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The feces come out in a thin ribbon. What should stool look like normally and what do its changes indicate? Blood in the stool or bleeding from the rectum

Feces are a product of our metabolism. It also serves as a basis for doctors in diagnosing many diseases. Conversely, some changes in feces may be a reason for examination. Thus, ribbon stool may indicate the occurrence of certain pathologies.

Causes of thin stool in an adult

The appearance of ribbon stool is often observed in pregnant women. Why this happens can be explained very simply. Due to the fact that during pregnancy the fetus grows rapidly, the uterus expands greatly and puts pressure on the rectum. Thereby reducing its clearance. Therefore, feces come out of the rectum in the form of a ribbon.

In men, sometimes stool looks like a pencil with prostatitis. This is an inflammation of the prostate gland, which also results in a narrowing of the lumen of the small intestine.

Thin stool for hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are inflammation of the hemorrhoidal veins in the lower part of the rectum. As a result of this inflammation, the blood flow in the veins is disrupted, they stretch and nodules form. Depending on their location, there are three forms of hemorrhoids: internal, external and combined.

Causes:

  • sedentary lifestyle,
  • frequent constipation and diarrhea,
  • pregnancy,
  • alcohol abuse,
  • unhealthy diet
  • heredity.

In the early stages, hemorrhoids do not cause any sensations, but only as the disease develops do symptoms increase.

Manifestations of hemorrhoids: the pain that occurs during the act of defecation is very pronounced, cutting and burning in nature. Due to the formed nodules that narrow the lumen of the small intestine, excrement cannot exit the body normally. They are compressed and have difficulty passing through the intestinal tract, causing constipation and ribbon-like stool. It may be mixed with mucus, sometimes with scarlet blood located in stripes. In this case, the blood does not mix with the excrement, but remains on its surface.

With constipation, stool is often not soft, it can be either long, sausage-shaped, or intermittent.
After emptying the rectum, the patient experiences very itching in the anal area. Anal fissures may occur due to prolonged constipation. If the form of hemorrhoids is external, then lumps are visible within the anus. In the internal form, blood is observed on linen, feces or toilet paper. Also, when the disease is long-term, during defecation the internal node may fall out of the rectum.

Hemorrhoids require mandatory treatment, as they can serve as the beginning of the formation of malignant processes in the intestines.

Digital examination of the rectum by a proctologist and sigmoidoscopy will help diagnose the disease. These methods make it possible to identify the presence of nodules and examine the intestinal mucosa.

Rectal neoplasms


Constipation and ribbon-like stool can also occur when polyps or other neoplasms grow on the intestinal mucosa. The most dangerous condition is the development of malignant processes.

With rectal cancer, ribbon-like feces are observed; the larger the tumor grows, the thinner the feces become. Dark blood appears, which mixes with feces, prolonged constipation. Mucus secretion occurs before bowel movements begin. You can also note the general symptoms that occur with any malignant formation - weight loss, fatigue, lethargy, anemia, decreased immunity.

Polyps are benign growths on the intestinal mucosa. They also cause the appearance of ribbon-like feces, since they also narrow the intestinal lumen. Polyps themselves are not dangerous, but they can become malignant, which is something to be wary of. This is the process of transforming a benign tumor into a malignant one.

If an adult is suspected of developing an oncological process in the rectum, the following research methods are used:

  • finger examination,
  • anoscopy – insertion of an anoscope into the anus to examine the surface of the anal canal,
  • sigmoidoscopy,
  • stool occult blood test,
  • general blood analysis,
  • blood chemistry.

Treatment consists of stopping the growth of the tumor using radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Doctors often resort to surgery.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the functioning of the human intestine without compromising its integrity.

Symptoms that occur with IBS are divided into the following groups:

  • intestinal,
  • associated with other digestive organs,
  • unrelated to the digestive tract.

Intestinal – characterized by pain in the lower abdomen on the left side. The nature of the pain is different: cutting, burning, dagger-like, constant, aching. Abdominal bloating, diarrhea, constipation, ribbon-shaped or pea-shaped feces with mucus, without admixture of blood and pus, are observed.

Symptoms from other organs of the gastrointestinal tract - nausea, vomiting, sour belching, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. Other complaints are sleep disturbances, anxiety, pre-depression.

