The bristol stool chart: a classification of stool by type

Are your bowel movements normal? Using the Bristol Stool Chart, a classification of stool into 7 different types, you can easily identify constipation or diarrhoea.

What is the Bristol Stool Chart?

The Bristol Stool Chart is a diagnostic tool that helps assess your intestinal transit and determine whether you are suffering from constipation or diarrhoea. It was developed in 1992 in England and is used by gastroenterologists to this day.

How is the Bristol Stool Chart used?

It contains seven types of profiles, from constipation to diarrhoea to normal intestinal transit.

Each type on the Bristol Stool Chart corresponds to an exact description of stool.

Stool classification according to the Bristol Stool Chart

The scale uses clear language without any medical jargon, which makes it easy to use as a tool to self-diagnose your bowel movements. A special version of the Bristol Stool Chart has even been developed for children!

Type 1 and type 2: Constipation

Type 1 corresponds to very hard stool in the form of small lumps, comparable to nuts.

Type 2 is characterised by sausage-shaped but hard and lumpy stool.

If you find that you fall under one of these two types, it means that you are suffering from constipation.

Type 3 and type 4: Normal intestinal transit

You fall under type 3 if your stool is sausage-shaped but with cracks on the surface... and type 4 if your stool is sausage- or snake-shaped but smooth.

These situations reflect normal bowel movements.

Type 5: Tendency towards diarrhoea

In type 5, stool comes out as soft blobs, but they are easy to pass. Strictly speaking, it is not considered as diarrhoea, but the stool contains more liquid than normal.

Type 6 and type 7: Diarrhoea

As with type 5, type 6 on the Bristol Stool Chart corresponds to fluffy, mushy pieces, but this time their edges are ragged, and the stool contains a lot of liquid.

Lastly, in the case of type 7, stools are entirely liquid.

These last two situations correspond to diarrhoea, which goes hand in hand with a risk of dehydration.

The Bristol Stool Chart can help you assess your bowel movements on a daily basis. If you find that you are constipated, OptiFibre® can help you restore your gut flora.

Made from 100% guar gum with naturally laxative properties, OptiFibre® helps restore a balanced intestinal transit in two to three days... without depriving you of the pleasure of eating. As it has no smell, texture or taste, it can easily be mixed into your usual food.

To make digestion easier, ensure that you drink plenty of water and do physical exercise. Of course, if your constipation persists, you should speak to your doctor. The Bristol Stool Chart can help you easily describe your symptoms so that you can regain your well-being and feeling of lightness as quickly as possible!