Small Black Stool

There are some exceptions to this.

Small black stool.

Black stool that is tarry in texture and foul smelling is often a symptom of upper gastrointestinal bleeding from the esophagus stomach or small intestine. The black specks in your stool can be caused by the eggs or waste of the parasite. Black stool along with pain vomiting or diarrhea is cause to see a doctor right away. This is called melena.

Black stools caused by blood indicate a problem in the upper digestive tract. The causes of black stool usually include colitis stomach ulcers and certain foods. Learn more about black stool and when to see a doctor here. Black stool may occur if you take iron supplements or bismuth containing medication.

Hyperthyroidism causes weight loss shakiness tiredness sensitivity to heat insomnia and more. If you re taking iron supplements for example your stools may appear dark green to the point where they almost look black. In babies the first few stools passed are almost pure black. If you ve taken bismuth medication like pepto bismol that can also make your stools look almost black.

Hematochezia is often caused by bleeding from the lower digestive. It could be a sign of esophageal and gastric cancers. A black stool is a false melena if it is due to eating foods like cranberries beets prunes dark chocolate cookies or blood sausages. It s always best to check with a doctor if you re unsure.

The most common condition causing black stools is a bleeding ulcer. If you have bleeding in the upper gi tract the esophagus stomach and duodenum you could have black tarry stools that are called melena. Treatment depends on the cause. These are known as meconium stools.

Side effects of medications with bismuth include black stool and a black tongue. Blood in the stool can be detected through a stool test.