Talking about bathroom habits can be difficult. We tend to steer away from the topic and speak in almost code-like sentences about it such as ‘being regular.’

Yet being open about our bowel habits and gut health is important, your poo can hold a lot of information about your overall health and well being.

After all bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in Ireland, and most people diagnosed with it are over the age of 60.

Melissa Dooley is not one to shy away from the topic of bowel movements, as a Gastrointestinal Physiologist and the founder and Director of GastroLife she knows how the conversation can change lives.

GastroLife is a testing centre for patients suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms with clinics located in Dublin, Kildare and Galway.

Tests are performed either in clinic or at home using a home testing kit.

So when should you get in contact with some like Melissa or her team?

“When there’s a change in bowel pattern, if there’s blood in your stool, if your stool changes between diarrhoea or constipation, in fact if the patient is concerned at all regarding their stool they should always consult their GP who will probably run a series of tests and refer for something called a colonoscopy to rule out anything more sinister,” Melissa says.

You could also be given a stool test.

“A stool test can provide valuable diagnostic information,” Melissa says, “they have the benefit of being non-invasive and the process of sample collection is relatively straightforward.”

But what exactly is a stool test and what can it diagnose?

Melissa explains that a collection kit is provided and samples are returned to the laboratory for analysis.

Some of the important stool tests include those that screen for bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic insufficiency, and the helicobater pylori infection.

Here are some of the tests that can be done and what they can help diagnose.

FIT Test

“The Faecal Immunochemical test or FIT test for short is a screening test for the early detection of colon cancer,” explains Melissa

“The test checks for the presence of blood in stool, even a very small quantity can be detected.

“A positive test or the presence of blood in your stool sample, does not necessarily mean that you have bowel cancer,” she says, “as the bleeding may have been caused by something else such as haemorrhoids or polyps. However, further investigation with for example a colonoscopy would be recommended.”

FIT Tests are provided by the HSE for those aged between the age of 60-69 years but if you are younger and believe you need one, testing kits can be arranged through private clinics such as Gastrolife.

Faecal Calprotectin Test

Another valuable diagnostic stool test is the faecal calprotectin test.

It checks for levels of the protein calprotectin which is released by white blood cells in response to inflammation.

It can help diagnose conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.

The two most common types of IBD are Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

Melissa notes that symptoms to look out for are abdominal cramps, bloody or watery diarrhoea, weight Loss and tiredness.

Pancreatic Elastase test

Stool testing can reveal details about organs beyond the intestines and stomach, such as the pancreas.

Melissa says that the faecal pancreatic elastase test can be used to assess the functioning of the pancreas.

“This particular test detects the levels of the enzyme elastase in the stool,” she says.

“This enzyme is released into the small intestine to help the breakdown of food for example proteins

“Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is a condition characterised by the underperformance of the pancreas.

“The lower than normal level of the digestive enzyme by the pancreas hinders the process of digestion and therefore, malabsorption ensues.”

Some common symptoms of the condition include abdominal pain, gas and bloating,

constipation, diarrhoea, fatty stools (pale, oily, foul-smelling stool that floats) and unexplained weight loss or failure to thrive in infants and children.

Helicobacter Pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a common bacterial infection of the gut thought to be involved in the development of peptic ulcers explains Melissa.

“The Helicobacter Pylori stool antigen test checks your stool for Helicobacter Pylori antigens. These are substances that trigger the immune system to fight the infection,” she says.

So there are many different causes for disruptions to your gastrointestinal tract and it can feel awkward and difficult to get to the root of the issue but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

As Melissa said “stool testing can provide a simple and non-invasive means for obtaining important diagnostic information.”