floating chair, what does it mean if the feces do not sink: What's it, causes, symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, prevention

Stools – floating; Floating stools

floating chair is a term, used, when seen, that feces float in the toilet after flushing it. It is often associated with diarrhea, but may indicate other health problems. Causes of floating stools include dietary and medical disorders., such as malabsorption and some gastrointestinal diseases.

Stool is usually easier to wash out, when it's tight and sinks to the bottom of the toilet. Floating chair often feels big, and in some people it can take on a frothy appearance.

Кал не тонет – причины

There are a number of potential causes of floating stools., which include excess fat, gas in the stool, which make it more buoyant:

• Increased fat content. If the body does not metabolize fat properly, it may be present in human stool as oily droplets, which makes it more buoyant.
• excess air. Excess air in the digestive tract can lead to, that the chair will feel light and pop, as air pockets provide buoyancy, making stool easier to float.
• foam stool. Floating stools can also have a foamy texture., which is caused by the presence of gas in the stool and the inability of the digestive system to absorb it.
• Eating certain foods. Eating certain types of foods, such as high-fiber foods or drinking too many carbonated drinks, may cause, that a person's chair will float in the toilet.

In some cases, floating stools can be caused by a change in diet or a medical condition.. While dietary changes or infection can cause floating stools, the cause may be the following diseases:

• Malabsorption. Malabsorption is a condition, in which the body cannot fully absorb nutrients from food. This can lead to, that fat will be present in the stool, making it float. Malabsorption has many potential causes, including celiac disease and Crohn's disease.
• Gastrointestinal infections. Respiratory, intestinal and parasitic infections can cause floating stools. Bacterial infections, such as bacterial gastroenteritis or food poisoning, may also cause floating stools.
• gallbladder problems. Gallstones in the gallbladder or some diseases of the gallbladder can cause, that the stool will float due to the presence of fat.

Symptoms of non-sinking stool

Floating stools may occur in combination with other symptoms.. Depending on the cause of the, other symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal distention
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• weight loss
• Fatigue
• Jaundice

When to contact a healthcare professional

If a person notices, that his stool is constantly floating in the toilet, he should see a doctor.

Some symptoms may indicate a more serious medical condition and require immediate medical attention.. In these cases, the person should seek help as soon as possible.. These symptoms include:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Blood in the stool
• Heat
• Unexplained weight loss
• Inability to digest food
• Vomiting

Questions, that your doctor may ask

When discussing floating chair with a healthcare professional, they may ask a few questions., including:

• How long have you noticed that the feces do not sink?
• Do you have other accompanying symptoms?
• Have you made any recent dietary changes??
• You eat a lot of high fiber foods?
• You drink a lot of carbonated drinks?
• Have you recently traveled or eaten foreign food??

Diagnosis of a non-sinking stool

Asking the above questions, the doctor may prescribe some tests, to determine the cause of floating stool. These tests may include:

• General blood analysis (OAK)
• Stool analysis and sample culture
• X-ray of the abdomen
• Colonoscopy
• CT of the abdomen
• Blood tests to determine malabsorption of fats.

The doctor may also ask, for a person to keep a food diary. This will allow them to evaluate the patient's recent diet and make any necessary adjustments., excluding any products, which can cause floating stools.

Кал не тонет – лечение

Treatment for floating stool will depend on the underlying cause.. Dietary changes are usually recommended for floating stools, caused by dietary factors, and may include the exclusion of certain products, which may be causing the problem.

If the underlying cause is malabsorption, They can be assigned to medication, such as laxatives, calcium supplements and antacids. If the cause is indigestion, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, a doctor may recommend medications to treat this condition.

In case of gastrointestinal infection, such as salmonellosis or bacterial gastroenteritis, doctor, probably, prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

home treatment

In addition to any treatment or medication, doctor's appointment, a person can also try the following home remedies to treat floating stool:

• Eat a balanced diet. Cut down on processed foods and replace them with fresh fruit, vegetables and lean proteins. Cutting out foods from your diet can also help., causing gas, such as beans and cruciferous vegetables.
• Avoid excessive consumption of carbonated drinks. Carbonated drinks can cause extra air to enter the digestive tract, what will make the chair more buoyant.
• Reduce your fiber intake. Fiber from foods increases stool bulk, making it more buoyant.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids can help increase the amount of water in your stool., which will make it thicker.
• Take Probiotics. Taking probiotics may help reduce symptoms, caused by malabsorption, such as a floating chair.
• Need to reduce stress levels. Stress can affect digestion and cause these symptoms, like loose stool.

Prevention

Floating chair can be prevented, changing diet and lifestyle.

To reduce the risk of floating stool, the following tips may be helpful:

• Minimize your intake of processed foods and replace them with fresh foods.
• Avoid excessive consumption of carbonated drinks.
• Reduce your intake of high fiber foods.
• Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water.
• Minimize Stress.
• Take Probiotics, to improve the health of the digestive system.
• Eat more often and in smaller portions.
• Exercise regularly, to keep the digestive system in good working order.

Floating stool may indicate certain health conditions, such as malabsorption or certain gastrointestinal conditions. If a person notices, that his chair is floating, he should see a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor can help determine the cause and recommend the best course of treatment. In many cases, diet and lifestyle changes may be enough., to reduce the appearance of floating stool.

Used sources and literature

Hoegenauer C, Hammer HF. Maldigestion and malabsorption. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 104.

Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16.

Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 131.