It is a good habit to visually examine yourself, the skin, your oral cavity, and also, your poop! This step helps in the early detection of any usual activity happening. One of such is finding white specks in poop; wondering what they are? They may be chunks of undigested food or even worms; let’s have a closer look at the prospects.
Those white spots in poop you are seeing may be worms; while two–pinworms and tapeworms are most common, some are not visible to the naked eye.
An infection of a parasitic worm presents with many obvious symptoms, some of which are detailed below.
Detecting Worms In the Stool
Intestinal parasites or worms are structures that can live in humans and are seen as white specks in poop. These organisms feed on their host body, resulting in various health problems.
One way of getting worms is by drinking water or food contaminated with bug bites or exposure to feces.
Moreover, poor hygiene or sanitation may also result in parasite infestation and show up as white chunks in poop. Here are some identification markers of having worms:
- Anal itching
- Brown poop with white spots
- Runny diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
- IBS – Irritable bowel syndrome
- Painful or tender abdomen
- Weight loss
- Dehydration
- Fatigue
- Constant headaches
Sometimes, parasites such as tapeworms can also lead to an allergic reaction that includes lumps or bumps on the skin, fever, or neurological issues in rare cases. However, it is a possibility to have intestinal parasites and no symptoms to mark the issue.
Other Causes of White Specks in Poop
Apart from having worms, there are other reasons why strings of white color appear in your poop. Some common ones are:
Undigested Food
That white stuff you spot in the stool may be undigested food. Certain eatables are difficult to digest, such as nuts, seeds, and veggies with high fiber.
Your body fails to break it during metabolism, and it moves as it is in your digestive track, looking like white specks after coming out of the poop.
Inadequate Absorption
This issue is somewhat related to undigested food. If your food doesn’t metabolize, your body can’t absorb it, resulting in white dots in the stool.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, and in this, the body shows an abnormal response to gluten protein.
A person with this chronic condition, when intakes gluten, undergoes severe inflammation in the digestive system, and because of that, the system stops digesting or absorbing the nutrients.
Medicines
Many medications can cause this issue, especially for those who have a lot of capsule intake. This is because many cannot digest its outer covering properly.
And in such a situation, you may find miniature white balls in your poop. You should consult your practitioner and ask for a change.
Final Thoughts
After you inform about these appearances, your doctor will take full notice of all the symptoms, such as fever, constipation, diarrhea, etc., and your stool sample for testing. Once the diagnosis is complete, treatment starts.
If your symptoms become unbearable, rush to San Ramon Urgent Care for help. Our doors are open for you; visit us or call at 925 361 5959 (San Ramon), 209 825 5155 (Manteca), or 209 983 9000 (Lathrop).