The causes of irritable bowel syndrome vary. Among them are:

  • heredity,
  • experienced stressful situations,
  • passive lifestyle,
  • unhealthy diet
  • previous infectious intestinal diseases,
  • poisoning,

Diagnosis of IBS:

  • general blood analysis,
  • blood chemistry,
  • general urine analysis,
  • coprogram
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs,
  • colonoscopy,
  • FGDS.

When treating the syndrome, a diet and medications are used that are aimed at combating the symptoms. They resort to psychotherapy sessions when depression is the cause of the development of IBS.

Preventing the appearance of ribbon-shaped stool

To ensure that you do not have thin stool, you first need to monitor your diet. The diet must be balanced; liquid food should not be neglected. You need to eat often, in small portions. You should limit the consumption of harmful foods, do not eat dry food, and drink enough fluids.

Also an important preventive measure is avoiding stressful situations. If possible, you should be less nervous. Stress and anxiety are the causes of various pathological processes.

You should play sports and lead an active lifestyle. Quitting bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol will also reduce the risk of disease.

What to do if the shape of bowel movements changes?

Do not panic when ribbon-like stool appears. After all, the cause of this may not necessarily be cancer or other dangerous diseases. Sometimes it's just a result of poor diet or stress. But in order to protect yourself, if such changes appear in the stool, you still need to consult a specialist. If the cause of the change in the shape of stool is a disease, then the sooner it is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.

Changes in the color, consistency, shape and size of stool always raise questions for an adult. This may be the first sign of the disease, and such manifestations cannot be ignored. The main characteristics of the norm: regular, moderately soft, painless stool. Anything that goes beyond this is a reason to consult a doctor. One of the manifestations of pathology is the ribbon-like shape of feces.

Causes of thin stools in adults

The obvious reasons for thin stool in an adult are dietary errors, when there is not enough plant fiber in everyday food. Neglecting fruits, vegetables, and fiber is the first step towards gastritis, colitis, constipation, hemorrhoids, and diseases of the biliary system. In addition, feces come out as thin sausages in the following cases:

  • A sedentary lifestyle, which in combination with an unbalanced diet will lead, at a minimum, to indigestion and obesity. More serious consequences may also occur: diabetes mellitus, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, etc.
  • Alcohol abuse, which leads to colon atrophy as a result of a series of dyspepsia followed by constipation. This also provokes pathologies of the liver, biliary tract, cirrhosis and tumors.

If you pay attention to ribbon-like feces in time and eliminate the cause that caused it, then the digestive system can be restored, and human health will not suffer.

In some cases, pencil feces require special control and may indicate serious disorders:

  • Development of hemorrhoids. It is the most common pathological cause of thin feces in adults.
    Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Constant tension in the digestive system, most often of a toxic nature, causes ribbon-like formation of feces.
  • Tumor processes in the gastrointestinal tract or nearby organs. This is the most dangerous scenario. Neither benign nor malignant neoplasms make themselves felt for a long time. Thin stool may be the only sign of severe pathology.
  • Helminths often cause disturbances in the process of fecal formation. In this case, the chair may not just be thin, but flat.
  • Prostatitis causes the appearance of thin stools in men due to purely mechanical narrowing of the intestinal lumen by an enlarged prostate.
  • Surgeries on the intestines are another reason that causes ribbon stool. Restoration of stool to normal forms is a kind of marker of correctly performed surgery and postoperative therapy.

Pencil feces for hemorrhoids

Poor circulation in the pelvic organs, changes in the blood clotting system, problems with intestinal motility, and disruption of its patency lead to the appearance of hemorrhoids in the rectal area. Band-shaped stool is a sign of internal hemorrhoids. The knot narrows the intestinal lumen and during defecation, feces pass through a narrow gap, taking on the shape of a ribbon. In this case, feces are difficult to evacuate from the intestines, and blood from the injured node may be present in the stool. If such a symptom is noticed, then you should immediately seek medical help. Otherwise, the disease will progress, and sometimes the outcome of the development of pathology can be bleeding, which is life-threatening.

