POO that comes out looking like pebbles probably means you’re constipated.
The hard, pellet-like number twos can also leave you with some serious complications, from piles to faecal impaction (which is as nasty as it sounds).
The Bristol Stool Chart compares poo to different objects
Aside from forcing you to waste hours plonked on the cold loo seat, constipation can make you feel bloated and sick.
According to GP Dr Sarah Jarvis, the uncomfortable affliction can also bring on painful complications in the long term.
She told Sun Health: “Your poo can definitely say a lot about your bowel health.
“Constipation is linked to all sorts of other medical problems, such as piles, diverticular disease and even an increased risk of bowel cancer if this is a long-term issue.”
Piles, or haemorrhoids, are swollen veins which cause lumps inside or around the bottom, and can be itchy and bleed.
They can also cause slimy mucus to travel from inside your bottom.
Constipation, and indeed piles, usually gets better on its own, but keeping hydrated, eating lots of fibre, and exercising can also help the moving process, the NHS says.
It can also be managed with laxatives, which can help get things going.
In rare cases, being bunged up can lead to serious compilations, such as rectal prolapse, which can require anal surgery to repair.
This happens when part of the large intestine’s lowest section, the rectum, slips out of the bum.
Constipation can also increase the risk of faecal impaction, which is when hard poop gets stuck in your rectum and you can’t push it out.
This problem is very rare but very severe and can result in death if not treated.
Scientists have linked the chronic condition and long-term constipation generally to bowel cancer.
A Danish study found the risk of the disease was 1.78 times higher in people suffering from constipation than those without.
But the evidence around this link is quite mixed, and it only suggests an association, not causation.
How to treat constipation
You can usually treat the painful disorder with simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.
As GP Dr Sarah Jarvis explained: “Eating enough fibre, getting regular exercise and keeping your fluid intake up all contribute to this sort of poo.
“You’re likely going regularly and not needing to strain.”
Government guidelines suggest that the average adult should eat around 30g daily as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
However, most people are only managing to eat an average of about 18g day.
The NHS says you can get fibre from vegetables, wholegrain pasta and bread.
Stress, anxiety and depression could also be playing a part in making your poops harder and lumpier.
If you think you’re suffering from any of this, it could be worth speaking to your GP to see how they can help.
Other types of poos
According to the Bristol Stool Scale, your number two will fit into one of several categories.
The helpful guide compares poo to different objects – from modern art and insects to (rather disgustingly) food.
Sausage-like poos that are soft and easy to pass are what Healthline calls “the gold standard of poop”.
This is because it indicates that all is going smoothly with your digestion and that you’re eating the right amount of fibre.
Snake-shaped poops that are softer than sausage-shaped ones and easier to pass are also considered normal.
According to Healthline, you should ideally get number twos like these every one to three days.
Caterpillar-like poos that are a bit like pellet poos but longer also suggest your body needs some fibre.
Amboeas on the other hand are small and easy to pass.
These poos are different to diarrhoea, which you can’t really control.
According to the NHS, most cases of diarrhoea should clear up without treatment, especially if it more closely resembles the soft serve on the chart, which suggests you’re suffering from a mild case of the runs.
Poos that look more like a Jackon Pollock painting tend to be coloured with white or yellow streaks.
These types of poops can be an indicator of Crohn’s disease,
Crohn’s disease is a bowel condition that can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract, the NHS says.
Over 500,000 people in the UK have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the two main forms of which are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
But it’s a good idea to stay hydrated and to choose foods that are easy to digest.
Healthline recommends you speak to a doctor if you notice irregular bowel habits for more than a couple days.
But it’s especially important to speak to an expert if you notice any blood in your poop.
It’s not always as obvious as you’d think.
Blood can make your poo red – as can eating red-tinged foods like beetroot – but bleeding can also make your number twos black.
Blood in your poop could be a warning sign of bowel cancer.
Other symptoms can include:
Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
Bleeding from your bottom
Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
Tummy pain
Bloating
Losing weight without trying
Feeling very tired for no reason
What’s normal when it comes to bowel habits will differ for everyone.
Medics say a healthy person should be pooping between three times a week and three times a day.