Seeing Green Mucus In Stool, Is It a Thing To Worry About?

Should you be concerned if your poop has some greenish look?
Babies can have weird poop pretty regularly. Their
diet entails high nutrient breast milk or formula
that can entirely change the look, color and
consistency of fecal matter (as well as the smell).
It’s not uncommon in infants to experience yellow
mucus in stool following a bout with diarrhea from
switching to a new formula or green mucus in
stool during teething. But, when these things
happen in adults who are well beyond the age of
baby bottles and teething rings, it can be
alarming.
Bowel mucus is actually really useful stuff. It is
produced in the intestines and is helpful because
it allows for smooth and easy passage of poo. It
acts as a natural lubricant of sorts, easing along
fecal matter on its journey to evacuation. Most of
the time, bowel mucus isn’t visible (although it’s
always there). But, sometimes, it can be very
noticeable, and when it’s a color other than that
which mucus is expected to be, it can be
unnerving.
One of the most common causes for green mucus
in stool is a very common disorder of the
intestine known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
. WebMD explains that IBS is essentially a
generalized condition of bowel disorder that has
varying symptoms that can range from mild to
severe and differ from person to person. While
mucus color can vary with IBS, shades of clear to
white to yellow and even green are not
uncommon. And, this has to do with the
condition’s effects on bowel movements.
Notorious for causing constipation , irritable bowel
syndrome can be a cause of mucus because the
backed up bowel movement can bring along with
it built up mucus when it finally passes.
In addition, just as struggling to produce poo can
cause man problems including green mucus in
stool, so can diarrhea. This condition,
characterized by much looser than normal stools
that can even be watery, can be a very common
cause of green mucus in stool. This largely
depends on what is causing the rapid loss of
fecal matter. But, if infection or bacteria is
involved, green mucus can result.
But aside from these relatively common causes
that can sometimes (although of course not
always) produce something other than just clear
mucus in stool , there are other health concerns
that can carry mucus that is green found on stool
as a symptom. For instance, gastroenteritis of
multiple kinds can be a common cause of light or
dark green mucus in stools, depending on sort,
particularly when the cause is bacterial in nature.
For instance, salmonella gastritis is described by
North Carolina State University as a condition
which can produce stools that are green and
loose and that smell off putting. And, they also
explain that green shreds of mucus can be found
sometimes in a condition known as shigella
gastroenteritis. Both of these are bacterial in
nature, but similar symptoms could be present in
viral forms of the condition.
Determining when green mucus in stool is
something to worry about will largely depend not
on this symptom alone, but the ones that exist
alongside it. For instance, if there are other
symptoms that are concerning such as a sudden
or very high fever, alarm bells should go off. And,
intense abdominal pain that isn’t related to
simply gastro ails like constipation or diarrhea
should also be considered warning signs.
Frequency and duration should also be gauged as
well. For instance, if green mucus in stool
appeared once and went away with no other
symptoms present, it could be nothing to worry
about. But, if it is frequent, recurring and doesn’t
resolve on its own in a short period of time, then
it may be a good idea to schedule an
appointment with a health care provider. It’s
possible that it could be a sign of a much more
serious condition such as cancer. If other
symptoms are present that can indicate severe
illness such as blood in the stools, health care
should be sought immediately.
The majority if the time however, green mucus is
stool is merely a result of common digestive woes
or mild illnesses. It can come on alongside a case
of the tummy flu or accompany a bad cold. In
some cases, it can simply be a byproduct of a
less than well functioning digestive system
plagued by constipation or diarrhea. But, if it’s
problematic, bothersome, persistent or part of a
collection of unusual symptoms it’s important to
seek medical advice.