Stool with remnants of undigested food. Impurities in feces: types, causes and methods of treatment. simple ways to improve digestion

Of course, not everyone scrupulously analyzes their excrement. And the design of the current toilet bowls does not encourage such research. However, the appearance of uncharacteristic impurities and inclusions in the feces may be the first "alarm signal", indicating the occurrence in the body serious problems. Some of them are a weight reason for going to the clinic and examination.

Usually our feces is a fairly homogeneous mass. The appearance of impurities or foreign inclusions in it can be due to both the nature of the diet and the development of diseases. Any sane person should be wary of the appearance of visible in the fecal masses:

blood;
pus;
mucus;
food leftovers;
foreign inclusions.

Blood

The detection of blood in feces is always serious symptom requiring immediate medical attention. It can be a manifestation (often the first):

inflammatory bowel (ulcerative colitis, );
major benign neoplasms(for example, polyps);
and anus(cracks, ulcers, hemorrhoids, proctitis, etc.)
ischemic colitis (due to the pathology of the vessels that feed the intestines);
intestinal angiodysplasia;
pathology of blood coagulation;
infectious lesions of the intestine (for example, dysentery, amoebiasis, intestinal tuberculosis, etc.);
drug damage to the intestine (due to taking antipyretics, etc.);
helminthic diseases (ascariasis, trichuriasis, etc.).

The amount of blood can be different: from barely noticeable streaks to several glasses. Sometimes, instead of stool, when the patient has a bowel movement, only blood or blood with mucus comes out. The color of the blood reflects the location of the source of blood loss. Scarlet fresh blood is characteristic of a "low" location (anus, rectum, sigmoid colon or descending colon). Often it is located on top of the feces. Dark blood (especially if it is mixed with fecal matter) or blood clots indicate a "high" localization, that is pathological process located in the right side of the colon or in the small intestine.

Pus

The admixture of greenish or yellowish pus in the excrement is always a sign of a serious inflammatory process. She appears when:

infectious colitis;
proctitis;
autoimmune inflammatory processes in the colon (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's colitis);
diverticulitis;
breakthrough of abscesses into the intestine;
the decay of a malignant tumor (this happens in the advanced stages of the disease).

Therefore, pus in the feces is also considered alarm signal. Self-medication for these diseases is ineffective and can result in dire consequences.

Slime

AT healthy intestines there are always cells that produce mucus. It is necessary for the timely passage of feces through the intestines. Therefore, a small amount of clear mucus in the feces can also be normal. In addition, small inclusions or lumps of mucus are characteristic of the stool of infants who feed on breast milk. They are associated with excessive fat content mother's milk, which is still not able to cope with weak digestive enzymes child's body. However, a large amount of mucus, its yellowish or brownish color are often manifestations of:

elevated motor activity intestines;
infectious diseases ( , typhoid fever, dysentery, etc.);
inflammatory processes in the intestines non-infectious origin(diverticulitis, etc.);
helminthic diseases;
neoplasms;

In addition, mucus is a companion and a harbinger of exacerbation of chronic autoimmune intestinal diseases (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis).

leftover food

Some types of food cannot be completely digested, so the presence of seeds, poppy seeds, bones, fragments of a dense peel, veins and cartilage of meat, fish bones should not be a cause for concern. Digestive enzymes are not able to cope with such coarse fiber and connective tissue.

You should be wary if the remains of meat, eggs, cottage cheese, fat are visible in the stool. Their presence reflects a severe deficiency in the formation of enzymes necessary for digestion. This happens when:

common and severe;
inhibition of the production of pancreatic juice (a consequence of pancreatitis or removal of a part);
insufficiency of intestinal enzymes.

Also, food residues in feces are observed with accelerated intestinal motility ().

Foreign inclusions

Sometimes, when examining feces, one can see rounded or oblong white or light yellow dense inclusions in them. These can be fragments of worms (tapeworms) or the worms themselves (pinworms, whipworm, roundworms, etc.). It is highly desirable to collect such feces with all foreign bodies and take them to the laboratory of the infectious diseases clinic. After all, treatment largely depends not only on the very fact of the presence, but also on the type of worms detected.

Films in the stool can appear with a serious lesion of the intestine: pseudomembranous colitis associated with antibiotic treatment. Sometimes suspicious patients take dense lumps of mucus for films or worms. In addition, in some cases, excrement may contain residues of drug shells (usually granular) or the drugs themselves (for example, grains of activated charcoal).

Thus, the appearance of certain impurities in the fecal masses should alert patients. Most of these inclusions require a comprehensive examination and active medical action.

Which doctor to contact

If you have impurities in your stool, see a gastroenterologist. If this is not possible, primary diagnosis carried out by a therapist or family doctor. After clarifying the diagnosis, the patient may be assigned an examination by a proctologist, oncologist, surgeon, hematologist, infectious disease specialist. For diagnosis, the qualification of the endoscopist and the equipment used by him is very important.

Video version of the article:

Indigestion of food does not always indicate insufficient effective work gastrointestinal tract.

Insufficient digestion of food (lenterrhoea) may be the result of an infectious disease, constipation, or indigestion.

But most often the appearance in the feces of undigested pieces and fragments individual products is not a pathology, since not all of their parts are able to be digested in the human gastrointestinal tract.

Why might undigested food appear in the stool of an adult with a completely healthy gastrointestinal tract?

To answer this question, you need to at least roughly understand what is happening with different products in the stomach and intestines.

Plant foods contain two types of fiber: digestible and indigestible. The first should not appear in the feces in an undigested form.

If it is still found in the feces almost unchanged, then this indicates insufficient production in the stomach. of hydrochloric acid.

This is also evidenced by the discovery in the feces of almost whole pieces of vegetables and fruits: carrots, beets, potatoes.

