In This Article
In This Article
While we have all probably experienced diarrhea at one time or another, some cases can be worse than others. Sometimes, frequent pooping can be accompanied by a burning sensation from acidic poop.
There are several reasons why diarrhea could be causing a burning sensation when you poop. These range from anything like irritation from repeatedly wiping with toilet paper, eating spicy foods, or certain conditions like proctitis.
In this article, we’ll go over the potential causes of acidic or fiery poop and what you can do to prevent it.
Diarrhea is a symptom describing loose, watery, or frequent bowel movements. It’s one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions in the world. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that roughly 179 million cases occur in the United States every year.11
Symptoms associated with diarrhea include:
Diarrhea is naturally short-lived and shouldn’t endanger your health. However, experiencing dehydration through chronic diarrhea can lead to harmful consequences. This is why getting medical help is vital if you’re experiencing diarrhea for two days or more.
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Acute diarrheal infections (bacterial or viral infections that cause diarrhea) are a common cause of acidic or fiery poop and can come from various sources. This is why there are different reasons your bowel movement can result in a burning sensation or pain.
What actually causes burning diarrhea can vary, depending on certain variables.
Listed below are seven potential causes of acidic or fiery poop:
Bits of feces coming into contact with the anus for long periods can result in irritation, itching, or a burning sensation.1 This can also occur if you have watery stools, like during an episode of diarrhea.2
Besides fecal residue, anal irritation can also come from soap which can sometimes irritate the skin around the anus.2,3
While acidic poop can be caused by poor hygiene after a bowel movement, it can also come from too much cleaning. Excessive and harsh wiping can also cause this kind of irritation.
Anal fissures can cause burning diarrhea. These are tears in the tissue lining the anus.
Commonly, these are caused by constipation or passing large stools, longer bouts of diarrhea, and anal intercourse. Anal fissures result in pain while pooping, which can sometimes last even after you’ve finished.
If you see bright red blood on your toilet paper after wiping, that can also indicate an anal fissure.4
Proctitis is another condition that can cause a burning sensation when you go to the bathroom. If you have proctitis, your rectum is inflamed, resulting in pain or a burning sensation during your bowel movements.
An inflamed rectum can also result in diarrhea. Proctitis is usually caused by gastrointestinal infections, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or certain sexually transmitted infections.5
Spicy food is also thought to cause burning diarrhea. This is because capsaicin, one of the chemicals that gives spicy foods their heat, can also cause burning and irritation when it comes into contact with different parts of your body.6
Aside from causing pain, capsaicin can also cause food to pass through your gut more quickly. This means your body may not break down capsaicin fast enough to mitigate its effects on the entire digestive tract, including the anus.7
However, not all people will experience burning bowel movements after eating spicy foods.
Some research has found that capsaicin may not cause burning in all people,9 while other studies have shown that burning diarrhea can be more common in people with other gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.10
Acidic poop can also be caused by food allergies or reactions to medicines. Eating that specific substance can lead to diarrhea if you have a food intolerance. This is common to people with dairy and gluten food intolerances.
Other symptoms of food intolerance include:
Food intolerances often cause chronic diarrhea, which can lead to having acidic or burning poop during bowel movements.
Conditions like bile acid diarrhea (BAD) can also cause persistent diarrhea, potentially resulting in acidic stool. Doctors have known about BAD before, but it’s only recently revealed that it’s likely more common than previously thought.14
Bile acid is a substance secreted by the liver, which allows you to digest fat. The small intestine usually reabsorbs it before food passes to the large intestine.
If you have BAD, your liver can produce too much bile, or your small intestines can’t absorb enough of it. This results in bile entering the large intestine. The large intestine usually absorbs water from food passing through it, but bile can cause it to secrete water instead, leading to watery bowel movements.
Gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can cause acidic poop.13
For example, IBS is a common chronic condition resulting in the following symptoms:
Despite being a relatively common disease, we still don’t know what exactly causes it. While IBS does not directly cause acidic or fiery poop, it does lead to diarrhea which can lead to painful bowel movements. It can also cause a burning pain in the stomach.16
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can refer to two conditions: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both these conditions involve inflammation in the digestive system and result in abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and chronic diarrhea.
Similar to IBS, IBD does not directly result in burning diarrhea but causes long-term diarrhea and can cause burning pains in the stomach.17
Besides unhealthy food options, diarrhea can also result from functional bowel disorders, antibiotics, metabolic or thyroid disorders, recent surgery, and others.12
Why diarrhea burns your bottom can be due to your diet or certain gastrointestinal conditions. This can be due to capsaicin content or your body’s bile levels.
As mentioned above, spicy food can cause fiery poop because of its capsaicin content. As the compound that causes the sensation of spice, capsaicin can also cause pain or burning. It can also make food pass through your digestive tract more quickly, harming your intestines and butt.6,7
While not all people will experience burning when they eat spicy food, people with certain gastrointestinal conditions might be at increased risk of experiencing burning.9,10
BAD can be exacerbated by your diet because bile is secreted to process fat in foods, so the more fatty foods you eat, the more bile you will need to secrete. This can worsen BAD’s symptoms, including diarrhea.14
Diarrhea from food poisoning or the flu might take up to two days before its symptoms disappear. However, if you have diarrhea for four weeks or more, it’s already considered chronic diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea can be a symptom of another underlying medical condition.
If left untreated, chronic diarrhea can complicate your life by:
Chronic diarrhea is a common symptom among colorectal cancer patients. If you’re experiencing chronic diarrhea, visit a doctor immediately to get an accurate diagnosis of your health.
Besides spicy food, other food can also cause anal itching or irritation. This can worsen the burning sensation felt during bowel movement. These include:
If these foods cause you anal itching, it may take a while before abstaining from eating them will take effect.2 Remember that processing food in your stomach can take over a day, so be aware of what you eat to avoid diarrhea.
Changing your diet is one of your best solutions for easing diarrhea. One of the most important things to do when you have diarrhea is to drink plenty of fluids to replace the water lost in your bowel movements.
You can also drink electrolyte solutions or sports drinks to replenish electrolytes.18
Follow a BRAT diet to help soothe your stomach. BRAT is an acronym that stands for:18
You can also eat other foods that are less likely to upset your stomach including:18
Aside from changing your diet, there are several other ways you can help manage or prevent diarrhea:
One of the best ways to prevent burning diarrhea is to watch your hygiene, especially when traveling. You can do a lot to prevent contracting diarrhea or manage it if you get it.
These simple measures can help greatly reduce your chances of getting burning diarrhea:12
Usually, diarrhea will resolve on its own after a day or two. However, diarrhea can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious condition and can require medical attention.
Be sure to see a doctor if you experience any of the following:21
You should also see a doctor if you experience signs of severe dehydration including:21
Diarrhea is a symptom describing loose, watery stool or frequent bowel movements because of this, acidic or fiery poop may be more common due to anal itching, anal fissures, and other potential causes.
Gastrointestinal disorders like bile acid diarrhea (BAD) commonly cause persistent diarrhea and acidic stool.
Besides acidic stool, watch out for potential symptoms of other medical conditions, such as rectal bleeding or chronic diarrhea. Contact your healthcare provider immediately to get an accurate diagnosis.
Changing your diet can go a long way to improving your bowel movements. Avoiding spicy food and switching to low-fat diets can be effective for BAD and can relieve some of its symptoms.
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