Carley Millhone is a writer and editor based in the Midwest who covers health, women's wellness, and travel. Her work has appeared in publications like SELF, Greatist, and PureWow. Qin Rao, MD, is a ...

During menstruation, many women experience what is often referred to as period diarrhea. Medical professionals explain that ...

Sweet-smelling stools may indicate an infection with the Clostridioides difficile bacteria, which can occur after recent antibiotic use. Breastfeeding can also cause sweet-smelling stools in babies.

Poop that floats can occur if you have excess gas or if your body isn’t properly absorbing nutrients. This can happen with some medical conditions, including illnesses and food intolerances. Stools ...

Digital removal of stool, which involves using your fingers, can be helpful when other relief techniques don’t work. But there are safety risks, so it’s not a good idea to use this method frequently.

Some toddlers find learning to pass stool without a diaper challenging. They may have had a large or painful bowel movement previously and be afraid to defecate again, so they begin withholding stool, ...

It is important to think of constipation as a chronic condition, like asthma, where there is no cure but very good treatment in the form of long-term stool softeners to manage the illness. Children ...