Rectal neoplasms

Rectal tumors are not uncommon. They can be either benign or malignant. In any case, they narrow the intestinal lumen. The most common polyps are of various sizes. They are benign and are subject to surgical removal to prevent possible malignancy of the process. Therefore, the sooner you seek help from a specialist, the better. If the polyp blocks the intestinal lumen, the feces take on the appearance of a long, thin sausage or pencil. The volume of stool portions may also decrease, and bowel movements themselves become intermittent. The tumor causes constipation, each new portion appears every 2-4 days, looks like a small soft strip. Defecation is accompanied by discomfort, lasts a long time, causes pain and tension in the abdominal muscles. The whole complexity and danger of the situation lies in the fact that both cancer and benign neoplasms cause the same symptoms, so only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis, confirming it with histological examination. Contacting a specialist in advanced stages may not yield positive results in treatment.

Prostatitis

Inflammation of the prostate gland is the most common urological pathology in men of different age categories. The most vulnerable are men of reproductive age with high sexual activity, which means a considerable risk of developing infections. In addition, fishermen, winter sports athletes, and all those who, due to their profession, face hypothermia, are at risk. Inflammation of the prostate causes its swelling and increase in size, which leads to a narrowing of the intestinal lumen. The main symptom is painful bowel movements and pencil-like feces. In rare cases, constipation. The disease is dangerous due to its consequences: infertility, impotence, and the development of tumor processes.

Irritable bowel syndrome

This pathology forces the patient to consult a doctor, since the main symptom that irritable bowel demonstrates is pain. It is accompanied by a series of diarrhea and constipation. The pain is often spastic in nature, the intestines are not just irritated, they spasm and shrink. As soon as the pain subsides a little and the intestine relaxes, a flowing ribbon of feces comes out. Medicine does not fully understand the mechanisms of intestinal spasm and irritation with the development of inflammation. A specialist is not always able to find the cause of the pathology, so treatment is mainly symptomatic. And for prevention purposes, a balanced diet, regular meals in small portions, and a healthy lifestyle are required.

Band-like stool in children

The most common cause of thin stool in a child is lamblia. They never show any special symptoms. Most often, ribbon-like stool is the only sign of a problem. Parents should be wary of poor weight gain in the baby, and in the case of older children, causeless attacks of nausea and lethargy.

It is important to pay attention to the child’s behavior, his complaints: discomfort and rumbling in the intestines, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the rectum during bowel movements, pain in the anus. Even if the child does not yet know how to speak, a number of signs may suggest disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. A sick baby is restless, capricious, has colic, the temperature may rise and impurities may appear in the stool. In any case, a change in stool volume in combination with the baby’s restless behavior is a reason to consult a doctor. Another reason for thread-like stool in a breastfed baby can be poor nutrition of the mother, when too rich milk leads to incomplete digestion of food and difficult evacuation of food debris from the intestines.

Defecation disorders in women during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a natural cause of band-like stool in women. Many expectant mothers notice thin stools during pregnancy. It does not cause problems with bowel movements, but is sometimes followed by constipation. The ribbon-like appearance of feces is determined by the fact that the uterus, as it grows, puts pressure on the intestines, blocking its lumen. In such cases, nothing needs to be done; the situation does not require treatment, but requires constant monitoring and observation. It should be remembered that thin stools and constipation can be harbingers of hemorrhoids and intestinal obstruction. After delivery, the problem usually disappears without a trace.

Preventing the appearance of ribbon-shaped stool

Preventive measures that are designed to prevent the appearance of thin feces may vary. In very general terms they look like this:

  • Proper, balanced nutrition. You cannot exclude first courses from your diet. Portions should be small; you should not eat dry food often. You need to drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water per day.
  • Stress should be avoided. They are quite often triggers of pathological processes that negatively affect the functioning of the digestive system, causing one or another disease.
  • It is important to exercise or play sports. Dosed physical activity balances a sedentary lifestyle and serves as a prevention of obesity, gastric and intestinal pathologies.
  • It is better to give up bad habits: alcohol, cigarettes, drugs. Drinking strong coffee in excessive quantities also increases the risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases.

What to do if the shape of bowel movements changes?

