Q: My doctor always encourages me to do a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. But I have friends who just do a stool test at home, which seems easier. Why should I go through the hassle of a ...

A fecal fat test measures the amount of fat in a person’s stool. The test assesses the digestive function and absorption of fat in the gastrointestinal tract. Several medical conditions cause poor fat ...

Gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection that causes symptoms like diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites can cause gastroenteritis. A ...

Cyclospora now has over 1000 cases in the metro Detroit area. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and explosive ...

AN EVALUATION of the importance of routine stool testing in the internist's office for occult blood was made by reviewing 1600 consecutive office records of new patients. Stool specimens brought to ...

Time for a rear-ality check. Colorectal cancer rates have been rising among adults younger than 50 since the 1990s, a troubling trend that has perplexed scientists. Because of the increase in cases, ...

A fecal lactoferrin test can detect intestinal inflammation. High lactoferrin levels in stool suggest that inflammation is present. This may indicate a bacterial infection or inflammatory bowel ...

Lindsay Curtis is a health & medical writer in South Florida. She worked as a communications professional for health nonprofits and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of ...

Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs), used annually, are effective for screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in average-risk, asymptomatic adults, according to a new meta-analysis. "Our results provide ...

People are obsessed with poop. Why does it float? Why do its colors and consistencies vary, and is that normal? (Here are 7 things your poop says about you.) People want to know it all—and now, some ...

Low levels of a particular compound in faeces could be a sign of endometriosis – and supplementation of that compound might even help control the condition. Affecting nearly 200 million people ...

Blood in your stool may be due to a number of factors, such as straining to poop, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids. Treatment depends on the specific cause of your constipation and bleeding. Many people ...