{"id":12643,"date":"2020-03-12T12:12:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T12:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=12643"},"modified":"2021-07-01T12:40:38","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T12:40:38","slug":"14-known-causes-of-dark-stool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-known-causes-of-dark-stool\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Known Causes of Dark Stool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The color of your stool can tell you a lot about your health. Most of the time your poop should be a regular brown color. Sometimes it may be darker than others, but most of the time it is a shade of brown. At times, you may notice that your poop is green. This is typical because of something that you ate and is not often a cause for alarm. However, when your stool is quite dark and almost black, it may be something that you consider abnormal. Stool that is black and tarry could simply be due to a change in your diet. However, there are times when it is a sign of a medical issue that should not be ignored. There are several things that may cause you to experience darker than normal stool. Here are 14 known causes of dark stool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Iron Supplements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are diagnosed with anemia<\/a>, it means that you do not have enough iron in your body. Iron is important as it helps with the creation of red blood cells. Anemia is when there are not enough red blood cells in your body to carry oxygen to where it needs to go. If you are prescribed an iron pill to help with your anemia, it may be the cause of your dark stool. There are some iron supplements that may cause you to experience a stool that is dark and tarry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This symptom may go away after a while. If it is persistent, you may want to ask your doctor for a different supplement to take. Some other side effects you may have when you are taking an iron supplement include nausea, constipation, stomachaches, and heartburn. It is important to discuss all of these things with your doctor so you can get a medication that may work better for your needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Dark-Colored Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are times when what you eat may make your poop be a different color. It is common to see you poop turn green when you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables such as spinach<\/a>. You may even notice that your poop is red after you eat some beets. This can be a bit alarming to see but is typically not something that you really have to worry about.\u00a0 There are several foods that may cause your stool to turn a darker color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the more common foods that you may eat that cause a darker stool color include: blueberries, grape juice, chocolate cookies, dark chocolate, black licorice, and dark-colored vegetables such as beets or eggplant. If you have been eating a lot of darker colored foods and you notice that your poop is darker than normal, try cutting those foods out of your diet for a bit and see if that helps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Medicines Containing Bismuth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you have an upset stomach, chances are that you turn to an over the counter remedy. Most of the time, Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate are the common medicines of choice for nausea <\/a>and upset stomach. These medicines may help to calm your stomach, but they contain bismuth. This ingredient may cause you to experience black poop. You may also notice that your tongue turns black after taking products containing bismuth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other popular medications that contain bismuth include Tums, Imodium, Miralax, Metamucil, Dulcolax, and Gas-X. If you are suffering from stomach issues and start to take these medications, your poop may turn a different color. This is completely normal and once you stop taking the medication you should see your poop go back to its normal color. If you experience other symptoms such as ringing in your ears or you start to feel worse after you take a product containing bismuth, contact your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Bleeding Ulcer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One health issue that is fairly common when it comes to stools that are dark in color is an ulcer<\/a>. Ulcers are sores that develop in your small intestine or stomach. These sores can cause all sorts of health issues. At times, if the sores open up, they will start to bleed. When an ulcer begins to bleed, your stool may become darker in color. This is because of the blood that is getting into your stool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the other symptoms of an ulcer include a burning sensation in your stomach, burping, heartburn, swelling in your abdomen, and at times nausea. You may even vomit and the vomit will often look like coffee grounds. There are medications that you can take for an ulcer that may help to lower the amount of acid in the stomach. Some other medications work by coating the lining of the stomach as a way to protect it from the damage that is caused by a build-up of acid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Esophageal Cancer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The esophagus <\/a>is the tube that travels from the throat down to the stomach. The main function of the esophagus is to move food through the body. If cancer develops in the esophagus, it can cause a host of issues. Often, cancer will start in the cells lining the esophagus. When it starts to progress, it may cause damage to the muscles and deeper tissues. Often, a person with esophageal cancer will not have any symptoms until cancer reaches a more advanced stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some symptoms that you may experience with esophageal cancer include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, heartburn, coughing, and losing weight when you are not trying to. In addition, you may start to see dark and tarry stools. This is called melena and it could be a sign that you have esophageal cancer. It is important to discuss your symptoms with a doctor right away if you are experiencing any of these types of symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Gastric Cancers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gastric or stomach cancer will often start in the cells that produce mucus <\/a>and line the stomach. Rates for stomach cancer has fallen in recent years, but rates for esophageal cancer are on the rise. Even though the rates for stomach cancer have gone down, it still does occur. Some of the more common symptoms of stomach cancer include being bloated after eating, feeling tired, severe indigestion, pain in the abdominal region, nausea, vomiting, and losing weight unexpectedly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, you may notice that your stools are dark. This type of dark stool is called melena. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms related to stomach cancer and also notice that your stool is darker than normal, talk to your doctor right away. There are treatments for stomach cancer available and catching it as soon as possible will help improve your chances of surviving this disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Mallory Weiss Tear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have had the flu or some other type of virus that makes you cough intensely, the coughing fits that you have may cause you to tear your esophagus. Intense vomiting can also cause damage to the esophagus. When your esophagus tears and then bleeds, it is a condition known as Mallory Weiss tear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the other symptoms of this condition include weakness<\/a>, dizziness, vomit that is bright red, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, pale skin, diarrhea, pain in the chest, abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing. You may also notice that your stool is darker than it normally is. Most of the time this type of tear will heal all by itself. However, in cases where the tear does not heal on its own, your doctor may prescribe a medicine to help control the bleeding. Heat treatments may also be prescribed to help heal the bleeding.