The appearance of thin stools is not a reason to panic. The main thing is to pay attention to the changes in time and consult with a specialist. Most often, to normalize bowel movements, it is enough to adjust your diet and stop being nervous. If the cause of thin stools lies in a disease, it needs to be identified and treated. This requires a complete clinical and laboratory examination by a gastroenterologist and, if necessary, consultation with related specialists. Diagnostics is as follows:

  • Sigmoidoscopy and examination of the rectum by touch. This is how hemorrhoids are identified, their location, size, and injury.
  • OAC, OAM – to determine the general condition of the patient.
  • A study of the blood coagulation system, prothrombin index, which will not only tell you about the time of thrombosis, but also exclude or confirm liver dysfunction (prothrombin synthesis).
  • The coprogram will show the ratio of normal and pathogenic intestinal flora.
  • Culture of stool on nutrient media will reveal the pathogen.
  • It is also necessary to take a stool test for worm eggs and a blood test for antibodies to Giardia.
  • If necessary, the doctor will prescribe an X-ray of the intestine and a biopsy.

Treatment is prescribed individually depending on the reason that caused the appearance of thin stool. It consists of a course of drug therapy aimed at destroying the pathogen, stimulating the immune system, and relieving stress. In some cases, surgical intervention is required with subsequent rehabilitation of the patient.

Feces are a product of our metabolism. It also serves as a basis for doctors in diagnosing many diseases. Conversely, some changes in feces may be a reason for examination. Thus, ribbon stool may indicate the occurrence of certain pathologies.

Causes of thin stool in an adult

The appearance of ribbon stool is often observed in pregnant women. Why this happens can be explained very simply. Due to the fact that during pregnancy the fetus grows rapidly, the uterus expands greatly and puts pressure on the rectum. Thereby reducing its clearance. Therefore, feces come out of the rectum in the form of a ribbon.

In men, sometimes stool looks like a pencil with prostatitis. This is an inflammation of the prostate gland, which also results in a narrowing of the lumen of the small intestine.

Thin stool for hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are inflammation of the hemorrhoidal veins in the lower part of the rectum. As a result of this inflammation, the blood flow in the veins is disrupted, they stretch and nodules form. Depending on their location, there are three forms of hemorrhoids: internal, external and combined.

Causes:

  • sedentary lifestyle;
  • frequent constipation and diarrhea;
  • pregnancy;
  • alcohol abuse;
  • poor nutrition;
  • heredity.

In the early stages, hemorrhoids do not cause any sensations, but only as the disease develops do symptoms increase.

Manifestations of hemorrhoids: the pain that occurs during the act of defecation is very pronounced, cutting and burning in nature. Due to the formed nodules that narrow the lumen of the small intestine, excrement cannot exit the body normally. They are compressed and have difficulty passing through the intestinal tract, causing constipation and ribbon-like stool. It may be mixed with mucus, sometimes with scarlet blood located in stripes. In this case, the blood does not mix with the excrement, but remains on its surface.

With constipation, stool is often not soft, it can be either long, sausage-shaped, or intermittent.
After emptying the rectum, the patient experiences very itching in the anal area. Anal fissures may occur due to prolonged constipation. If the form of hemorrhoids is external, then lumps are visible within the anus. In the internal form, blood is observed on linen, feces or toilet paper. Also, when the disease is long-term, during defecation the internal node may fall out of the rectum.

Hemorrhoids require mandatory treatment, as they can serve as the beginning of the formation of malignant processes in the intestines.

Digital examination of the rectum by a proctologist and sigmoidoscopy will help diagnose the disease. These methods make it possible to identify the presence of nodules and examine the intestinal mucosa.

Rectal neoplasms

Constipation and ribbon-like stool can also occur when polyps or other neoplasms grow on the intestinal mucosa. The most dangerous condition is the development of malignant processes.

With rectal cancer, ribbon-like feces are observed; the larger the tumor grows, the thinner the feces become. Dark blood appears, which mixes with feces, prolonged constipation. Mucus secretion occurs before bowel movements begin. You can also note the general symptoms that occur with any malignant formation - weight loss, fatigue, lethargy, anemia, decreased immunity.

Polyps are benign growths on the intestinal mucosa. They also cause the appearance of ribbon-like feces, since they also narrow the intestinal lumen. Polyps themselves are not dangerous, but they can become malignant, which is something to be wary of. This is the process of transforming a benign tumor into a malignant one.

If an adult is suspected of developing an oncological process in the rectum, the following research methods are used:

  • finger examination;
  • anoscopy – insertion of an anoscope into the anus to examine the surface of the anal canal;
  • sigmoidoscopy;
  • general blood analysis;
  • blood chemistry.

