Stools normally sink in the toilet. But your diet and other factors can cause your stools to change in structure. This may result in floating. Floating stools are usually nothing to be concerned about. They’re not always a symptom of an illness or disease. Your stools will most likely return to normal without any treatment.
Causes
Many things can cause floating stools. Naturally, floating stools are due to what you eat. A change in your diet may cause an increase in gas. Increased gas in the stool allows it to float. Floating stools may also happen if you have a gastrointestinal infection. Floating, greasy stools may be due to severe malabsorption, especially if you are losing weight. Malabsorption means your body is not properly absorbing nutrients. Most floating stools are not caused by an increase in the fat content of the stool. However, in some conditions, such as chronic pancreatitis, the fat content is increased.
Some of the diseases that can cause floating stools include:
Celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the lining of the small intestine when gluten is eaten. Gluten is a protein found mainly in wheat products. Currently, there is no cure for celiac disease. The symptoms go away when gluten is avoided.
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited and often fatal disease that causes an excess production of thick mucus in the lungs and digestive tract. The excess mucus in the pancreas prevents the proper absorption of nutrients, which can cause floating stools.
Short bowel syndrome
Short bowel syndrome occurs when the intestines do not absorb nutrients properly. This syndrome can be caused by an intestinal disease. It can also be caused when part of the small intestine is missing from either a genetic defect or surgical removal.
Symptoms
There are a number of symptoms that a person could experience. However, the signs that appear for one person may be different from what appears for another. It all depends on what the underlying cause is. Here’s a list of some of the typical symptoms:
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Abdominal swelling or bloating
- Abnormally foul-smelling stools
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Bloody stool (the blood may be red, black texture)
Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask questions about how long you have had floating stools, your diet, your medical history, and other symptoms. In rare cases, your doctor may order blood or stool tests to try to diagnose the specific cause of your floating stools.
Treatment
Floating stool due to excess gas is often harmless and goes away without treatment. Since diet can play a role in the development of floating stools, it's possible that adjusting your diet may help with this issue. For instance, some healthcare providers may suggest removing one or two foods from your diet at a time to test whether those foods may be contributing to floating stools, or keeping a record of the foods you eat and your bowel movements. If a certain food worsens gas, you may not have to avoid it. Enzyme supplements are available to help digest foods such as beans and milk. Eating smaller portions can also help.
If you have floating stools, but no other symptoms, you may want to try a home treatment. There’s a good chance that your floating stools are caused by your diet. Try keeping a record of the foods you eat and your bowel movements. Take note when you have floating stools. When you notice them, check what foods you ate recently. This can help you identify which foods are causing your floating stools. Once you identify the foods, you can successfully avoid them in the future.
