Mucus is a substance that helps stool move through the intestine, but usually occurs in small amounts, enough to lubricate the intestine and mix with stool, which is not easily observable with the naked eye in the glass.
For example, when excess mucus is seen in the stool, it usually indicates the presence of an infection or other change in the intestines, such as an intestinal ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome, for example, it is important to consult a gastroenterologist for a complete evaluation and identify if there are any problems to be resolved.
- Food intolerances and allergies.
- Such as sensitivity to lactose.
- Fructose.
- Sucrose or gluten.
- Cause inflammation of the intestinal walls when food comes into contact with the mucosa.
- Leading to an increase in mucus production.
- Which can be seen in the stool.
In these cases, other symptoms may also occur, such as stomach swelling, diarrhea, red spots on the skin, excess gas or constipation, for example.
Gastroenteritis occurs when a type of microorganism, such as a bacteria or virus, can infect the stomach and intestines, causing nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and stomach pain, as well as excess mucus in the stool. .
This type of problem is usually caused by the consumption of contaminated food or water, but it can also occur after prolonged use of antibiotics, as good bacteria are removed from the intestinal lining, facilitating the development of more harmful ones.
The irritable bowel causes inflammation of the intestinal lining, which increases the amount of mucus in the stool. Although this can occur in all cases of irritable bowel syndrome, mucus is more common in people who have prolonged periods of diarrhea.
Other common symptoms of people with irritable bowel include excess gas, stomach swelling and periods of diarrhea that alternate with constipation, especially during periods of high stress or anxiety.
Check treatment options to reduce discomfort in the irritable bowel
Crohn’s disease is a chronic bowel disease that causes constant inflammation of the intestinal walls, causing signs such as mucus in the stool, but also severe abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea with blood and weakness.
Although there is still no specific cause of Crohn’s disease, it can occur at any stage of life, especially if the immune system is decreasing. See what symptoms may be a sign of Crohn’s disease.
Intestinal obstruction occurs when something prevents stool from passing into the intestine. Therefore, the most common causes are hernias, intestinal twists, ingestion of a certain type of object or even a tumor in the intestine.
In these cases, mucus occurs in excess to try to push the stool, which end up not passing and cause other symptoms such as swelling of the belly, severe abdominal pain, excess gas and decreased stool.
Fissure is a relatively common problem of a small wound in the rectal area, which is usually the result of excessive bowel movements, which can occur in frequent diarrhea, for example. However, fissure can also occur in case of constipation, as defecating very hard stools can end up injuring the sphincter.
When it occurs, the fissure results in symptoms such as bright red blood in the stool, pain during defecation, mucus in the stool and itching in the area.
It is an intestinal disturbance that causes ulcers in the intestine and constant inflammation of the lining. For example, in people with ulcerative colitis, stools are often accompanied by blood, pus or mucus.
Other symptoms that help identify a case of ulcerative colitis include diarrhea, very severe abdominal pain, skin lesions and weight loss.
In most cases, mucus in the stool is not a dangerous situation and almost always represents an easy-to-treat situation. However, if excess mucus is associated with other symptoms such as:
It is advisable to go to the hospital or make an appointment with the gastroenterologist, as this may be a symptom of a more serious cause such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or even cancer.