Bristol stool scale

The Bristol stool scale is a medical diagnosis tool used by doctors to classify the way feces looks into seven different categories. It is also known by the names Bristol stool chart and Bristol stool form scale.

It was developed at Bristol Royal Infirmary in 1997 as a clinical assessment tool, but is also used to help with patients who cannot speak, so that they can show their doctor if they have a problem with their bowels (a clinical communication aid). It is also used to help diagnose Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Understanding the scale

The seven types of feces shown by the scale are:

Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass)
Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy
Type 3: Like a sausage but with cracks on its surface
Type 4: Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft
Type 5: Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily)
Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool
Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces, entirely liquid
Feces that look like Type 3 and Type 4 have a normal shape. Feces that look like Type 1 and Type 2 are a sign of constipation. Feces that look like Type 6 and Type 7 are a sign of diarrhea. Feces that look like Type 5 is a sign of lacking fiber.

References

Category:Gastroenterology
Category:Physiology
Category:Medical tests