Mucus in stools can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'very serious'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose mucus in stools, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Ulcerative Colitis | 96% | Confirm |
Crohn's Disease | 21% | Unlikely |
Candida / Yeast | 4% | Ruled out |
Irritable Bowel Syndrome | 1% | Ruled out |
Do you see mucus in your stools?
Possible responses:
→ Never / rarely / don't know→ Occasionally → Often |
Mucus in the stool is one of the most common symptoms of IBS, and yet research on the subject is limited. The mucus is generally associated with inflammation but researchers lack a specific explanation. Some smaller studies have shown that over half of IBS sufferers report having mucus, and that it is more common in men than women.
If the disease is limited to the rectosigmoidal area then stools may be normal or dry although there can also be constipation. Rectal mucous, which can be high in red and white blood cells, accompanies stools or occurs between bowel movements.