How is yellow diarrhea diagnosed?

In the case of yellow diarrhea, a suspected diagnosis should first be made with the help of the medical history (questioning of the affected person by a doctor). In doing so, many possible causes of the symptoms can be excluded. This is followed by a physical examination of the abdomen (listening, palpation).

Depending on the suspected cause of the yellow diarrhea, imaging procedures (ultrasound, X-ray, MRT, CT) can then be performed. A blood sample is often also taken, which can provide information about signs of inflammation or certain organ diseases. If no clear cause can be determined, an endoscopy (examination of the gastrointestinal tract with a small camera) is usually performed.

What symptoms indicate pathological yellow diarrhea?

Yellow diarrhea is initially – if it occurs only for a short time – not necessarily a sign of illness. Therefore one should first check whether there is an explanation for the change in bowel movements (certain eating habits, taking medication such as antibiotics). If no such explanation can be found, the probability that the yellow diarrhea is pathological increases.

In addition, the duration and severity of the symptoms can be taken into account. The longer the diarrhea lasts and the more frequently and fluidly the bowel movement occurs, the more likely one can speak of a pathological yellow diarrhea. In addition, other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, headaches and aching limbs, etc.

can occur. Fever, as an accompanying symptom, can also be an indication of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Particular care should be taken if dark, light red or slimy red deposits appear on the stool.

These changes can be indicative of bleeding in the digestive tract and should be clarified diagnostically as soon as possible. Mucus often occurs as a side effect of diarrhoea. Initially, the mucus must be divided into bloody and non-bloody mucus.

Bloody mucus (light red bloody or dark red to black colored) can be an indication of bleeding and should be clarified by a doctor. Non-bloody mucus (usually colorless or yellowish) can be caused by impaired digestion. However, depending on the food previously ingested, the components of the food can also cause yellowish diarrhea with mucus.

Aqueous yellow diarrhea is associated with a particularly fluid consistency. In addition, the watery part of the diarrhea can often be difficult to retain, which is why there may be a constant urge to defecate. Aqueous diarrhea often indicates an infection of the gastrointestinal tract.

An infestation with viruses or bacteria also damages the individual cells of the intestinal wall. This can lead to an increased leakage of water into the upper intestinal tract and to a reduced water reabsorption (reabsorption of water) in the rear sections of the intestine, which explains the particularly watery consistency of yellow diarrhea. Flatulence often occurs in connection with changes in bowel movements such as yellow diarrhea.

The flatulence is due to the increased production of intestinal gases. These are usually produced by bacteria in the intestine. The flatulence can be caused by pathological bacteria (for example in gastrointestinal infections) as well as by actually healthy, naturally occurring bacteria.

The normal intestinal flora can be influenced by various processes such as drug side effects or certain foods, so that more intestinal gases are produced. Abdominal pain is a common concomitant symptom of yellow diarrhea. The abdominal pain is usually localized either in the stomach or in certain areas of the intestine.

Stomach pain can be triggered by various mechanisms. For example, flatulence is often accompanied by abdominal pain. Bowel cramps, which often occur when there are changes in the bowel movements such as yellow diarrhea, can also be noticeable as abdominal pain.Nausea is a symptom that is particularly caused by the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

An irritated stomach in particular can cause nausea and possibly vomiting. The stomach can be irritated by certain drugs, foods or pathogens. Tainted food can also cause severe nausea and yellow stools.

Diseases of various organs involved in metabolism (especially the liver) also cause nausea. The mechanism is mainly based on an imbalance in the metabolic processes and thus a lack of certain substances on the one hand and a surplus of other substances on the other. Back pain may be associated with yellow diarrhea and may indicate intestinal discomfort.

The body is not able to name the exact location of the discomfort and pain, which is why the brain occasionally interprets the pain into the back region (anatomically very close to the dam). Also a cramping of the back muscles due to intestinal and abdominal cramps can cause the back pain. Another cause of the complaints can be kidney diseases, these are accompanied by back and flank pain and can manifest themselves in the gastrointestinal tract through yellow diarrhea.