Entirely liquid stool with no solid pieces. Here is what Type 7 tells you about your gut, the main risk to watch for, and when watery stool needs prompt medical attention.
Type 7 is the last type on the Bristol Stool Chart and represents the fastest, loosest end of the scale. It is entirely liquid, with no solid pieces at all. Type 7 is diarrhoea, and while a short bout is common and usually settles, the main thing to keep an eye on is fluid loss.
At a glance
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Looks like: Watery, completely liquid, with no solid pieces.
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Transit: The fastest on the scale, or driven by extra fluid secreted into the gut.
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Usually means: Diarrhoea.
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The headline: The key risk is dehydration and loss of salts. Severe, bloody or prolonged Type 7 needs prompt medical attention.
What is happening in your gut
Type 7 happens when stool passes through so quickly that there is no time for the colon to reabsorb water, or when the gut actively secretes extra fluid. Either way, the result is a fully liquid stool. This is the far fast end of the same process that, at the other extreme, produces the hard pellets of Type 1.
What Type 7 commonly indicates
Type 7 is straightforward diarrhoea. It is the body moving things through rapidly, often in response to an infection or irritant, sometimes as part of an ongoing condition.
Common causes
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Gut infections (viral, bacterial or parasitic).
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Food poisoning.
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Medication side effects.
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Flares of conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.
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Other digestive disorders that increase fluid in the gut.
The main risk: dehydration
The most important practical issue with ongoing Type 7 is the loss of fluid and salts. This matters for everyone, but especially for young children, older adults, and anyone who is already unwell. Replacing fluids is the priority during a bout of watery diarrhoea, and oral rehydration solutions are designed to replace salts as well as water. Watch for signs of dehydration such as marked thirst, dark and reduced urine, dizziness, or lethargy, and act on them.
What you can do
For a short episode, focus on keeping up with fluids, resting, and easing back to plain food as things settle. Oral rehydration solutions are particularly useful when losses are heavy. Take extra care with the very young, the elderly and anyone with another illness, as they can become dehydrated more quickly.
When to see a doctor
Seek medical advice promptly if you have:
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Watery stool that lasts more than a day or two, or that keeps returning.
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Blood in the stool, or black, tarry stool.
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Signs of dehydration (intense thirst, very little or dark urine, dizziness, weakness).
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High fever or severe abdominal pain.
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Diarrhoea after recent travel or a course of antibiotics.
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Watery diarrhoea in an infant, young child or older adult, who can dehydrate quickly and may need attention sooner.
Where it sits on the scale
Type 7 is the liquid, fastest extreme of the Bristol scale. Its neighbour, Type 6, is mushy and poorly formed but still has some substance to it. Both are regarded as diarrhoea, with Type 7 the more severe of the two in terms of fluid loss. For the full set of seven types and what each indicates, see our complete guide to the Bristol Stool Chart.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If your symptoms persist, you notice blood, or you see signs of dehydration, especially in the very young or elderly, seek medical attention.
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