Bran, peel, seeds, partitions, stem fibers contain indigestible fiber.

These are the coarsest parts of plants, covered with a double shell and consisting of cellulose and lignin, unable to be digested in the human gastrointestinal tract.

Indigestible fiber in the feces does not indicate pathology - this is an absolutely normal phenomenon.

In addition, the stomach and other digestive organs can only handle a certain amount of food at a time.

When overeating, the body simply does not have enough enzymes and enzymes, and some of the products leave the intestines undigested.

The digestion process can be disrupted due to a poor nutritional culture, when a person immediately starts exercising after a hearty meal. physical labor eats when sick or stressful condition. Eating should take place in a relaxed atmosphere.

After eating, you need to rest a little - in this case, the body will be able to direct the necessary resources to digestion, and the intestines will leave a fully digested breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If undigested food appears in the feces regularly, then this may be a signal of poor functioning of the pancreas, stomach or small intestine. It is in these organs that the breakdown of products into individual proteins, fats and carbohydrates occurs.

Reasons for the appearance of undigested food in the feces of an adult

Lenterery in an adult most often appears due to chronic inflammatory diseases stomach (gastritis) or pancreas (pancreatitis).

These pathologies require qualified and emergency treatment, since chronic inflammatory processes worsen over time and lead to tissue death. The case can end with an ulcer, diabetes, oncology.

Therefore, to the appearance undigested food in feces must be treated carefully. To find out what kind of pathology this symptom signals, you will have to additional research, including general analysis blood.

After collecting anamnesis and obtaining the results of primary tests, the gastroenterologist will most likely issue a referral for one of the hardware studies: FGDS, ultrasound, or computed tomography.

It facilitates the diagnosis of knowing what kind of food is not digested: carbohydrate or protein. For the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates into simple substances The stomach and pancreas secrete different enzymes.

In addition, the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats occurs in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

This allows the composition of undigested food to draw a conclusion about which particular organ is not working well.

If the examination reveals a disease of the stomach, small intestine, pancreas or liver, the doctor will begin immediate therapy.

Treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract consists in taking antibacterial medications, enzyme and anti-inflammatory therapy.

In the treatment of any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to follow a diet of varying degrees of severity.

General principles diet food in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:

careful processing of products (remove coarse and indigestible parts: films, tendons, seeds, peel, stalks);
food is cooked in certain ways - stewed, boiled, baked, steamed;
fatty, spicy, sweet, salty and sour foods are excluded from the diet;
a complete ban on alcohol and smoking;
enter into the menu fermented milk products enriched with lacto- and bifidobacteria;
food is taken in small portions five to six times a day.

These measures help eliminate the causes of undigested food in the stool in an adult.

Indigestion in a child

Why do particles of undigested food appear in the feces of children? The reasons for this phenomenon depend on the age of the baby.

In a child under one year old, food may not be fully digested due to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract.

For this reason, even very young children who eat only milk and milk mixtures can suffer from incomplete digestion of food.

When a new complementary food is introduced into the child's menu, the likelihood of undigested food appearing in the stool increases.

In addition, the gastrointestinal tract of a child is much shorter than that of an adult, and the food is in it for a shorter amount of time, due to which its individual fragments do not have time to be digested.

Undigested food can be seen in the child's stool with the naked eye as whole pieces of vegetables, fruits, biscuits, etc. eaten the day before.

In other cases, undigested fragments can only be detected in a laboratory study.

This is how lactase deficiency is detected - a pathology in which undigested carbohydrates and lactose are found in children's feces.

The appearance of undigested pieces of food in the feces of a child should alert only if this phenomenon is accompanied by symptoms of dyspepsia:

liquid stool;
bloating;
intestinal colic;
impurities in the feces (mucus, etc.).

These symptoms indicate an imbalance in the composition intestinal microflora. Dysbacteriosis cannot be ignored - it must be cured. Otherwise, disturbances in the functioning of the organs and systems of the body will progress.

In addition to dysbacteriosis, the causes of dyspepsia can be an intestinal infection and an unhealthy diet. To prevent these phenomena, new dishes are introduced into the child's diet gradually.

All products must be absolutely fresh. Eggs need to be boiled for a long time, milk - boiled. It is better to grind meat and fish and give it in the form of mashed potatoes - this will reduce the content of muscle fibers in the child's feces.

Vegetables and fruits are washed and rinsed with boiling water. There should be no damage on herbal products: darkened or softened areas, specks, etc.

If, despite observing all the rules of feeding and hygiene, particles of undigested food still appear in the child's feces, then this must be told to the pediatrician.

Only a doctor can assess the degree of danger. Relying on concomitant symptoms, the doctor will issue either recommendations for correcting the child's nutrition or a referral for laboratory research feces.

Now you know how a digestible product differs from an indigestible one and what to do if fragments of food eaten the day before appeared in the stool of a child or an adult.

Reasons for the appearance of undigested pieces of food in the feces of an adult

Changes in the functioning of the digestive system can be reflected in the appearance of undigested pieces of food in the feces. In medicine, this process is called tentorrhea.

Undigested food particles in the feces are not considered a pathology with normal health and the use of fiber - some of its types are not completely absorbed by the body and are excreted unchanged. Pathological sign tenorrhea becomes when other symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction are attached.

Possible reasons

The causes of tentorrhea are varied. The appearance of undigested pieces of food in the feces can occur constantly or appear in waves.

In the first case, tentorrhea becomes a manifestation chronic ailments and is accompanied by complexes of additional sensations.
In the second, undigested food in the stool in an adult patient is the result of an unbalanced diet or other, less common causes.

Nutrition Features

The fiber consumed by humans is digestible and indigestible.

