The daily life of a doctor can be busy and varied — seeing patients, saving lives, looking at smartphone photos of patients’ daily poops — wait, what was that last one again?
Yup, doctors are reporting that many people are arriving at the ER or clinic appointments with one special album marked “poop” on their phone, one they just can’t wait to share with their doctor. In the face of what can be a big surprise for an office visit, doctors shared their takes on both the potential value and the ick factor of these snapshots.
Many doctors have said that poop pictures are turning up with increasing frequency. “Pediatricians like me see this all the time,” said Dr. Tokunbo Akande. “Some people even come with a dirty diaper in a plastic bag. And while I still cringe every time, despite having seen hundreds over the years, I’m always grateful when parents think to capture the moment. Most who send emails of images are very considerate, adding a warning in the subject line of their message, which is helpful if you’re mid-lunch while catching up on email.”
Dr. Naheed Ali reported that “a patient will often reach for a phone, open the camera roll and present a photo of yesterday’s bowel movement by way of introduction. My first response is to thank them for going to the trouble. I let them know that stools can carry a lot of diagnostic information and that an image can sometimes spare us an extra round of questions. Once the patient feels heard, we can both look at the photo objectively, just as we would view a rash or an X-ray.”
Do poop photos serve a diagnostic purpose?
It might all be part of a trend of patients taking a more active role in their health, or an example of digital technology empowering people to be their own health advocates. While it’s behavior that doctors are increasingly seeing on every shift, is it a truly helpful bit of data to capture?
“Whether the image helps depends on what the patient is worried about,” Ali said. “A clear photo can document true hematochezia [bright red blood in stool] versus something benign like beet pigment. I can often distinguish between melena, which appears tarry and suggests upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and a dark brown but otherwise normal stool that worries someone who just started an iron supplement. A picture can objectively show mucus strands, undigested food or oily droplets that point toward steatorrhea, which is excess fat in the stool. Clinically, a good photograph can reveal clues before lab work begins.”
“I think most physicians recognize the value in these images, even if we’re not thrilled to receive them,” Akande said. “Real-time visuals can help us move faster and reassure — or act quickly — when needed.”
Interventional gastroenterologist Austin Chiang, author of “Gut: An Owner’s Guide,” put it this way: “I believe strongly in patients taking an interest in their own health and empowering themselves with accurate information. The tricky part is that patients need to verify what’s read online and avoid jumping to conclusions. There’s a lot of nuance in medicine and in how we interpret our findings. But gathering that information and having a productive conversation with your doctor is always welcome.”
Pictures may be the least of what patients share, said medical oncologist Dr. Tiffany Troso-Sandoval. “I’ve been shocked many times when a patient brings in a photo or even a physical sample of their poop to show me, especially when I was not expecting it. But it can be helpful, especially when the patient doesn’t have the vocabulary needed to adequately explain what they’re seeing. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all.”
Some doctors say “no thanks” to poop pictures.
“Not every clinician embraces this approach,” Ali admitted. “A few of my colleagues consider it unnecessary or even distasteful, and they prefer to rely on history alone. They worry that photos encourage self-diagnosis or that lighting and camera angles can distort color and texture.”
Dr. Maria Knobel, a general practitioner, said that she’s aware some people in the medical field don’t welcome these snaps. “The reason, in my opinion, has something to do with getting comfortable with the language,” she said. “There are doctors who think it goes beyond what is appropriate, or they simply like to assess a patient using history and the body examination only. My experience shows that patients usually send pictures when they need reassurance because they feel anxious.”
Gastroenterologist Dr. Pratima Dibba noted, “Although it’s not always pleasant to see, I don’t react negatively as pictures of poop can be helpful with diagnosis and management. I’ve had colleagues feel squeamish when seeing poop pictures, and they may decline because it’s not always a pleasant sight.”
“I understand the concern, but I find that a quick glance, combined with targeted questioning, often shortens the visit and reduces unnecessary testing,” Ali said. “Colleagues who favor a more minimalist, no photos, approach are usually pressed for time or work in settings where privacy screens for phone sharing are harder to manage.”
Here’s why people feel compelled to share.
Renante Hayes lives in Portland and works in the tech industry. “I experienced some concerning symptoms while traveling in Singapore for a conference last year,” he explained. “I photographed evidence before it disappeared, quite literally. When my symptoms persisted after I got home, I showed the photos to my gastroenterologist during our appointment.
“Initially, I felt awkward pulling out my phone, but my doctor’s professional response immediately put me at ease. She actually thanked me, saying the visual evidence helped her quickly eliminate several potential diagnoses and focus on what turned out to be a reaction to local cuisine combined with travel stress.
“Surprisingly, there was minimal embarrassment once I realized this was purely clinical to her. She mentioned that patient photos are increasingly common and often more useful than verbal descriptions. This experience made me appreciate how technology can bridge communication gaps in health care, even if it means capturing things we’d typically flush away without a second thought.”
Dionne Mitchell, a humanitarian aid coordinator, had a personal health concern last year, after returning to the United States after field work in Yemen. “When I showed my gastroenterologist photos, she was actually appreciative. She mentioned that patients often struggle to accurately describe symptoms, and the visual evidence helped her immediately rule out several concerns while focusing on relevant tests.
“The photos ultimately expedited my diagnosis of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rather than something more serious. My doctor later told me that while some colleagues find these photos uncomfortable, she considers them valuable diagnostic tools that save time and improve accuracy.”
While these two stories are positive ones, things don’t always turn out so well. Pediatrician Dr. Chrissie Ott recalled a situation that occurred when she was a patient. “I once had a concerning poop and told my doctor about it, and she actually shamed me for looking in the toilet. I would never want anyone to feel that way again. Now, when patients show me pictures, I’m often able to reassure them about the causes of a pale stool or a dark stool, or to help them with their work-up if that’s necessary.” She did add the proviso, “Just get consent before you shove your phone in your doctor’s face.”
Your poop is “free daily feedback from your gut.”
“I’m glad people are caring about their own health and turning around to look and question whether or not their poop is normal,” Chiang said. “There can be a lot of variation day-to-day, so it’s also important not to get caught up too quickly before you find yourself down a rabbit hole of Google searches without consulting a doctor.”
Gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao summed it up this way: “In GI medicine, stool is a vital sign. I’d rather you know what your poop looks like, instead of not knowing what your poop looks like. If you know what it looks like on a regular basis, you’ll have a better chance at knowing if something changes. I’d rather see a picture than have someone say, ‘It looked weird.’ A photo gives me objective information. In our field we aren’t ashamed or embarrassed, and we don’t want our patients to be either.
“If you have concerning GI symptoms or changes in your bowel habits, please talk to your doctor. It’s okay to show us pictures of your poop. It’s also okay to jot down notes about your symptoms, frequency, urgency, blood, etc. The more information we have, usually the better.”
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And yes, looking is better than not looking, these doctors said. “I honestly think everyone should take a quick glance before flushing, Akande said. “Your stool is free daily feedback from your gut. Once you know what’s normal for you, it’s easier to recognize when something’s off. When in doubt, your doctor will appreciate the picture, even if they have to peek at it with one eye closed.”
