- Stool color
- What causes orange poop?
- Treatment
- When to see a doctor
Variations in the color of a person's stool can indicate a medical condition that may need to be investigated and treated. Orange poop is often a sign that a person should change thing in their diet.
Stool color
The color of poop can indicate a lot about a person's digestive health.
Healthy intestine movements atypically produce stools that are brown in color. Common color changes that can indicate a problem include:
- Red: Blood smears when wiping could be a sign of hemorrhoids or an anal tear, best-known as a fissure. Bright red blood or maroon blood in the stool could signify internal hemorrhage.
- Black: A black stool may indicate excess iron consumption. nevertheless, hemorrhage from the oesophagus, stomach, or an ulceration can besides make poop look black.
- Cream or light-colored: A pale stool may be a sign that gall salts are absent. This deficiency could be caused by conditions that affect the exocrine gland, bladder, or liver.
- Green: Green stools normally occur due to conditions that cause diarrhoea or a diet that is rich in bifoliate green or heavy in artificial coloring.
A person's diet and medication can besides affect the color of their stool.
Causes
Diet is a common reason for a person's stool to be orange.
Foods
Any food or drink with a distinctive color can change the color of a person's poop.
For example, feeding a lot of blueberries or drinking soda containing blue dye can make the stool appear blue.
When a person's poop is orange, it could be because they have used-up excess provitamin A, an orange pigment found in fruits and vegetables.
Foods that are high in provitamin A include:
- carrots
- sweet potato
- squash
- mangoes
- apricots
- pumpkin
- some bifoliate green
- some herbs
Foods and drinks that contain artificial dye can besides make poop appear orange. These dyes may be yellow, orange, or red.
Products that often contain artificial dye include:
- candies
- soda
- popsicles
Consuming Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, which is a fish that lives in tropical waters, can besides make a person's stool orange. This is because the fish contains an flatulent fat that is discharged into the intestine and affects the color of the waste.
Digestive problems
Usually the cause of orange poop can be attributed to high intake of orange or red coloured foods, including carrots and beetroot.
Certain digestive issues can besides cause a change in stool color, normally making it appear pale, green, black, or red
One condition that affects the lining of the oesophagus and stomach is internal organ reflux (GER). When the condition occurs long-run, it is best-known as GERD (internal organ reflux illness). GERD occurs when the table of contents of the stomach repeatedly move back into the oesophagus, causation inflammation and damage.
This condition is besides called acid reflux illness and often causes a person to experience pyrosis. It can besides cause a change in the color of a person's stool.
GERD is besides associated with several other symptoms, including:
- pyrosis
- belching
- nausea and vomiting
- a degenerative cough and wheezing
- a sore throat, gruffness, or change in voice
- difficulty swallowing
- chest pain
- sour taste in the mouth
Medications
Beta-carotene is besides found in some supplements and medications, which can make poop orange in color.
Also, having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerised imaging (CT), or antielectron emission imaging scan (PET) may permanently change stool color.
Treatment
Treatment for orange poop will depend on the cause. A color change in a person's stool does not necessarily indicate a serious problem, but it is important to monitor it closely. People should seek medical proposal if they have any concerns.
Diet
If a person notices their poop is suddenly orange, they should consider the food they have used-up that day or the day before.
A person may have used-up an excessive amount of products containing provitamin A or artificial dye. Limiting the intake of these types of foods and drinks could stop the problem.
Some people report sensitivities to certain artificial dyes, so confining the amount of foods and beverages with these substances may be beneficial.
GERD
Those with GERD may find that limiting portion sizes when feeding may prevent changes in their stool.
If a person has GERD, the treatment will look to reduce acid reflux, reduce stomach acid, improve digestion, and protect the oesophagus.
Treatment will depend on the severity of the case. In some individuals, life style changes can decrease episodes of acid reflux. nevertheless, not every person responds in the same way to foods and beverages.
Changes that may help some people include:
- not bending, lying down, or doing intense exercise shortly after meals
- not overfeeding
- limiting alcohol, chocolate, or caffeine
- confining fatty, salty, or spicy foods
- losing weight if overweight
- quitting smoking
- changing medications that cause symptoms
- raising the head of the bed by around 6 inches
- avoiding feeding less than 2 hours before bed
In more serious cases, medications or surgery may be required.
Underlying health problems
If the condition does not stop despite life style and dietary changes, then it could be a sign of an underlying health problem.
This will need to be treated individually, so a person should visit a doctor for diagnosing. This may include stool analysis and blood tests.
When to see a doctor
If a person's poop is endlessly orange for 2 weeks, they should talk to a doctor.
Any concerns about changes in stool color or consistency should be assessed by a health care professional, as it may indicate an underlying problem.
