TRIP

Bowel motions

Better Health Channel (Australia), 2004

The resulting faeces (poo) are temporarily stored in the rectum before being expelled from the body via the anus.
Water makes up about three quarters of faecal content, while the rest is composed of solids including undigested fibre, intestinal bacteria and dietary fats.
Always see your doctor if you experience changes in bowel motions that don't resolve within a day or two.
Characteristics of the normal, healthy bowel motion include: Bowel motions should be firm, moist and easy to pass.
Regularity differs from one person to the next - the range of 'normal' includes once per week to several times every day, depending on the individual.
These chemical reactions produce smelly compounds like hydrogen sulphide, which account for the characteristic odour.
If your faeces change colour, seek medical attention immediately, as some of the causes may include serious illnesses.
Common colour changes and their range of possible causes include: Red - blood smears on the toilet paper are usually caused by haemorrhoids or anal fissures.
Bright red blood in the faeces (haemotochezia) usually means internal bleeding, and the causes could include bowel cancer or a bleeding stomach ulcer.
However, bleeding higher up in the digestive tract, such as from the oesophagus or stomach, can cause the faeces to appear black (melena).
Some of the causes can include bleeding from the bowel - often from diverticulosis, angiodysplasia (abnormal and leaky blood vessels in the intestinal lining) or bowel cancer.