Treatment consists of stopping the growth of the tumor using radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Doctors often resort to surgery.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder in the functioning of the human intestine without compromising its integrity.

Symptoms that occur with IBS are divided into the following groups:

  • intestinal;
  • associated with other digestive organs;
  • unrelated to the digestive tract.

Intestinal – characterized by pain in the lower abdomen on the left side. The nature of the pain is different: cutting, burning, dagger-like, constant, aching. There is bloating, diarrhea, constipation, ribbon-shaped or with mucus, without admixture of blood and pus.

Symptoms from other organs of the gastrointestinal tract - nausea, vomiting, sour belching, a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. Other complaints are sleep disturbances, anxiety, pre-depression.

The causes of irritable bowel syndrome vary. Among them are:

  • heredity;
  • experienced stressful situations;
  • passive lifestyle;
  • poor nutrition;
  • previous infectious intestinal diseases;
  • poisoning;

Diagnosis of IBS:

  • general blood analysis;
  • blood chemistry;
  • general urine analysis;
  • coprogram;
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
  • colonoscopy;
  • FGDS.

When treating the syndrome, a diet and medications are used that are aimed at combating the symptoms. They resort to psychotherapy sessions when depression is the cause of the development of IBS.

Preventing the appearance of ribbon-shaped stool

To ensure that you do not have thin stool, you first need to monitor your diet. The diet must be balanced; liquid food should not be neglected. You need to eat often, in small portions. You should limit the consumption of harmful foods, do not eat dry food, and drink enough fluids.

Also an important preventive measure is avoiding stressful situations. If possible, you should be less nervous. Stress and anxiety are the causes of various pathological processes.

You should play sports and lead an active lifestyle. Quitting bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol will also reduce the risk of disease.

What to do if the shape of bowel movements changes?

Do not panic when ribbon-like stool appears. After all, the cause of this may not necessarily be cancer or other dangerous diseases. Sometimes it's just a result of poor diet or stress. But in order to protect yourself, if such changes appear in the stool, you still need to consult a specialist. If the cause of the change in the shape of stool is a disease, then the sooner it is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.

This question is of great concern to people who are faced with this pathology.

The reasons for the appearance of thin stool lie in various intestinal diseases, and some of them pose a threat not only to human health, but also to human life.

Why does ribbon stool appear?

People generally rarely pay attention to their stool, but changes in the nature of the feces can tell a lot.

If stool has a normal shape, color and consistency for a long time, then everything is in order with a person’s health.

These indicators may change for a short time depending on the diet. If a person’s feces have become thin, like a ribbon or a snake, then this is already a cause for alarm, since it indicates the presence of various diseases.

The most common cause of thin stool is hemorrhoids. If an adult constantly works physically, suffers from constipation or physical inactivity (deterioration of motor skills due to a sedentary lifestyle), then he may develop such a disease.

The disease develops due to the inflammatory process and further formation of blood clots in the veins of the colon.

As a result of thrombosis, nodes appear that protrude from the intestinal walls. Thus, the lumen in the colon decreases, which leads to the thinning of the feces passing through it.

In women, the appearance of thin stool may be associated with pregnancy. As the uterus expands, it begins to compress the intestines, reducing its width.

Such a process can lead not only to thinning of the stool, but also to constipation, which affects most expectant mothers.

In addition, a decrease in the lumen of the colon and a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy can lead to hemorrhoids.

If the usual thickness of feces changes, the expectant mother should definitely consult a doctor, since ignoring this symptom will most likely cause a complete stop of feces in the intestines and further intoxication of the body.

The appearance of thin feces is always associated with a decrease in the lumen in the large intestine. This pathology can occur due to the presence of polyps (growths on the mucous membrane) in the intestines.

Basically, such formations are not dangerous and do not cause discomfort at an early stage, but later they can cause pain and malignize (turn into malignant tumors).

A decrease in the lumen in the large intestine occurs as a result of various ailments - hemorrhoids, polyps, giardiasis.

All these diseases at an early stage do not create any discomfort for the patient, and they are quite easy to cure.

But if you let the disease take its course, the consequences in the future will be very sad.

