‘I have dark green stool, stomach cramps, constant gurgling, bloating, and my stomach is tender to the touch. What causes it?’

‘I have dark green stool, stomach cramps, constant gurgling, bloating, and my stomach is tender to the touch. What causes it?’

Imagine going to the washroom and seeing that your faeces is green. Now add bloating, cramps, and gurgling to the picture. Sounds alarming, right? One such distressed internet user took to Quora to seek answers, asking: ‘What causes dark green stool and stomach cramps? I have dark green stool, stomach cramps, constant gurgling, bloating, and my stomach is tender to the touch.’

We decided to dig deeper and find out the exact root cause. Turns out, dark green stool is typically associated with the “rate at which food passes through your gut” — as explained by Dr Harshal Ghanshyam Pise, Associate Consultant, Gastroenterology, ShardaCare-Healthcity.

“In case of rapid digestion, bile (naturally green) is not fully broken down, and the stool contains a green colour,” the gastro-specialist tells indianexpress.com . This usually happens because of stress or mild infections.

Green stool could also be because of what you ate, because “stool colour can be altered easily” when the person has eaten green foods such as spinach, broccoli or food that has artificial colouring, iron supplements or some antibiotics.

However, when paired with discomfort, — like in this Quora query — the root cause could be “indigestion or slight gut irritation.” However, the possibility of more serious conditions, such as gastroenteritis, is also present.

Should you worry about green stool?

“In the majority of instances, green stool is not an issue that is serious to worry about and is usually associated with food and digestion,” Dr Pise notes. As previously mentioned, it could be because of what you ate or by the faster digestion of bile, which maybe caused by stress, or by mild infections.

That said, persistent symptoms should not be ignored. “Nevertheless, when the green stool is common, smelly, and has other effects such as diarrhea, pain, or fever, it can be a sign of a more serious problem, like infection or malabsorption.”

In severe cases, it could also be gastroenteritis or IBS, especially when the afforementioned symptoms such as gurgling of stomach, bloating, and abdominal tenderness are present.

“An infection is typically the cause of gastroenteritis and it is usually accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting or fever,” Dr Pise explains.

On the other hand, IBS presents differently. “IBS is a chronic digestive disorder associated with gut sensitivity and stress and with bloat, bowel irregularities and discomfort without infection.”

When should you see a doctor?

“In severe, persistent, or progressive symptoms, medical attention is required,” Dr Pise advises. “The warning signs are high fever, blood in the stool, severe stomachache, dehydration (dry mouth, low urine), persistent vomiting or diarrhea lasting longer than 2–3 days.”

Other symptoms such as “ incomprehensible weight loss or acute fatigue” should be overlooked as well. Addiitonally, certain age groups, such as children, the aged, and those with low immunity, should seek care earlier.

“Although mild symptoms can resolve on their own, early consultation can be used to prevent complications and guarantee correct diagnosis and treatment,” Dr Pise concludes.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.