Depending on the type of food residue found in the feces, it may indicate violations or be the norm:

digestible fiber - must be completely processed by the body. If particles of fruits and vegetables (carrots, beets, apples, potatoes, grapes) are detected in the stool, this indicates an insufficient concentration of hydrochloric acid in the body. The process of assimilation of useful trace elements does not occur from them;
indigestible fiber - does not lend itself to the action of gastric juice, since the products containing it (vegetable and fruit peels, seeds, corn, plant veins) have a double shell.

Eating a variety of foods (especially large quantities) can also cause lentorrhoea. Digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates requires different digestive enzymes. They do not always have time to be produced in the body in the right amount. Fermentation may occur in the stomach. As a result, insufficiently processed pieces of food appear in the stool.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract disrupt the process of digestion.

The appearance of pieces of undigested food in the stool can be one of the symptoms:

If lientorrhoea is accompanied by a change in well-being (nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite), a specialist consultation is necessary.

Other reasons

Provoke the appearance of undigested pieces of food in the feces and additional factors that affect the human body.

The main ones are:

medicines - certain types when taken, drugs inhibit the function of digestion, reducing the secretion of gastric juice and some enzymes;
dysbacteriosis - accompanied by the appearance bad taste in the mouth, nausea, bloating. The change in the balance of intestinal microorganisms is reflected in the composition of feces;
functional dyspepsia - is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and diet, leading to an inability to break down and assimilate food intake. Manifested by pain in the stomach, nausea, belching.

Undigested food residues in the feces are more often detected in the elderly, young children, patients with chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

Pieces of food in the stool for diarrhea

Diarrhea is a bowel movement that occurs more than 2 times a day. In this case, the stools have a liquid consistency, may contain pieces of undigested food.

Diarrhea is often accompanied by additional symptoms:

nausea;
discomfort in the stomach;
vomiting;
bloating.

Loose stools are not normal. A pathological condition is a symptom of disorders in the functioning of various body systems.

In addition to food particles, mucus may be present in the feces.

Other pathologies that occur with diarrhea are:

food poisoning;
disorders of the thyroid gland;
kidney disease;
allergic reactions;
vitamin deficiency.

The main complication of diarrhea is dehydration. It can lead to death.

Therapy

With repeated bowel movements, including food residues, as well as in the presence of warning symptoms (abdominal pain, belching, nausea, flatulence, fever, bloating), a diagnosis of the problem is necessary. Coprogram analysis is milestone establishing the cause of changes in fecal masses. Timely treatment will help to avoid serious complications.

With tentorrhea caused by excessive consumption of foods containing fiber, it is necessary to exclude them from the diet. It is important to balance the diet, limit the intake of fatty, spicy dishes. It is not recommended to drink water while eating. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

To restore the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, Linex, Bifidumbacterin are prescribed.

With insufficient production of digestive enzymes, Creon, Pancreatin, Mezim-Forte are prescribed.

If a liquid stool provoked by a deficiency of hydrochloric acid, the doctor prescribes drugs to stimulate its production (Etimizol, Pentagastrin), replacement therapy (Pepsidil). Methods are also used to combat etiological factor(Amoxicillin, Omeprozole).

If diarrhea is caused by inflammatory processes (gastroenteritis, colitis), then hospitalization and treatment in a hospital with the use of antibiotics, rehydration (Rehydron), anti-inflammatory (Analgin) drugs is necessary.

Folk remedies

During therapy with alternative medicine it is important to consult with a specialist. This is necessary in order to know in which direction the treatment should be carried out.

Popular herbal infusions restoring intestinal microflora:

mint - 3 tbsp. l. leaves of the plant are combined with 200 ml of boiling water. After cooling, the product is consumed in 100 ml 3 times a day. Peppermint decoction relieves nausea choleretic action, eliminates bloating and discomfort, stimulates the production of the hormone estrogen;
chamomile - 2 tbsp. l. dry flowers pour 200 ml hot water, sealed tightly and allowed to infuse. It is necessary to drink the medicine in 70 ml 3-4 times a day. The tool is a wonderful antiseptic;
eucalyptus - 2 tbsp. l. dried leaves of the plant are brewed in 300 ml of boiling water. After cooling, the medicine is filtered. Consume 100 ml before meals;
infusion of chamomile, sage and chimney - 3 tbsp. l. a mixture of herbs in equal proportions is combined with 200 ml of boiling water. Use 2 months instead of tea.

Sometimes adjustments in diet and use folk recipes enough to eliminate the pathology.

Gymnastics and massage

Special gymnastics helps to stabilize the work of the stomach.

A set of exercises is performed in the supine position:

reaching the lower limbs of the floor behind the head;
performing movements imitating the pedaling of a bicycle;
pulling the legs covered with hands to the stomach, pumping on the back.

Problem Prevention

To prevent the appearance of undigested food residues in the feces, it is important to follow the recommendations of a specialist.

The main wishes are:

food - should be frequent (up to 5-6 times a day) and fractional (in small portions);
the use of proteins and carbohydrates should be separate;
food must be chewed thoroughly;
it is forbidden to drink liquid before, during and immediately after eating;
fermented milk products should be consumed daily;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract must be treated in a timely manner.

Undigested food in the stool, observed sporadically and not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms is not considered a pathology. But repeatedly arising lentorrhoea, especially in combination with uncomfortable sensations, is a reason for examination. Often enough to balance the diet. However, medication may also be needed.

Undigested food in stool: causes, treatment

The work of our digestive system is felt by us not only by some sensations in the epigastric region, but also by the color, appearance and smell of feces. Most often, such studies are carried out by young mothers, since the feces of a newborn are significant indicator baby's health status. But adults should also pay attention to the fact that there is undigested food in the feces.

Is it a pathology or a variant of the norm?

