A doctor has urged individuals to perform a simple check every time they use the toilet. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan, better known as Dr Raj online, has implored Brits to inspect their toilet paper after wiping.
According to the expert, this could reveal some potentially serious health issues, including bowel cancer. Speaking to his over five million followers on TikTok, Dr Raj advised: “You need to start checking your toilet paper every time you wipe your chocolate coated buns, not just to make sure your chocolate starfish is squeaky clean. but to check if anything’s abnormal.”
He further explained that the colour of your stool can alert you to any problems. “Coloured stool of all different shades is normal,” he said. “Tinge of green can be normal too, especially if you have a high intake of leafy green vegetables.”
However, if your stool is yellow, it may be wise to consult your doctor. This could indicate a bowel infection, he suggested. Alternatively, it could mean there is an excess of fat in the stool, which might be associated with a malabsorptive condition like coeliac disease.
Yet, if the toilet paper comes back red or black, this could signify something more serious – such as bleeding. Dr Raj added: “If you notice a bright red colour, assuming you’re not a beet-eating champion, this is a sign of bleeding in your lower intestine.”
“Common causes include things like haemorrhoids or anal fissures. In rare cases it can be a sign of something more serious like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis or even bowel cancer.”
“If you notice black when you wipe that can happen if you’re taking iron supplements or even anti-acid medication, but it’s often a sign of partially digested blood and could signify bleeding somewhere higher up in the digestive system and that’s not normal.”
He also warned that pale or white-coloured stools could be a cause for concern, stating: “If you notice a pale, white or clay colour that could signify a blockage of the bile flow and could be associated with a liver or pancreas issue.”
Dr Raj advised that if you notice any unusual colours on your toilet paper, you should get it checked out, saying: “If you notice yellow, black, red or a pale colour on your toilet paper and it’s been going on for over three weeks with no changes to your diet or medication, don’t panic, chances are it’s something benign. But get it checked out.”