Foul-smelling stools are usually associated with what you eat, but may be a sign of a medical condition.

Stools normally have an unpleasant odor, but one that is recognized as fairly common. Stools that have an extremely bad, out-of-the-ordinary odor may be associated with certain medical conditions. Foul-smelling stools also have normal causes, most notably diet.

Foul-smelling stools may occur in conjunction with floating stools.

• Cystic fibrosis
• Gluten-induced enteropathy (sprue, celiac disease)
• Malabsorption
• Idiopathic steatorrhea (fatty stools with no known cause)
• Disaccharidase deficiency
• Short bowel syndrome
• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Infections of the large intestine
• Chronic pancreatitis

Home care depends on the specific diagnosis. Follow your health care provider's instructions closely, and adhere strictly to prescribed diets. If you have diarrhea, make sure to increase your water intake to avoid dehydration.

If you have associated symptoms -- abdominal pain, fever, chills, cramping, weight loss, stools that float or are difficult to flush, blood in the stool, black or pale stools, mucus in the stool, or diet-related changes in your stool -- call your health care provider.

Your health care provider will ask you questions about your medical history and perform a physical examination.

Medical history questions may include:

• When did you first notice that the stools were foul-smelling?
• Are the stools an abnormal color (especially pale or clay-colored stools)?
• Are there floating stools or stools that are difficult to flush?
• What sort of diet has been eaten recently?
• Does a change in the diet make the smell worse or better?
• What other symptoms are present?

A stool sample will be obtained for laboratory analysis. Other studies may be needed.