Each of us knows firsthand about the change in color, smell and consistency of feces, because indigestion, infections, and constipation happen to everyone at least once in a lifetime. But undigested food fragments can cause real panic in some. At normal conditions the feces do not contain any inclusions, lumps, pieces of undigested food, mucus, blood, etc. Very small white blotches can be present in both children's feces and adults - this is a variant of the norm. The remains of undigested food in the feces do not always indicate poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Insufficiently digested food can be a consequence of infectious diseases, constipation or indigestion. In most cases, the appearance of undigested food fragments does not mean that a person is sick. It’s just that the human gastrointestinal tract is not able to digest some products or parts of them. Why is this happening? To understand this, you need to know at least a little about what happens to products when passing digestive tract.

What food should remain undigested?

Plant foods contain two types of fiber: digestible and indigestible. The first type should not remain in the feces in the form of fragments. If this still happens, it indicates that the stomach produces hydrochloric acid in insufficient volume. The same can be said if the excrement contains practically whole pieces of vegetables and fruits. But bran, peel, seeds, partitions, stem fibers contain indigestible fiber. It is found in the coarsest parts of plants, covered with a double shell and consisting of cellulose and lignin and incapable of digestion in the human stomach.

So the detection of fragmentary residues of indigestible fiber in the feces does not mean pathology, it is a physiological phenomenon.

When overeating

In addition, there is, so to speak, a limit to the amount of food that our stomach and intestines can handle at a time. If you overeat, then the body simply cannot produce as many enzymes and enzymes, so part of the food will remain undigested. This process is also quite normal and is not considered a pathology. Digestive process may violate physical activity right after abundant intake food, as well as food during illness or stress. Eating should be carried out in a calm atmosphere and in a normal mode. After the meal, you need to take a short break in your activities. In this situation, the body directs right amount resources for digestion, and food is digested completely. If you notice undigested food in the stool systematically, then this indicates that the pancreas, stomach or small intestine are working in an emergency mode and need some help. It is these organs that are responsible for the breakdown of products into proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

What are the reasons?

Undigested food in the stool (lentereria) in adults is most often detected due to the presence of chronic inflammation in the stomach (gastritis) or pancreas (pancreatitis). It is necessary to start treating these diseases as soon as possible, since the inflammation will worsen over time, which will eventually lead to tissue death.

And over time, an ulcer, diabetes, oncology can develop. Given all these factors, you should be very careful about the presence of undigested food fragments in the feces. To find out what pathology this is caused, it is necessary to undergo an examination. In this case, it will be easier to make a diagnosis by knowing what type of food remains undigested: carbohydrate or protein. In order to break down proteins and carbohydrates, the body produces various enzymes. In addition, proteins, fats and carbohydrates are digested in different parts of the digestive tract. This provides information and allows you to analyze the results of the examination, and to conclude which of the organs or systems is not functioning well.

So, a person has pieces of undigested food in the stool.

If diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are detected, the doctor prescribes immediate treatment. AT this case therapy is a joint intake of antibacterial drugs, enzymes and anti-inflammatory drugs. When treating any pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, a diet should be followed.

The principles of proper nutrition

Common to all types of diets are the following principles of nutrition:

products must be carefully processed: remove coarse parts, films, seeds, peel, stalks;
you need to cook food only in a certain way: steam, boil, bake or stew (in no case should you fried);
exclude alcohol and smoking;
a large amount of fermented milk products enriched with lacto- and bifidobacteria is introduced into the diet;
eat in small portions 5-6 times a day.

All of the above activities contribute to the elimination of the causes of the appearance of undigested food in the feces of adults.

Indigestion in children

If deviations of this kind are found in a child, then this may alert parents. In fact, it all depends on age. During the first year of life, food may not be fully digested due to the fact that the gastrointestinal tract is not fully formed. This is the reason for the incomplete digestion of food, even by very young children who eat exclusively milk and mixtures. With the introduction of a new product into the diet, the likelihood of undigested food in the stool in a child increases.

Age features of the structure

In addition, the gastrointestinal tract of a child is much shorter than that of an adult and the food stays in it for less time and simply does not have time to be digested completely. Pieces of food in a baby's stool can be seen with the naked eye. These can be whole vegetables, fruits, etc. And in other cases, such fragments are found only in a laboratory, during a study. For example, this is how lactose deficiency is detected, in which undigested carbohydrates and lactose are found in the feces of children. The detection of whole pieces of food in the feces of a child should alert if this is accompanied by symptoms of dyspepsia:

liquid stool;
bloating;
intestinal colic;
impurities in the feces (mucus, etc.).

Why there is undigested food in the feces is interesting to many.

Dysbacteriosis

The above symptoms indicate an imbalance in the intestinal microflora. It is impossible to ignore dysbacteriosis (it will go away on its own), it must be treated, otherwise the violations will be aggravated more and more, and complicated by the addition of other diseases. In addition to the imbalance of microflora, the cause of dyspepsia may be an intestinal infection or an improperly selected diet. In order to prevent such phenomena, new products are introduced into the child's menu gradually, one at a time. Naturally, all products must be fresh. Eggs need to be boiled for a long time, and milk should be boiled.

Meat and fish products must be mashed, this reduces the content of muscle fibers in the child's excrement. Vegetables and fruits should be washed and rinsed with boiling water. Products of plant origin should not have any damage: darkening or soft spots. If, despite careful observance of all these rules, particles of food are still found in the child's feces, then the pediatrician must be informed about this. He will assess the degree of danger and, based on the accompanying symptoms, will determine further actions.

How to treat an ailment so that undigested food remains in the feces no longer appear.

