Do you sometimes have a leak of poop spurt out when you fart?
If gooey poop leaks out only very occasionally when you pass gas, this is nothing to worry about and is probably one of the ways that the human body can be imperfect at times.
Nevertheless, it’s a real nuisance when you pass gas and can just feel some poop coming out with it, knowing that it’s on your underwear – and if anyone’s near you, they’ll be smelling it soon.
And what if the nearest bathroom isn’t near? What if you’re in your car on a highway?
If poop often comes out when you fart, it’s best that you keep some sterilized moist wipes and a few pairs of spare underwear in your car.
But on a more serious note…
Just what causes stool to leak out when someone passes gas?
“It could be a sign of a neurological disorder,” says Morton Tavel, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, and author of “Health Tips, Myths and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice.”
Dr. Morton adds, “In general, however, it is more likely caused by loose or watery stools, i.e., diarrhea, and in that case, would be best dealt by determining the cause of the diarrhea and then rendering appropriate treatment.”
You’ll probably notice that when feces comes out with a fart, it’s of the consistency of watery diarrhea, “fecal juice” or just very mushy – rather than those hard pebble-like stools that you’ve certainly voided on a number of occasions.
There are many causes of long-term, very loose, mushy bowel movements such as irritable bowel syndrome, microscopic colitis and Crohn’s disease.
But what about neurological disorders causing fully-formed chunks of feces to pop out as you pass gas?
Some conditions can cause damage to the nerves that sense the presence of stool matter in the rectum.
There may also be impairment of the nerves that control the anal sphincter.
When the sensory nerves are damaged, you will not be able to sense when the rectum is full and/or when it’s time to pass gas, and/or you will not be able to hold it in before you can get to a toilet or to a private area to pass the gas.
By the time you realize that something was in your rectum and ready to be emptied or expelled, it’s too late.
The neurological conditions that can cause this include multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, childbirth or surgery (strain on the nerves), and frequent straining due to constipation. Diabetes can also damage the nerves.
In the absence of nerve problems, a healthy person may still suffer from passing poop when passing gas – simply because they just don’t void everything.
Make sure everything has been voided before you rise from the toilet and clean yourself.
If there’s still a little feces in there, and you’re up and about and suddenly need to let one rip, that last bit of stool could squirt out.
If this problem persists despite not having diarrhea, not having any known neurological disorders and staying on the toilet longer to make sure that voiding is complete – you should see a doctor to rule out any problems with the rectum such as prolapse.
Dr. Tavel’s medical research includes over 125 publications, editorials and book reviews in peer-reviewed national medical journals. He was formerly director of the cardiac rehabilitation program at St. Vincent Hospital in Indiana. mortontavel.com
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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