The internal anal sphincter consists of smooth muscle and maintains 70% of the resting anal tone. The external anal sphincter consists of striated muscle and accounts for the remaining 30% of resting ...

Digital removal of stool, also called digital disimpaction or manual elimination, involves using your fingers to manually remove stool from your rectum when other constipation relief methods don’t ...

Normal stools on the Bristol Stool Chart include Types 3 and 4. Eating a high-fiber diet and establishing a bathroom routine can help regulate your bowel movements. Signs to see a doctor for abnormal ...

Constipation is a common issue affecting millions globally. A stool softener is one of the most potent solutions that can help relieve the problem. It works by pulling water into the fecal matter, ...

Your poop offers clues about your health. But how can you describe your bowel movements (BMs) to your doctor without bringing in a sample? You and your doctor can use something called the Bristol ...

Black specks in stool are often caused by foods like blueberries, figs, bananas, or undigested seeds, or by taking iron supplements or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Black specks can ...

Roshini Raj, MD, is Health's former magazine's medical editor and coauthor of What the Yuck?!. Board-certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine, Dr. Raj is a Clinical Associate Professor of ...

Everyone poops, but sometimes, poor digestive health can lead to issues that make pooping difficult, such as constipation. In severe cases, backed-up stool can lead to fecal impaction, when a hard, ...

Many of the foods in the American diet can lead to constipation. According to Gerard Isenberg, MD, the associate chief of gastroenterology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio, the ...

Regular bowel movements support your digestive health and overall well-being, and what's "regular" looks different for everyone—it can mean every day or a few times a week. Either way, following ...