What other symptoms might occur with white stool?
White stool may accompany other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Conditions that affect the stool may also involve other body systems.
Digestive tract symptoms that may occur along with white stool
White stool may accompany other symptoms affecting the digestive tract including:
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Abdominal swelling, distension or bloating
- Abnormally foul-smelling stools
- Changes in stool consistency
- Nausea with or without vomiting
Other symptoms that may occur along with white stool
White stool may accompany symptoms related to other body systems including:
- Bone or joint pain
- Easy bleeding or bruising
- Itchy skin
- Unexplained weight loss or lack of weight gain
- Weakness (loss of strength)
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
In some cases, white stool may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including:
- Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
- Change in mental status or sudden behavior change, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
- High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Not producing any urine, or an infant who does not produce the usual amount of wet diapers
- Severe abdominal pain
What is white stool?
Although the color of stool can be affected by different foods and medications, it is typically brownish due to digestion of bile salts, digestive agents made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
A reduction or absence of bile salts can cause the stool to become a pale clay-like color. Bile salt production can be reduced due to severe liver disease such as hepatitis or cir... Read more about white stoolintroduction
What causes white stool?
Stool is normally brown due to the digestion of bile salts, which are made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When the amount of bile salts is significantly reduced or they are absent, the stool can be pale or even whitish. Liver disease can interfere with the production of bile salts, and anything that block... Read more about white stoolcauses