Untreated hemorrhoids can lead to the development of paraproctitis - purulent inflammation of the rectum, which destroys organ tissue. With a long course of the disease, malignancy of the resulting fistulas is very likely.

Hemorrhoids are characterized not only by the formation of lumps and the appearance of thin feces.

In the second and third stages of the disease, the patient experiences severe pain, blood is observed in the feces, and the nodes fall out during defecation and physical effort. The skin in the anal area may turn red and begin to itch, and a burning sensation often appears.

Subsequently, the nodes begin to become inflamed, purulent fistulas form, and body temperature rises. If a patient at this stage of hemorrhoids does not consult a doctor and does not begin treatment, then death may occur due to the development of sepsis - blood poisoning.

Polyps that are harmless at first also do not immediately make themselves felt. If you continue to ignore the emerging symptoms of their presence, then a more terrible disease may develop that threatens a person’s life - rectal cancer. This is due to malignancy of formations.

The patient needs to pay attention to his stool after defecation - if it becomes thin, then he should definitely consult a doctor.

In later stages, when you have a bowel movement, you may see blood, mucus, or pus in your stool.

Rectal cancer is characterized by long-term (more than one week) constipation associated with tumor growth.

Each malignant tumor becomes larger in size over time. This causes the stool to become even thinner than before.

Subsequently, if left untreated, the patient develops metastases in the body - secondary foci of cancer, leading to intoxication of the body and deterioration of the condition.

A person’s body temperature periodically rises, weakness, sudden weight loss, nausea and vomiting are observed.

Life expectancy in the final stages of cancer is significantly reduced. Thus, at the first appearance of thin stool, you need to contact a doctor who will carry out all the necessary diagnostics and prescribe treatment.

Prevention and treatment of illnesses

All doctors have repeatedly emphasized that any disease is much easier to prevent than to treat. Diseases that cause thin feces in humans are no exception.

First of all, you should reduce the load on the intestines, that is, reduce to a minimum the amount of foods harmful to it.

A large amount of dry food leads to hardening of stool, which, in turn, can damage the intestinal walls and cause inflammatory processes.

To prevent a decrease in the lumen of the colon and the appearance of thin feces, it is recommended to enrich your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, and herbs.

The nature of the food you eat is of great importance - it is advisable to eat the first course (soup, borscht, broth) at least once a day. The frequency of food intake is also considered important - it is not recommended to eat either too often or very rarely.

In addition, you need to take a variety of medications with caution - do not exceed the dosage, and monitor for side effects.

Experts advise to be as nervous as possible, since stress and anxiety also cause inflammatory processes in the intestines.

If, during an examination in the hospital, the doctor diagnosed certain ailments, then treatment should begin immediately.

At an early stage of the disease, the doctor may prescribe certain ointments, creams or suppositories for hemorrhoids.

If the disease is advanced or polyps in the intestines are diagnosed, then treatment will include surgery.

The doctor may prescribe certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs if needed.

The appearance of thin feces is always associated with a decrease in the lumen in the large intestine. Most often, this occurs due to the presence of hemorrhoids or the formation of polyps in the intestines.

At an early stage, these pathologies are not accompanied by severe discomfort, but if treatment is not started in time, more serious ailments may develop, for example, paraproctitis or rectal cancer.

Such diseases already threaten a person’s life, so at the first appearance of thin stool, it is advisable to visit a doctor and examine the intestines.

If a person produces thin stool, the main cause of the problem is most likely problems with the digestive system. But in some cases, pathology can be a consequence of serious illnesses.

It is impossible to determine on your own what contributed to the development of the disease. To do this, you need to visit a specialist who will conduct a diagnosis and take stool for analysis, after which the reason for the deviation will be announced.

Pathogenesis

If an adult produces ribbon-like feces, it is simply impossible not to notice such changes. Everyone knows what a normal stool looks like, and if the stool has changed shape, this is a serious reason to think about your health.

You shouldn’t sound the alarm right away; in the first days you need to monitor your body and try to listen to it.

You should immediately visit a doctor if the following symptoms occur:

  • the appearance of mucus in feces;
  • presence of blood clots;
  • frequent urge to defecate.

If your overall health has worsened and problems with the gastrointestinal tract have appeared, thin stool may be a sign of the onset of dangerous pathologies that require immediate professional treatment.

