The Truth About ‘Phantom Poops’ and How They’re a Sign You’re Mega Healthy or at Risk for Swollen Veins and Impaction

Have you ever pooped uncontrollably?

Indescribable excretions, or whatever you call them, leave no trace on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl.

Even when you could swear you passed a stool, there’s no sign of him anywhere – almost like a ghost.

In recent months, the strange phenomenon has disappeared viral on social media platforms like TikTok, with users sharing their bizarre evacuation experiences.

Although “phantom poop” isn’t a term you’ll find on the NHS website — or any medical website — patients often ask doctors about them, said Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, a gastroenterologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. Hoje.com.

So what really is a haunted dump? And are they really as scary as they seem?

Here we delve deeper into the different types of ghost poop (yes, there is more than one) and what each one tells us about your health.

1. Feeling like you want to poop, which turns out to be gas

Occasionally, the number two we feel is on the way isn’t actually a poop.

Instead, it’s just gas – how disheartening.

This sensation can make you want to sit on the toilet and push hard, explained Dr. Rabia De Latour of NYU Langone Health.

But you’ll probably find that nothing comes out.

“The sphincters in our rectum are incredibly intelligent and sensitive parts of our body,” said Dr. Rabia, also speaking to Today.com.

When our rectum recognizes that we need to poop, it sends a message to our brain that tells our body and the muscles in our anus to relax.

But during a phantom poop, the brain tells the body it’s time to have a bowel movement, when it actually needs to release gas.

In some extreme cases, this may be due to an underlying neurological condition, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), which can lead to loss of normal bowel function.

When this happens, the brain becomes confused and cannot tell whether the intestine is entirely made up of waste or just wind.

This can lead to an accidental leak or thinking a fart is number two.

Cold

But your misguided urge to poop is more likely a sign that you’re suffering from the common cold.

O National Health Service I would consider you to be in retreat if you hadn’t pooped at least three times during the last week.

The site says you’re also constipated if you poop less frequently than usual, if you’re straining to poop, or if you feel like you haven’t emptied your bowels.

For most people, constipation rarely causes complications, but people with prolonged constipation can develop a number of very unpleasant conditions.

Hemorrhoids, or hemorrhoids, can occur if you spend a lot of time straining in the bathroom.

Being unable to poop for a long period of time can also lead to something called fecal impaction.

Also called chronic constipation, it occurs when large amounts of hard, dry poop become lodged in the rectum after several weeks or more of not being able to go to the bathroom.

This problem is very rare, but very serious and can result in death if left untreated.

A trained nurse or doctor may need to physically remove hard poop from your anus to help you feel better.

bowel cancer

Scientists have linked the chronic condition and prolonged constipation generally to bowel cancer.

A Danish study found that the risk of the disease is almost twice as high in patients who suffer from constipation than in those without.

However, the evidence is contradictory and suggests only an association, not causation.

Other signs of bowel cancer include:

1. Changes in your poop
2. Needing to poop more or less frequently than is normal for you
3. Blood in your poop, which may appear red or black
4. Bleeding from your bottom
5. You often feel like you need to poop, even if you have just gone to the bathroom
6. Stomach ache
7. Swelling
8. Lose weight without trying
9. Feeling very tired for no reason

It is the UK’s second deadliest cancer, claiming 16,000 lives a year.

However, nine out of 10 patients survive if diagnosed early, according to Bowel Cancer UK.

The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign, led by Dame Deborah James, has called for earlier testing and treatment to improve survival rates in Britain.

2. A poop that sinks into the toilet disappears and leaves no residue on the paper

Poops that leave no evidence that they ever existed are generally a sign of good health.

“If (someone) has a bowel movement and it’s so clean and well-formed that it doesn’t leave any residue and just sinks to the bottom, that’s actually a very healthy bowel movement,” Dr. Rabia said.

Generally suggests a diet rich in fiber, which increases the weight and size of stool and softens it, which Mayo clinic it says.

Fiber isn’t just important for regular bathroom visits, it’s also linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, according to the NHS.

Should I be worried?

It’s always worth talking to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns, or notice sudden changes in your bowel habits.

Monitoring your poops is a good way to take control of your health.

Although everyone’s number twos look different, they generally fall into one of the seven categories outlined by the Bristol Stool Chart.

The helpful guide compares feces to different objects — from works of art to (somewhat disgusting) food:

• Marbles: hard, separate pieces, like walnuts, that are difficult to get through
• Caterpillar: sausage-shaped but irregular
• Hot dog: similar to a sausage, but with cracks on the surface
• Snakes: smooth and tender like a sausage or snake
• Amobeas: soft bubbles with well-defined edges
• Serve soft: fluffy or doughy pieces with jagged edges
• Jackson Pollock: watery or completely liquid

Anything from marbles to caterpillars indicates constipation; hot dogs or snakes are ideal; and amoebas to Jackson Pollock suggest diarrhea and urgency.