What Could be Causing Pale Stools?

What Causes Pale Stools?

Pale stools can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose pale stools, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "pale stools" as a symptom. Here are eight possibilities:

Pancreatitis
Short Bowel Syndrome
Gluten Sensitivity
Gallbladder Disease
Hepatitis
Bile Duct Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Liver Congestion

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

major unexplained weight loss

Under 4 years at 120-180 blood sugar

hepatitis B or C

biliopancreatic diversion

itchy skin

meals worsen top-left abdomen pain

skipping meals

anal itching

severe diesel exhaust exposure

regular episodes of diarrhea

red palms/fingertips

stabbing epigastric pain after meals

... and more than 120 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of pale stools:

Cause	Probability	Status
Bile Duct Cancer	95%	Confirm
Hepatitis	20%	Unlikely
Liver Congestion	19%	Unlikely
Pancreatic Cancer	2%	Ruled out
Pancreatitis	0%	Ruled out
Gallbladder Disease	0%	Ruled out
Gluten Sensitivity	0%	Ruled out
Short Bowel Syndrome	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate irregular stools, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Do you have clay-colored (pale) stools?

Possible responses:

→ No / don't know
→ Yes, sometimes slightly pale
→ Yes, often slightly pale, sometimes very pale
→ Yes, my stools are usually/always very pale

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate slightly pale stools, pale stools or very pale stools, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Bile Duct Cancer

Gallbladder Disease

Pale stools are often due to some form of bile dysfunction. Bile salts, which are made by the liver and excreted via the bile ducts, make feces the normal brown color. An inflamed liver (hepatitis) or some kind of blockage in the bile ducts (like a gall stone) can turn stools pale.

Hepatitis

Liver Detoxification / Support Requirement

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatitis

Short Bowel Syndrome

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™