Is Your Stool Normal?

From time to time, people look at their own stool and might ask themselves – is my stool normal?

There’s an easy way for you to know.

A medical tool called the Bristol stool scale classifies the forms of human faeces. By checking the Bristol Stool Chart you’ll know if your stool is normal.

A chart showing the seven different forms of the human faeces.

There’re 7 types of stools:

Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass); also known as goat faeces
Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy
Type 3: Like a sausage but with cracks on its surface
Type 4: Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft
Type 5: Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily)
Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool
Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces, entirely liquid

Types 1 and 2 indicate constipation.

Type 3 and 4 are the ideal stools (especially the latter), as they are easy to defecate while not containing excess liquid.

Type 5, 6 and 7 tend towards diarrhea.

On statistics, in the population examined in this scale, the type 1 and 2 stools were more prevalent in females, while the type 5 and 6 stools were more prevalent in males; furthermore, 80% of subjects who reported rectal tenesmus (urgency to defecate) had type 7.

* The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.