Doctors say that at the initial stage it is possible to cure almost all diseases, even polyps and hemorrhoids. But if you leave illnesses to their own devices, they will begin to progress and more complex and lengthy therapy will be required.

It is important to understand that both diseases are considered precursors to colon cancer, which is often fatal. To avoid serious troubles, it is necessary to quickly find out why ribbon-shaped feces occur and what is the cause of the disease in a particular case.

Main reasons for deviation

As practice shows, it is not so rare for feces to appear in a thin ribbon. Such a disturbance in the functioning of the intestines is observed:

Long and thin feces can be caused by eating too much fast food and not drinking enough water. The first thing doctors advise to do in case of such a disorder is to review the diet and introduce more healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables.

Possible diseases

Why is the stool long and comes out like a thin sausage? Such intestinal dysfunction may indicate the development of certain pathologies.

Hemorrhoids

This inflammatory process not only causes severe discomfort and pain to a person, but can also cause the development of dangerous pathologies. The disease provokes disruption of blood flow in the veins, as a result of which the capillaries stretch and a hemorrhoid is formed.

International medicine classifies 3 forms of hemorrhoids: internal, external and mixed, which differ in symptoms and require different treatments.

Reasons for development:

Hemorrhoids should not be left untreated; the disease can lead to the development of tumors of a malignant nature.

Neoplasms in the intestines

The appearance of ribbon-like feces can occur during the formation of polyps and other growths. The intestinal wall begins to change, causing pain. The size and shape of stool may also change.

Doctors warn that thin line stool could be the result of bowel cancer. The increasing formation begins to put pressure on the intestines, causing deformation of feces. If a malignant tumor has formed, defecation is accompanied by the release of blood and thick mucus, and the patient begins to suffer from constipation.

Colon cancer also entails weight loss, lethargy and apathy, and problems with the immune system. If such signs occur, you should immediately visit a doctor.

To make an accurate diagnosis, you will have to undergo examinations such as:

  • anoscopy, in which a special device is inserted into the anus, giving the physician the opportunity to visually assess the condition of the intestines;
  • finger examination;
  • sigmoidoscopy;
  • general blood analysis;
  • biochemistry.

If the patient is diagnosed with a large growth, the only option is surgery; conservative therapy in such cases is ineffective.

Colitis

With this disease, pain occurs in the lower abdomen (usually on the left side).

Depending on how severely the intestines are affected, the pain can be cutting, stabbing and burning. Constant flatulence, diarrhea and constipation, admixtures of blood and mucus in the stool appear, and bowel movements are accompanied by painful sensations.

Colitis has the following symptoms:

Banded feces in women

In young ladies, the occurrence of pathology is usually associated with bearing a child.

During pregnancy, pressure is placed on the pelvic organs, and the rectum becomes less elastic. Due to intestinal obstruction, feces may be released in long strips and resemble a thin ribbon.

Such disorders can also be a consequence of the formation of hemorrhoidal cones and excessive accumulation of mucus in the intestines.

Another cause of illness in pregnant women is poor nutrition. If the diet lacks vegetables, fruits, dairy products and fiber, and hard foods predominate, intestinal activity may be impaired.

You should urgently visit a doctor if the stool is accompanied by the release of blood clots and constant pain. A dangerous sign is an increase in body temperature.

Causes of pathology in men

Many representatives of the stronger sex begin to suffer from prostatitis closer to 40 years of age. This inflammatory process also has a bad effect on the functioning of the intestines, as a result of which the walls of the organ begin to narrow, reducing the passage for excretion of feces.

In addition to prostatitis, the following causes of this phenomenon in men can be identified:

  • frequent stress and anxiety;
  • intestinal diseases;
  • development of pathological processes due to genetic predisposition;
  • inflammation in the intestines;
  • external or internal hemorrhoids;
  • untreated infectious diseases.

To establish the exact cause of the disease, you need to visit a doctor and undergo the necessary diagnostics.

Prevention and treatment

It is much easier to prevent the development of a disease than to eliminate it later. To ensure that the gastrointestinal tract and intestines function properly, doctors advise adhering to the following recommendations:

If you follow these simple requirements, the risk of thin stool will be minimized. And in order for the intestines to work like clockwork, you need to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air and include at least minimal physical activity in your life.