Excrement, feces or stools are the mixture of solid and liquid waste produced at the end of the digestive process. Stool can tell us a lot about how our system is working. If abnormal, they can be a sign that something is not functioning correctly.
Yellow stools can be caused by the digestive system's inability to digest fat. This can appear in people with cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, giardosis or a pancreatic abnormality.
If you have yellow stool, or any abnormal stool, it is important that you go to your physician to determine what may be the cause. This article will explain the potential causes of yellow stool in children and adults as well as the most appropriate treatment.
Causes of yellow stools
Yellowish stools may be the cause of an infection known as giardiasis. If the parasite causes an infection in the intestine, it will lead to severe diarrhoea that is yellow in colour. This infection can spread easily through anal sex. This is the most common cause but not the only one. Another cause of yellow stools is known as Gilbert's syndrome. This disease is characterised by outbreaks of jaundice and hyperbilirubinemia, occurring when there is an excess of bilirubin in the blood.
In adults there are more diseases that can cause yellow stools: Cholangitis, cholecystitis, jaundice, and hepatitis. In addition some of these diseases and disorders may include coeliac disease which is a genetic condition; cholangitis, or inflammation of the bile ducts; cholecystitis, when the gallbladder becomes inflamed; gallstones, caused by malabsorption or inability to digest nutrients properly; small bowel disease which is the inability to absorb nutrients during digestion; or steatorrhoea, a condition that creates large amounts of fat in the stool, causing yellow faeces.
One cause of yellow stools in children may be neonatal hepatitis.
Natural remedies to treat yellow stools
Several natural products can help treat yellow stools. Here's a list:
- Aloe vera
- Sulphur
- Purging Croton: Purging Croton, or Croton Tiglium, mainly acts on the intestines and waste evacuation process. It produces sudden diarrhoea.
- Mercurius: This is one of the main drugs for treating diarrhea, especially when it appears or gets worse at dusk, in cold air, or at night.
- Podophyllum
- Borax: Diarrhea in children less than a year old, with loose, light yellow, offensive smelling stools, worse in summer and when teething.
Treatment for yellow stools
Treatment will vary greatly depending on the condition that is causing these stools. Yellow stools are a symptom of a disease, and you should aim to treat the root disease and not the symptoms. As such you are advised to go to your doctor.
For more information, check out yellow diarrhoea, causes and treatment.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
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- If you notice any difference in the appearance, colour, shape, or texture of your stools, visit your GP as soon as possible.