Feces that float what does it mean

These infections usually go away without any treatment. More serious infections include those from E. These will require treatment from a medical professional. Floating stools commonly occur in people who have lactose intolerance when they drink or eat dairy products. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, which is a sugar found in dairy products. This can lead to malabsorption. Your pancreas makes enzymes that help emulsify and digest fat in your intestine for absorption.

Another mechanism is a blockage of your pancreatic duct that empties the enzymes into your small intestine. This could be due to a pancreatic head mass that blocks your pancreatic duct and bile from your liver and gallbladder. The American Cancer Society says that floating stools may be an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer may stop bile and pancreatic enzymes from getting through your intestines to break down fats, which can make stools greasy and make them float.

Floating stools can also be a symptom of pancreatitis. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that causes damage to the lining of your small intestine when you eat gluten. Gluten is a protein found mainly in wheat products.

The symptoms go away when you avoid gluten. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic condition that causes an excess production of thick and sticky mucus in your lungs and digestive tract. The excess mucus in your pancreas prevents the proper absorption of nutrients because your pancreas makes enzymes that can help with fat digestion in your small intestine to facilitate absorption, which can cause floating stools.

Treatments, including medications, may reduce floating stools, as well as other symptoms of the disease. This syndrome can be caused by an intestinal disease. It can also be caused when part of your small intestine is missing from either a genetic defect or surgical removal. If they suspect an underlying medical condition, your doctor may order blood or stool tests to diagnose the specific cause of your floating stools. Treatment may not be needed.

If your doctor does recommend treatment, it will depend on the cause of your floating stools. They may prescribe antibiotics for bacterial infections, antidiarrheal medications for diarrhea, or recommend dietary changes.

If you have floating stools but no other symptoms, you may want to try a home treatment. Try keeping a record of the foods you eat and your bowel movements. Take note of when you have floating stools. When you notice them, check what foods you ate recently. Some underlying medical conditions can also cause persistent floating stool.

Floating stools commonly occur in people who have lactose intolerance when they drink or eat dairy products. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose , which is a sugar found in dairy products. Stools may float or sink, but ones that float tend to be indicative of healthy bowels. Ghost poop. And chronic bowel troubles may be linked to immune system problems, weight gain and hemorrhoids.

Type 6 — Mushy consistency with ragged edges, looking more like a pile than clear separate stools. Type 7 — Liquid in form, containing no solid pieces. The extra air from the gas makes poop less dense, or packed. This leads it to float when it hits the toilet bowl.

Have you noticed you feel gassy after you eat specific foods? That's because certain types of foods can produce gas. Here are some examples:. Many of these foods contain sugars that can make excess gas, like sorbitol or fructose.

For instance, prunes, apples, peaches, and sugar-free foods contain sorbitol. Sodas, honey, and fruit juices are high in fructose. If your floating stool is a result of gas-producing food, there's some good news. Your poop should return to normal after you eat less of the foods that bother you. People with lactose intolerance may have floating poop when they eat dairy products.

That's because they have low levels of the enzyme lactase that the body needs to digest lactose a sugar in milk. Lactose isn't only in milk—it's also in many other dairy products, like yogurt, ice cream, and some cheeses.

That's why someone with lactose intolerance might become bloated or gassy after eating dairy , which can lead to floating stool. Along with gas, people with irritable bowel syndrome IBS may have floating stools. The researchers concluded that floating stools were a characteristic feature of IBS. Excess gas in your stool can make it to float. Eating foods that contain sugars like sorbitol or fructose can produce excess gas. People with lactose intolerance and IBS might have a similar experience.

Here's a look at several conditions that can lead to floating stools. Some medical conditions can cause malabsorption, or the inability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat. Unsurprisingly, malabsorption can lead to floating poop. Conditions that disturb the lining of your digestive tract can have this effect, such as:.

Chronic pancreatitis is when there's inflammation in your pancreas. The condition is usually a result of gallstones or long-term alcohol abuse. It often occurs after acute, or sudden, pancreatitis. It's also linked to diabetes. While floating stool is common in pancreatitis, you may experience other symptoms as well.

Stomach pain, back pain, bloating, and weight loss are all common. Sclerosing cholangitis affects the bile ducts in and around your liver. It's closely linked with ulcerative colitis. The condition is marked by inflammation, scarring, and destruction of these bile ducts. Along with floating stools, symptoms include:. Choledocholithiasis is when you have one or more gallstones in the common bile duct.

The condition doesn't provoke any symptoms unless the stone blocks the bile duct. As well as floating stools, you might feel pain in the right upper or middle upper stomach. The pain usually lasts for at least 30 minutes. Fever, jaundice, nausea, and vomiting can also occur.

You may lose your appetite. Although pancreatic cancer isn't common, it's another potential cause for floating stool. One of the first symptoms of pancreatic cancer is jaundice, or yellowing eyes and skin. But that's not all. Jaundice can also be characterized by certain stool changes. It can cause pale or gray stools , as well as greasy, floating stools. Stools that sometimes float shouldn't alarm you.

That said, some types of stool changes may be symptoms of a condition that requires treatment. Steatorrhea , or fatty stool , is often caused by an underlying condition. Consult your healthcare provider if you notice changes in your bowel habits that last more than two weeks. Tell your healthcare provider if you're having additional symptoms, like:.