Bowel Movement Also called: BM, Feces, Poop, Stool Summary A bowel movement is the last stop in the movement of food through your digestive tract. Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus. Another name for stool is feces. It is made of what is left after your digestive system (stomach, small intestine, and colon) absorbs nutrients and fluids from what you eat and drink. Sometimes a bowel movement isn’t normal. Diarrhea happens when stool passes through the large intestine too quickly. Constipation occurs when stool passes through the large intestine too slowly. Bowel incontinence is a problem controlling your bowel movements. Other abnormalities with bowel movements may be a sign of a digestive problem. NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health Check Tools Abnormal Appearing Stool DSHI Systems Melena (Black Stool) DSHI Systems Find an Expert American College of Gastroenterology American College of Gastroenterology National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Start Here Are Your Bowels Moving? Nemours Foundation Bowel Retraining: Strategies for Establishing Bowel Control International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Elimination Problems American Academy of Family Physicians Normal Function of the Colon and Anorectal Area International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Children Bathroom Behaviors American Academy of Pediatrics Constipation and Fecal Soiling North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Elimination Problems in Infants and Children American Academy of Family Physicians Withholding Behavior American Academy of Pediatrics Treatments and Therapies Biofeedback & Bowel Disorders: Teaching Yourself to Live without the Problem International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Array Bloody or tarry stools Daily bowel care program External incontinence devices Fecal culture Fecal smear Stool guaiac test Stools – floating Stools – foul smelling Stools – pale or clay-colored Tenesmus Encyclopedia Bowel retraining Skin care and incontinence Stool ova and parasites exam Related Issues Bristol Stool Form Scale National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Defecation National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Feces National Institutes of Health Specifics Fecal Incontinence National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Frequent Bowel Movements Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Pelvic Floor Dysfunction American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Diagnosis and Tests Magnetic Resonance (MR) Defecography Array Stool Color: When to Worry Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Stool Culture American Association for Clinical Chemistry Statistics and Research Prevalence of Bowel Incontinence International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Journal Articles Bowel Movement
