Clay-colored Stool

About the Symptom

Pale stools describe white, clay, or putty-colored poop. White stool refers to stool that is pale, white, or look like clay or putty.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• White or pale stools

Possible Causes

Generally, Clay-colored stool can be related to:

• Congenital Biliary Dilatation

  Congenital biliary dilatation refers to abnormal widening of the bile ducts present at birth, impacting bile flow.

• Biliary Tract Cancer

  Cancer of the bile ducts is also known as "cholangiocarcinoma." It is a cancer that arises in the bile ducts inside the liver or in the ducts that connect the liver to the gall bladder and intestines. Risk factors include genetic conditions, a condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis, chronic liver disease, infection with liver worms (flukes), smoking, diabetes, and age >50. Patients often come to their physicians with abdominal pain, jaundice (yellow skin and eyeballs), itchiness, and weight loss.

• Ulcerative Colitis

  An inflammatory condition of the large intestine that damages the gut wall. The exact cause is not well known.

• Infectious enteritis

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Are your stools white or clay-colored?
• Have you noticed any changes in your stool color?
• Has your baby's stool lightened in color since they turned one month old?
• Do you have pale, pebble-like stools?
• Are your stools green?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Mount Sinai

  https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/stools-pale-or-clay-colored#:~:text=Stools%20that%20are%20pale%2C%20clay,intestine%20all%20nutrient%20absorption%20occurs.