What Does Your Bowel Movement Say About Your Health?

What does a healthy stool look like? 

A soft, formed stool that is easy to pass is generally considered healthy. The Bristol Stool Chart categorises stools from hard lumps to watery diarrhoea. 

Brown is the usual stool colour, although diet and medication can cause temporary changes. Black or bloody stools, or unusually pale stools, should be assessed, especially if unexplained. 

When should changes be investigated? 

Temporary changes may result from diet, travel, stress, illness or medication. Persistent changes can be linked to constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, polyps or colorectal cancer. 

Seek medical advice if changes continue or you experience: 

• Blood in your stool 

• Unexplained weight loss 

• Persistent abdominal pain 

• Iron deficiency anaemia 

• Ongoing diarrhoea or constipation 

• A feeling that your bowel has not fully emptied 

Getting answers about your bowel health 

Persistent or unexplained changes are worth investigating. Intus specialists assess bowel and digestive concerns across the South Island. Depending on your symptoms, this may include a specialist consultation, colonoscopy or other diagnostic tests.