Treatment

First of all, as we have already said, it is necessary to establish the cause of this phenomenon. If it is nutritional errors, and there are no symptoms of inflammation (fever, chills, the presence of blood in the stool), then the treatment is reduced to correction eating behavior and consumption of large amounts of water. Other reasons due to which undigested pieces of food are found in the feces of a child and an adult can be understood from the coprogram. Such a detailed analysis can reveal the presence of the simplest organisms and bacteria, which cause the infectious process. In this case, the doctor prescribes the treatment, based on the data obtained during the examination.

Undigested food in the stool in an adult: causes and treatment of pathology

The digestive tract is the most voluminous system of the body and, it is on its work that many indications of the state of human health depend.

The modern way of life and the amount of varied, not always healthy, food lead to the fact that people are increasingly experiencing various violations work of the digestive tract and one of them is undigested food in the stool in an adult.

The causes of this pathology

With the normal functioning of the intestines, food entering the stomach is completely broken down and then excreted from the body. It should not contain separate undigested pieces of food. The only exceptions are products that were obviously not intended for this fruit seeds, bones, foreign bodies.

The presence of undigested pieces in the stool can indicate the following problems:

dysfunction of the pancreas
insufficient amount of gastric juice or a change in the acid-base balance
dysbacteriosis
accelerated intestinal motility, which does not allow food to be completely digested and undergo the necessary splitting processes.

All of these pathologies need treatment, since an aggravation of the situation can lead to a violation of trophism and the transition of the disease process to a chronic one.

Changes in stool characteristics

Violation of the color, smell and consistency of feces can say a lot, because with normal operation intestines, they should not contain an admixture of mucus, blood, and even more so the remnants of undigested food.

The only exception to the rule is the digestion of fiber - this is a substance in most found in vegetables and fruits and mainly affects the formation of feces.

Prolonged violation of the stool - a reason to see a doctor

For this reason, fibers or individual particles of vegetables and fruits can be excreted from the body in a preserved form.

Also, in an undigested form, nuts, seeds and cereals that have previously undergone heat treatment can be excreted.

If in the feces you can find the content of the remnants of other food, then you should seriously think about visiting a gastroenterologist to eliminate the identified symptoms.

Treatment of pathology

The main type of treatment reduced function pancreas is the complete exclusion of alcohol and other substances that can irritate the gastric mucosa.

Drug therapy proceeds from the initially discovered cause - insufficient production of enzymes. Therefore, in this situation, it would be advisable to prescribe substitution therapy, which compensate for the lack of enzymes.

Preparations such as Pancreatin, Mezim-Forte, Creon have a beneficial effect on the digestion of food by replacing the missing amount of enzymes.

An insufficient amount of gastric juice can be triggered by gastritis or a decrease in the work of the gastric glands.

There are a number of drugs that can affect the functioning of the stomach glands, namely, to enhance their work.

With a shift in the concentration of gastric juice to the alkaline side, it will be appropriate to administer meat broth or replacement therapy, which is the maintenance of gastric juice.

You can also provoke an increase in the production of hydrochloric acid with the help of a number of drugs: Etimizol, Pentagastrin.

With accelerated evacuation of the contents of the stomach, diarrhea may occur. Similar state may be caused by the presence of foci of inflammation in the digestive tract, which require special study and prescribing a further course of treatment.

Treatment of inflammation of the colon and joint inflammation of the stomach and intestines is carried out through the appointment of rehydration, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial agents and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Dysbacteriosis

The term "intestinal dysbacteriosis" means

Medicines will help solve the problem

complex failure in the normal performance of its function.

Dysbacteriosis syndrome manifests itself due to a violation of the quantitative and quality composition microflora. This gives rise to various metabolic disorders and immunological failures that manifest as gastrointestinal upset.

Quite often, this condition occurs after prolonged treatment with antibacterial drugs.

Signs of dysbacteriosis are frequent constipation or, on the contrary, a tendency to diarrhea. Sometimes there is flatulence or intolerance to certain foods.

The patient is often haunted by dyspeptic disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of nausea, vomiting and the symptoms described above. In the feces there are particles of undigested food and impurities of greenish mucus.

Treatment for this pathological condition is to restore intestinal motility and stimulate the intestine itself.

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Undigested food in adult stool

Proper functioning of the digestive system is the basis normal functioning both male and female body. However, modern look life of most city dwellers is not conducive to the health of the stomach and intestines. Undigested food in the stool in an adult and other dyspeptic disorders are increasingly becoming a reason for a quick visit to the doctor.

What can particles of undigested food in the stool indicate?

Fine internal environment The digestive system is able to break down the vast majority of substances that enter it. An exception in this case may be solid particles that were not originally intended for food (fruit seeds, foreign bodies). Undigested food in the stool in an adult can be a sign of several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

pancreatic insufficiency
Insufficiency of gastric juice
Accelerated evacuation of food from the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the food simply does not have time to undergo splitting processes.

All of the above diseases require treatment, since their further progression can become provoking factors for the development of more severe conditions.

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Treatment

The basis for the treatment of reduced functionality of the pancreas is complete failure from alcohol and other irritating substances, as well as taking replacement therapy drugs (pancreatin, creon, mezim-forte). Enzymes introduced from the outside perform the function of substances missing in the body, contributing to a more complete breakdown and assimilation nutrients.

Insufficiency of gastric juice, as a rule, is provoked by gastritis with low acidity. Based on this, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment. So, the main directions of therapy are stimulation of the active production of hydrochloric acid (etimizol, pentagastrin), replacement therapy (pepsidil, hydrochloric acid), as well as the use of methods aimed at combating the etiological factor (amoxicillin, omeprozole).

Accelerated evacuation of food manifests itself in the form of diarrhea. The condition can be caused by a number of existing inflammatory foci of the gastrointestinal tract (colitis, gastroenteritis) and requires treatment in accordance with the existing pathology. Treatment of colitis and gastroenteritis, as a rule, is carried out in a hospital, and includes the appointment of a patient with rehydration (rehydron), antidiarrheal (loperamide), antimicrobial (antibiotics a wide range) and anti-inflammatory drugs (analgin).

