Bristol Stool Scale Calculator
Classify stool form on the Bristol Stool Scale (types 1–7), estimate colonic transit time, and screen for functional constipation or diarrhea criteria.
Medical Disclaimer
This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of results from this tool.
Inputs
Results
Classification (0=Constip, 1=Normal, 2=Diarrhea)
1
Est. Colonic Transit (hours)
24
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your Bristol Stool Type (1–7): 1 is hard lumps, 4 is ideal, 7 is liquid.
- Enter Frequency Per Day, Days Tracked, Urgency (0–3), and Straining (0–3).
- Enter Incomplete Evacuation score (0–3) to capture symptom burden beyond stool form.
- Review Stool Classification (constipation, normal, or diarrhea) and Estimated Colonic Transit Time.
- Check Functional Symptom Score to assess overall GI functional status for clinical discussion.
What each input means
- Bristol Stool Type
- Select Bristol Stool Scale type.
- Bowel Movements per Day
- Average BMs per day. Normal range: 0.4 (3/week) to 3/day.
- Days Tracked
- Number of days over which this pattern has been tracked.
- Urgency
- Degree of urgency.
- Straining
- Degree of straining during bowel movements.
- Incomplete Evacuation
- Sensation of incomplete evacuation.
What each result means
- Classification (0=Constip, 1=Normal, 2=Diarrhea)
- Types 1–2 = constipation, 3–4 = normal, 5–7 = diarrhea tendency.
- Est. Colonic Transit (hours)
- Estimated colonic transit time. Normal: 12–48 hours.
- Functional Symptom Score (0–9)
- Combined urgency + straining + incompleteness score.
- Frequency (0=Low, 1=Normal, 2=High)
- 0 = <3/week (infrequent), 1 = normal, 2 = >3/day (excessive).
- Meets Constipation Criteria (0/1)
- Simplified Rome IV functional constipation screen (≥2 criteria).
- Meets Diarrhea Criteria (0/1)
- Simplified IBS-D pattern screen (≥2 criteria).
- Fiber Recommendation (g/day)
- Recommended daily fiber intake based on stool pattern.
- Hydration Goal (mL/day)
- Daily fluid intake recommendation.
- Total BMs in Period
- Estimated total bowel movements during the tracking period.
- Constipation Criteria Met
- Number of functional constipation criteria met (out of 4 screened).
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersBristol Stool Type = 4, Bowel Movements per Day = 1, Days Tracked = 7, Urgency = 0 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate ClassificationClassification = classification1 = 1
- Calculate Est. Colonic Transit24 = 24
- Calculate Functional Symptom ScoreFunctional Symptom Score0 = 0
- Calculate Frequency1 = 1
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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