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Esophageal Varices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The veins <\/a>in the esophagus are called varices. The esophagus is the tube that food will travel down in order to get to the stomach. When the veins located in the esophagus become swollen, they may break open. When the veins break open, they may start to leak blood down the throat and into the stomach. When this occurs, you may notice that your stool is black and possibly tarry. Swollen varices are most common in people who suffer from liver disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is the cause of your stool being black you will also likely experience some other symptoms as well. Some of the symptoms associated with swollen esophageal varices include bruises, a swollen abdominal region, yellow eyes, yellow skin, vomiting blood, fainting, and dizziness. If you experience bleeding in your esophagus you need to seek medical attention immediately. Treatment will typically involve getting medicine through an IV in order to lower the pressure on the veins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. NSAID Usage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

NSAIDs are often used to help alleviate pain. Using these products for your pain is quite common and many people use them occasionally to help alleviate headaches<\/a>, backaches, and joint pain. However, the long term use of these products can cause irritation to the stomach. The medication weakens the lining of the stomach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this lining is weakened, it is harder for it to resist the acid made in the stomach. The result of the overuse of NSAIDs is typically an ulcer. If you have an ulcer because of the overuse of NSAIDs, it may start to bleed. This can cause you to experience dark-colored stools. If you have been using this type of medication often and notice that you are having some of the symptoms of an ulcer, it is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Gastritis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gastritis<\/a> is a condition that causes the stomach lining to be inflamed. The inflammation may be caused by any number of things. Sometimes simply eating food that is too spicy can cause the stomach lining to become inflamed. Foods that are high in acid may also cause inflammation. If you consume too much alcohol, you may notice that your stomach does not feel quite right afterward. Infections, bacteria, and smoking may all cause gastritis to occur as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have recently had a trauma to the abdominal area or undergone surgery on or near your stomach, there may be some inflammation in the area as well. When the lining of your stomach is inflamed, it may cause food to not get broken down properly. In addition, there may be bleeding that occurs. Both of these things may cause you to experience stools that are dark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Benign Tumors <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, there are some types of cancer that may cause you to experience dark and tarry stools. In addition, there are some cases where you may have a tumor develop someplace in the gastrointestinal system. This tumor <\/a>may be in the colon, stomach, esophagus, or the rectum. When you have a tumor develop, it may cause bleeding in the digestive tract. This bleeding may lead to you experiencing darker stools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the tumor is benign, it can still cause damage to the gastrointestinal system. It can weaken the walls of the stomach or the small intestine. It may even push into these areas and cause bleeding. If you are experiencing pain anywhere in your stomach, throat, or even in your mouth, it is a good idea to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. If a tumor is discovered a sample may be taken in order to determine whether it is benign or cancerous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Colitis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ulcerative colitis<\/a> is a gastrointestinal disorder that causes ulcers to form in the large intestine. When a person is suffering from colitis they may have a stool that is black and tarry. Currently, there is no clear known cause for ulcerative colitis. Some people seem to be more prone to this occurring than others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be genetics or simply dietary habits that cause the ulcers to form in the large intestine. Some of the other symptoms of colitis aside from a dark and tarry stool include gastrointestinal pain, pus, and blood in the stool, fever, diarrhea, fatigue, reduction in appetite. If you are suffering from colitis you may also have a constant feeling like you need to move your bowels. If you have these symptoms, there may be some medicines that your doctor can prescribe in order to help alleviate some of the issues that you are experiencing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Colon Polyps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Colon polyps <\/a>are small clumps of cells that will form in the lining of the colon. Most of the time these clumps are harmless. However, over time there are some colon polyps that may turn into colon cancer. If colon cancer is not found until later stages, it is often fatal. Neoplastic and non-neoplastic are the two categories of polyps. Non-neoplastic polyps are the most common and typically are not cancerous. Neoplastic polyps include serrated types and adenomas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These can become quite large and may become cancerous. Anyone may get colon polyps, but you are at a higher risk for developing polyps after the age of 50. Obesity and smoking can also put you at a higher risk of getting polyps. Typically, colon polyps do not cause any symptoms. However, if you notice that your stool is black and tarry, it may be from these polyps. If polyps are found early they can be easily removed by your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Foreign Objects or Trauma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are punched in the stomach or suffer from another type of injury to your abdominal region, you may experience internal bleeding. This bleeding may lead to your stool becoming black and tarry. Some examples of injuries that might result in black stool include knife wounds, gunshot wounds, car accidents, and appendicitis. If you swallow a caustic substance or any type of foreign object, it may cause a tear in the intestine, esophagus<\/a>, the stomach or the rectum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The damage to these areas may cause it to bleed, which in turn will create a stool that is dark. If a foreign object enters the rectum, it may cause the rectum to bleed. When there are tears in the skin of the rectum, it can cause blood in your stool. This will make it appear darker. Treating the area that is affected and giving time for it to heal can help eliminate the symptom of dark stool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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