The process of formation of feces occurs under the influence of digestive enzymes, bacterial flora of the intestine, gradual mixing and promotion food bolus by gastrointestinal intestinal tract. by the most informative method determining the quality of digestion is a coprogram. It allows you to set the level at which the digestion of food failed, to suspect pathological changes in various organs.

Normal indicators of the coprogram

There are two generally accepted methods for assessing fecal masses: macroscopic and microscopy. A macroscopic examination evaluates the visual characteristics of the feces, and a microscopic examination evaluates its initial data under a microscope.

The laboratory assistant during the macroscopic evaluation of feces determines the following parameters:

Consistency. A normal fecal lump in older children is soft, infants- unformed.
Color. In children who are on breastfeeding, bowel movements are colored in or gray-yellow. After the feces gradually becomes brown.
pH acidity. Depending on the type of food consumed, this indicator can be neutral or sour.
Smell. A non-constant parameter, which is indicated with sharp deviations from the norm.

Microscopic examination of feces includes the definition of:

Muscle fibers (not found with sufficient digestion).
Neutral fat (minimum allowed).
Fatty acids (can be detected in small amounts).
Connective tissue (absent).
Soaps (a small presence is allowed).
Vegetable fiber (may contain single cellular elements of digestible, indigestible - allowed in various quantities).
Starch (absent or minimal presence).
Iodophilic flora (should not be contained in a healthy intestine).
Leukocytes (single cells are allowed).
Slime (minimal presence).
Epithelium (single cellular elements).

Causes of undigested food in the stool

Normal at healthy child small particles of undigested rough food (peel of vegetables, fruits) may periodically appear. The products may not have been selected best quality. We talk about the correct one in the relevant articles. If the act of defecation is not accompanied unpleasant sensations and soreness, then changes in the coprogram are not a deviation from the norm.

A large number of vegetables and fruits in the child's diet leads to the appearance of lumps of undigested fiber in his feces. This is fine.

It is worth worrying if the products of digestion are visible to the naked eye, mucus is present, peristalsis is accompanied by pain, an abundance bowel sounds, cut.

The predominance of plant foods in the child's diet leads to the appearance of small lumps of undigested fiber due to the accelerated movement of the food lump through the intestines and the physiological deficiency of the enzyme that can break it down.

This condition does not require medical correction. It is enough to reduce the intake of fiber in order to normalize the indicators of feces.

An equally common cause of the appearance of undigested food particles in the stool in a child is functional dyspepsia. In addition to poor digestion of foods, the baby may experience periodic regurgitation, reduced appetite, frequent loose stools mixed with mucus,. This condition occurs as a result of:

Gross violations.
Non-compliance with the diet, overfeeding.
Dentition (teething in a baby).
Diet inconsistency age characteristics child (early introduction of complementary foods, mechanically poorly processed food, etc.).
Taking drugs that reduce the secretory capabilities of the digestive tract (antisecretory, sorbents).

Intestinal and pancreatic juices in children in the first year of life are produced in limited quantity, sufficient only for the digestion of products in the form of a mushy or finely chopped consistency. As the body matures, its digestive capabilities expand.

Another common cause of food particles in the feces is. At the birth of a baby, his intestines are completely sterile, but already from the first hours of life, the process of settling microflora in the body begins. With insufficient quantity beneficial bacteria intestinal digestion is disturbed, stool changes its consistency (becomes more liquid), acquires bad smell, undigested food particles appear in it.

Principles of correction of digestive disorders

Depending on the reasons that led to incomplete digestion of food, the principles for their elimination can be very diverse. The pediatrician will help to establish the origin of the symptoms and correct them. In some situations, parents can correct the situation themselves.

During natural feeding of the baby's mother, when changes in the stool appear, it is worth excluding fatty, smoked and fried foods. If such measures are ineffective, you should consult a doctor.

If, after the introduction of new products, the baby's stools become more frequent, undigested particles of food appear, then it is advisable to postpone their use and repeat after 2-3 weeks. Persistent complaints about changes in the stool after the cancellation of the innovation is a reason to consult a doctor.

You never need to force a child to eat by force, he himself from the cradle can determine the amount of feeding required. Overfeeding not only leads to later, but also significantly undermines the work of the immature digestive system. At an older age, these children develop chronic diseases, some of which significantly reduce the quality of life.

From the very birth of the baby and throughout childhood, parents need to constantly monitor the frequency of the stool and changes in its visual characteristics. Timely appeal per medical care will quickly eliminate the cause of undigested food elements in the feces and maintain healthy digestion in the baby.

Regarding the lumps of undigested food found in the feces, mothers of young children are most often worried. Looking into the pot, finding feces with pieces of food, every mother, by virtue of the instinct of caring for her offspring, begins to suspect problems in her child. However, it may well be, since the children's digestive system is in a state of formation. The digestive tract of the baby is not yet developed enough to cope with large volumes of solid food. Well, what if undigested food is found in the coprogram in an adult? Should I be worried about this?

Normal or symptom of a problem

It usually does not occur to a healthy person to look for undigested food residues in the feces. The exception is situations where food pieces are visible to the naked eye. If at the same time a person experiences discomfort, difficulty with defecation, pain in the abdomen, then you should consult a doctor and take feces for analysis. The presence of undigested food in the feces of an adult can be both within the normal range and beyond. How do you know which category your situation falls into? Worth paying attention to own feelings during last days and estimate how much plant food you eat per day.

