What should you know about low black stool?

Bleeding from the stomach or upper bowel can be digested as it passes through, making stool dark, sticky, and tar-like. Gastritis, a Peptic Ulcer, or Helicobacter Pylori Infection can be among the causes clinicians consider. Iron medicines, bismuth-containing products, and some dark foods can also change stool colour without bleeding.

Colour alone cannot reliably distinguish these causes. Note whether the stool is truly black, tarry, or sticky, and tell the clinician about pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, medicines, and any previous digestive problem.

Contact a healthcare professional promptly for new black stool, particularly if you have not knowingly taken a product that darkens stool. Do not stop prescribed medicines without advice, but take or photograph the packaging of iron, bismuth, anti-inflammatory, or blood-thinning medicines for review.

A clinician may ask about the timing and appearance, check your circulation and blood count, and arrange further testing. Avoid taking anti-inflammatory painkillers unless a clinician has advised they are suitable.

Seek emergency care for black stool with vomiting blood or coffee-ground material, fainting, severe dizziness, confusion, marked weakness, fast breathing, chest pain, severe abdominal pain, or cold clammy skin. Repeated tarry stools also need urgent assessment even if pain is absent.

Ask whether the appearance could be bleeding or a medicine effect, which medicines to pause or continue, whether your blood count needs checking, what symptoms mean emergency care, and whether testing for an ulcer or Helicobacter Pylori Infection is appropriate.