Stools - foul smelling
Definition
Foul-smelling stools are usually associated with what you eat, but may be a sign of a medical condition.
Alternative Names
Foul-smelling stoolsConsiderations
Stools normally have an unpleasant odor, but one that is recognized as fairly common. Stools that have an extremely bad, out-of-the-ordinary odor may be associated with certain medical conditions. Foul-smelling stools also have normal causes, most notably diet.
Foul-smelling stools may occur in conjunction with floating stools.
Causes
- Cystic fibrosis
- Gluten-induced enteropathy (sprue, celiac disease)
- Malabsorption
- Idiopathic steatorrhea (fatty stools with no known cause)
- Disaccharidase deficiency
- Short bowel syndrome
- Crohn's disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Infections of the large intestine
- Chronic pancreatitis
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