For example, if you ate a lot of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and coarse grains the day before, don't be surprised to see undigested food in your stool. The fact is that herbal products rich in indigestible fiber. The consumption of such food in large quantities leads to the accelerated movement of the food bolus through the intestinal tract. As a result, the gastrointestinal tract simply does not have time to digest even the food that it can completely break down. Hence the remains of food in the stool. If the general state of health is not disturbed, do not worry. But at discomfort and the regular presence in the feces of distinguishable pieces of undigested food, you should consult a doctor.

About fiber

Vegetable fiber is essentially a mixture of complex polymer compounds, lignin and various polysaccharides that make up all shells. plant cells. Such alimentary fiber are not digested by the secrets of the gastrointestinal tract. Some of them, namely pectins, gums, mucopolysaccharides, dissolve in water and are almost completely fermented in the intestine due to the microorganisms living there.

During the fermentation process, energy is released and beneficial trace elements are absorbed. Digestible, if found, then in a minimal amount. Cellulose, another fiber polysaccharide, is only partially fermented. Intestinal microflora generally cannot influence lignin in any way. Such insoluble plant fibers are eliminated from the body in the feces as undigested pieces of food.

It is thanks to fiber, its ability to irritate the intestinal walls, that the normal movement of the food bolus through the gastrointestinal tract and the subsequent removal of digestive waste occurs.

Most fiber is found in grains, whole grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits. For normal peristalsis, it is necessary to consume regularly a sufficient amount of cereals, whole grain bread. From vegetables, it is worth giving preference to carrots, beets, cabbage, tomatoes, dill and other greens. From fruits, citrus fruits, apples, apricots are rich in fiber, but bananas contain very little of it. If the content of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice is reduced, then the digestible fiber elements are not broken down, and therefore undigested food appears in the feces in the form of fairly large pieces.

Fecal analysis indicators

Consumed food, passing through the gastrointestinal tract, is subjected to chemical and mechanical processing. It is there that the absorption of water and nutrients into the blood and lymphatic system occurs, as well as the formation and removal of all undigested food residues from the body in the form of feces. Its density depends on how long the food bolus passes through the entire gastrointestinal tract. During the normal functioning of the digestive system, feces should not be too loose or too dense. If the consistency of the feces is very different from the norm, and their smell is too pungent, this is a reason to take a stool test for the digestibility of food.

If a person is healthy, mucus, blood, digestible vegetable fiber, as well as starch, a large number of muscle fibers and fats should not be present in the coprogram. And indigestible fiber in the feces of an adult can be in any volume. This indicator depends on the usual diet.

During the study of feces, all undigested particles are evaluated. It is bad when digested vegetable fiber is found in large quantities. This may indicate a number of problems:

low stomach acid;
acceleration of the release of the food bolus from the intestine;
pancreatic insufficiency.

Yellow feces with pieces may be the result of liver disease, gallbladder, pancreatic dysfunction, overeating of dairy or coarse plant foods, which increases fermentation in the intestines. If a undigested food- this is a mixture of seeds, seeds, peel and veins of plants, which means everything is in order, such food is basically indigestible for the human body.

Causes and treatment

What to do if pieces of undigested food (lientorrhoea) are found in the feces? First of all, you need to understand why this is happening. The cause may be a common indigestion and subsequent diarrhea, after spicy food, for example, or eating unwashed vegetables and fruits. Diarrhea can also occur in a pregnant woman, as well as due to a gastrointestinal infection. In such a situation, the appearance of pieces of fruits, vegetables and other products in the feces is associated with a shorter passage time for the food bolus through the intestines, which is why the food is not completely digested.

If there are no symptoms of the inflammatory process, such as fever, chills, treatment is reduced to the consumption of large amounts of fluid and the appointment of a diet.

Other reasons for finding poorly digested food in the stool can be found out from the coprogram. A detailed examination can reveal the presence of protozoa and bacteria, the culprits infectious process, as well as other elements indicating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Decreased acidity stomach is often associated with gastritis, hence the appropriate treatment in the form of enzymes and other drugs.

To sum up, pieces of food in feces do not always indicate any digestive problems. However, think about diet and additional examination worth it if there is discomfort in the abdomen.

Most people do not tend to carefully examine their own feces, and the design of modern plumbing often interferes with such research. If the excrement is accidentally found different kind impurities and inclusions, that is, it makes sense to be wary: some of them may be the first clinical manifestations of pathologies. Separate impurities are a good reason for a visit to the doctor and further treatment. medical examination, necessarily including the delivery of tests.

Normal composition, color and consistency of stool

A healthy adult excretes an average of 300 g of feces per day, and defecation usually occurs 1 time per day.

Note:Normally, the stool has an almost homogeneous consistency.

The main components of excrement are:

In the absence of acute and chronic diseases, as well as bowel disorders, adult stool color varies from light brown to dark brown.

A change in color is one of the signs of the development of pathology. A greenish tint is one of the symptoms of regional enteritis (Crohn's disease), grey colour indicates problems with the pancreas, light gray or almost white - a violation functional activity liver (in particular - with Botkin's disease). A yellow tint indicates gallbladder disease.

What are impurities?

The following impurities are most often found in feces:

leftover food;
slime;
blood;
foreign inclusions;
pus.

The presence of impurities may indicate the development of diseases (sometimes quite serious pathologies of the digestive system), but often it is due to the nature of nutrition.

Remaining food in stool

If you find whole corn kernels or seeds (for example, sunflower seeds) in your feces, this is not a reason to sound the alarm. Some foods are very difficult to digest, especially if they are poorly chewed. Also, digestive enzymes are completely unable to cope with the veins present in meat products, as well as fish bones and eggshell fragments.

The reason for a visit to the doctor is the presence in the excrement of undigested meat fibers, as well as cottage cheese or eggs. This sign indicates a lack of digestive enzymes.

Note:the presence of large particles of undigested food is called tentorrhea. When meat fibers are found, they speak of a creator.

