Anne asks:
I have had horrible post nasal drip for a few months now, which I swallow all day. My doc says it is due to allergies. I noticed some mucus after I wiped myself after a bowel movement. Is it possible to swallow mucus and see it when you poop?
Dear Anne,
The average person's upper respiratory system produces about 2 quarts of mucus a day. Most of this mucus is swallowed. The moisture content is usually absorbed by the intestines during digestion and therefore is not seen as the slimy substance it starts out once what is left of it finally exits the body.
Post nasal drip refers to the increased volume or thickness of the secretions that are accumulating in the back of the throat. It is possible that there is so much excess snot that it is not being absorbed in the intestines and does appear unchanged in the poop.
The intestines also secrete mucus, and more commonly will be the source of snotty-looking poo. Irritation of the lining of any of these mucosal membranes can cause an increase in the production of mucus, and can result in it being visible in the poop.
Thanks for asking Motherload!
Motherload is a Certified Nurse Assistant as well as an IBS sufferer, which means she knows a lot about poop. Got a question for her? Ask it here.