Dorothy FarrarYellow diarrhea
Changes in the color and consistency of the stool always indicate digestive disorders. The causes can be harmless. In some cases, however, a more serious illness hides behind it. Yellow diarrhea is not that rare and usually history after a few days. In the case of chronic yellowish diarrhea, however, a doctor should definitely be consulted.
What is yellow diarrhea?
Stool is usually dark brown to tan in color and soft to well-formed in texture. The brown color of the stool is caused by the breakdown products of the bile, which consist mainly of bilirubin. The yellow discoloration of the urine is also caused by bilirubin. The consistency of the stool depends on its water content. The more water there is, the more liquid the intestinal waste products appear .
The water is extracted from the chyme during the intestinal passage. Therefore, with rapid intestinal transit, there is not enough time for sufficient water absorption. The stool becomes liquid and appears as diarrhea . If its color is also yellowish, this often indicates insufficient excretion of bile breakdown products. However, dyes ingested with food can also mask the true color of the stool and thus produce its yellowish color. Or yellowish decomposition products form as a result of a bacterial infection of the intestine.
causes
Yellow diarrhea can have many causes. Often the yellow color of the stool is caused by its rapid passage through the intestines. The faster the chyme moves through the intestines, the less bile it can absorb. As a result, the color of the stool changes from dark brown to yellow-brown to yellow as it passes through the intestines. Such diarrhea is usually harmless and only lasts a few days.However, there are also cases in which protracted yellow diarrhea sets in, which is often accompanied by the accompanying symptoms of abdominal pain and flatulence . In these cases, it may be that little or no bile gets into the intestine. Possible causes are gallstones, inflammation of the gallbladder, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), cancer of the gallbladder or pancreas, and bacterial inflammation. Gallstones can block the bile duct, preventing bile from escaping into the intestines.
Inflammation of the pancreas or gallbladder can cause swelling of the bile duct, which also impedes the flow of bile. Of course, the flow of bile is often prevented by tumors in this area. Yellow diarrhea can also be a symptom of hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). The liver is responsible for bile acid metabolism, among other things.
If this is disturbed, a lot of bilirubin can bind to certain proteins and get into the blood . Jaundice develops with simultaneous yellowing of the stool and brown coloring of the urine. Other causes of yellow diarrhea can include infection with parasites such as Giardia lamblia, viral infections ( rotavirus ) in children, reduced fat absorption or consumption of yellowish foods.
When to the doctor?
Although the yellow discoloration of the stool is usually harmless, medical advice should always be sought when combined with diarrhea. Although the yellow color does not represent a specific symptom of a disease, it can nevertheless indicate pathological changes in the intestine. Immediate medical treatment is required if the yellow diarrhea occurs in combination with nausea , vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and severe tiredness. Severe exhaustion in particular can indicate liver disease and should be clarified by a doctor if there is any suspicion.
If yellow diarrhea occurs at frequent intervals, the family doctor should also be consulted. This also applies if the diarrhea has lasted for a long time and repeatedly has a yellowish hue. A doctor should be consulted if diarrhea persists or is frequent, simply because of the risk of dehydration.
Yellowing of the faeces is normal in infants because the color is related to breast milk. The mushy consistency is often mistaken for diarrhea, but does not require a doctor’s visit unless other symptoms develop.
Diseases
- pancreatic cancer
diagnosis and course
If the yellow diarrhea occurs over a longer period of time, a doctor should be consulted to clarify the cause. In these cases, it can also be a serious illness. In most cases, the symptoms last a few days at most and the intestines recover. In the case of chronic yellow diarrhea, there are often accompanying symptoms, which manifest themselves in the form of constant abdominal pain, flatulence, loss of appetite , tiredness , difficulty concentrating , pallor or yellowing of the skin.
The doctor will first carry out laboratory tests ( stool and blood samples ) that indicate diseases of the gallbladder, pancreas or liver. The accompanying symptoms also give clues to the cause of the disease. For example, constant left-sided abdominal pain can indicate pancreatic involvement. Sudden colic is often caused by gallstones. Long-lasting tiredness and yellowing of the skin (jaundice) suggest liver disease.
The doctor will take a comprehensive medical history alongside the laboratory tests . If the stool and blood tests already indicate the involvement of certain organs, imaging procedures such as CT or MRI can confirm or rule out any masses in this area. If a tumor is present, a biopsy can be used to determine whether it is benign or malignant. There are so many different diseases in this area that a clear diagnosis can sometimes only be made after years of examination.
complications
A yellow stool is associated with diseases of the liver , gallbladder or pancreas. Corresponding complications can also develop. Chronic hepatitis, for example, can progress to cirrhosis of the liver . This brings changes in the blood circulation with it, so there is high blood pressure in the portal circulation and an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites). Kidney failure is also common due to hepatorenal syndrome. A reduction in the size of the testicles or disturbances in the menstrual cycle in women can also be the result of cirrhosis of the liver.
In addition, there is reduced synthesis of proteins in the blood, leading to edema and coagulation disorders. Cirrhosis of the liver can manifest itself as jaundice (icterus). There is also an increased risk of liver cirrhosis developing into liver cancer. Gallstones can also be a cause. These can lead to inflammation of the gallbladder or bile ducts, leading to fever, chills and upper abdominal pain. In addition, the risk of suffering from a bile duct carcinoma or gallbladder tumor is also increased here. Diseases of the pancreas, such as inflammation (pancreatitis) or a tumor, can also cause yellow stools. While pancreatitis can lead to abscesses or kidney and lung failure, the prognosis for pancreatic carcinoma is rather poor.
treatment and therapy
Treatment for yellow diarrhea depends on its cause. As already mentioned, in most cases it is a temporary phenomenon. In these cases nothing needs to be done. It is important to drink enough fluids because the body can lose a lot of water in diarrhea. Since too many electrolytes (salts) are excreted at the same time, drinking half a liter of boiled water with half a teaspoon of salt and five teaspoons of sugar is a good idea.
Drugs should not be used if the cause has not been clearly identified. Sometimes diarrhea is caused by food intolerance. In these cases, the cause is often known to the person concerned. Of course, the triggering foods should be avoided. In persistent and chronic cases, the underlying disease must be treated in addition to the effects of the diarrhea (loss of water and electrolytes).These include the removal of gallstones, drug treatment for infections or autoimmune intestinal diseases, surgical removal of malignant tumors and much more. Sometimes it is necessary to widen the bile duct after an inflammation of the bile duct or pancreas with a so-called stent in order to ensure the sufficient supply of bile to the intestine and thus fat digestion after its temporary swelling. After clarification of the cause of possible liver diseases, special liver therapies must be carried out.
outlook and prognosis
In most cases, yellow diarrhea is harmless and does not cause any further complications or symptoms. However, if the diarrhea persists and does not go away, a doctor must be consulted. Yellow diarrhea can occur, especially in the case of intolerance to food. However, yellow diarrhea is also triggered by various gastrointestinal diseases . For this reason, the further course depends heavily on the underlying disease.
In most cases, however, it is a harmless flu that can be curbed with medication and bed rest. However, if this symptom occurs frequently, a doctor must be consulted who can examine the yellow diarrhea more closely and give an explicit prognosis. In many cases, the symptoms of the stomach and intestines can be limited relatively well with the help of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, in the case of serious illnesses, antibiotics must be taken in order to alleviate the symptoms and to positively influence the course of the disease.
prevention
In general, diarrheal diseases can be prevented by thorough hygiene in public toilets (washing hands after using the toilet) and a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes a balanced diet , plenty of exercise, little stress and not drinking alcohol or smoking . If you have a known food intolerance, you should avoid these foods.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.