Enzyme deficiencies can be caused by:

insufficient secretion of pancreatic juice (after resection of a part of the pancreas or against the background of pancreatitis);
inhibition of the secretion of enzymes in the intestine;
pronounced atrophy of the gastric mucosa.

Remains of food may appear in the stool during its accelerated evacuation against the background of increased peristalsis. In this case, some products simply do not have time to digest and assimilate. This phenomenon is particularly characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome.

If the feces have an oily sheen, this is a sign of steatorrhea, i.e., the presence of a large amount of lipid compounds (fats).

Possible causes of steatorrhea:

a large amount of fat in the diet;
diseases of the liver, gallbladder and ducts (cirrhosis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, etc.);
diseases of the pancreas (inflammation, strictures, ulcers and tumors);
hemochromatosis (accumulation of iron in organs against the background of metabolic disorders);
intestinal pathologies (inflammatory, autoimmune and tumor);
endocrine diseases and pathologies of endocrine glands;
congenital (hereditary) diseases;
systemic manifestations of skin diseases;
excessive consumption of laxatives.

Mucus in stool

Note:the presence of some mucus in the stool (in the form of lumps or inclusions) is the norm for infants who are breastfed. Mother's milk It is characterized by high fat content, which the digestive enzymes of the baby's body are not yet able to fully cope with.

Anyone healthy person cells of the intestinal wall produce mucus, which is necessary for facilitating the passage of feces through lower departments digestive tract. A small amount of colorless (almost transparent) mucus is often normal and is not a cause for concern.

If the mucus is secreted in a large volume or has a brown or yellowish color, this may indicate the following pathologies:

increased intestinal peristalsis;
inflammatory diseases are infectious genesis;
sharp intestinal infections(dysentery, typhoid fever, etc.);
benign or malignant formations;

Note:often a large amount of mucus is the first clinical sign of the development of regional enteritis (). The admixture of a significant amount of mucus is also quite often recorded in chronic constipation.

By the degree of the nature of the distribution of the mucous component in the feces, it is possible to determine the height of the location of the pathological focus. If the mucus permeates the excrement relatively evenly, then the inflammatory process is localized in upper divisions intestines, if impurities are determined on the surface (usually in the form of lumps), then the lower sections are affected.

Feces with blood impurities

The presence of blood in the feces is an absolute reason to see a doctor, since it can be clinical manifestation the following diseases:

autoimmune intestinal pathologies ();
malignant neoplasms of the digestive tract;
benign tumors of the intestinal walls ();
ischemic colitis;
diseases of infectious genesis (, dysentery, etc.);
and ulcers of the rectum and rectal region;
intestinal angiodysplasia;
blood pathology (coagulation disorder);
some helminthic invasions (in particular, ascariasis).

The volume of blood varies depending on the nature of the disease and the severity of the pathology. Feces often contain only small and inconspicuous streaks, but with serious pathologies, up to 200 ml or more can be excreted during defecation. In this case we are talking already about intestinal bleeding, which requires urgent action.

Note:in some pathologies, during the act of defecation, only blood mixed with intestinal mucus is released.

The color of the blood in the stool allows you to determine with a high degree of probability the approximate localization of the focus of bleeding. The scarlet color and the location of the blood on top of the feces indicates that there is a pathology of the sigmoid, descending or rectum. fresh blood also stands out with anal fissures and hemorrhoids. Darker blood and blood clots, relatively evenly mixed with stool, indicate that the source of bleeding is in the upper parts of the large intestine (colon) or in the small intestine. Black coloration of the stool may indicate that blood is secreted in the stomach or esophagus (the specific color is due to the fact that the blood has been exposed to hydrochloric acid of gastric juice).

Note:a reddish tint of stool or burgundy streaks is not always due to the presence of blood - be sure to remember if you ate beets the day before?

Foreign inclusions

The presence of films in the feces may be due to a rather serious pathology of the large intestine - pseudomembranous colitis, often due to prolonged or irrational antibiotic therapy.

Fragments of necrotic tissue are found during the decay malignant tumors, as well as with intussusception against the background of intestinal obstruction.

When you receive pharmacological preparations in granular forms, their particles are also often determined in the stool. Activated charcoal gives excrement a black color.

In faeces, so-called. pancreatic, biliary and intestinal calculus formations - coprolites. Intestinal seals (stones) are not true calculi, but are highly compacted fecal masses formed against the background of chronic constipation. This pathology is more typical for elderly patients. True coprolites consist of an organic core with gradually growing mineral salts. The presence of such stones in the feces suggests diseases of the pancreas or bile ducts.

Pus in stool

The presence of pus in the faeces is an unconditional evidence of the development of an inflammatory pathology. In most cases, pus is determined in parallel with blood and mucus.

The pus may be yellowish or greenish tint and appears in the following diseases:

proctitis;
infectious colitis;
ulcerative colitis;
decay (in the late stages of cancer);
breakthrough of an abscess into the intestinal lumen;
autoimmune bowel disease (Crohn's disease).

Important:remember that if pus is released during defecation, then self-medication is categorically unacceptable. O positive effect in this case it is out of the question.

Treatment

The detection of most of the mentioned impurities is the basis for contacting the clinic with a gastroenterologist. A local therapist can also refer the patient to a specialized specialist and prescribe a series of tests.

Professionals who may need advice:

proctologist;
infectious disease specialist;
surgeon;
hematologist;
oncologist.

Important:when a large amount of blood is released against the background of a deterioration in the general condition, an ambulance should be called. Massive bleeding is life threatening condition and requires hospitalization of the patient in the intensive care unit or intensive care unit.

To establish or clarify the diagnosis, in most cases, the patient is referred for examination to an endoscopist.

Plisov Vladimir, medical commentator