal hygiene; it is better to avoid drinking unpasteurized milk. You should not cut vegetables and meat on the same board. Be sure to wash your hands after going to the toilet.
