The Bristol stool chart, explained type by type
Seven stool forms, from separate hard lumps to entirely liquid. A plain-language reference for what each Bristol stool type looks like and what it usually suggests.
- The Bristol stool chart sorts stool into 7 types by form, from hard lumps (type 1) to watery (type 7).
- Types 3–4 are the typical, well-formed range. Types 1–2 lean toward constipation; types 6–7 lean toward diarrhea.
- The chart describes form, not frequency or pain, so it is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Logging your types over time is what reveals your pattern.
What each Bristol stool type looks like
Like nuts, hard to pass. Stool has spent a long time in the colon and lost most of its water.
Constipation-leaning
A firm sausage made of lumps. Still harder than typical and often difficult to pass.
Constipation-leaning
Sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface. Within the typical, well-formed range.
Typical form
Smooth, soft, and snake-like. Often described as the ideal stool form.
Typical form
Soft blobs that pass easily, with clean-cut edges. Trending toward looser stool.
Loose-leaning
Fluffy, pudding-like pieces with ragged edges. A looser form associated with diarrhea when frequent.
Diarrhea-leaning
Watery, no solid pieces. Passes quickly and is the most diarrhea-leaning form on the scale.
Diarrhea-leaning
Pick a type when you log a bowel movement, and watch your distribution build over 14 days. Save or screenshot this chart anytime for reference.
Bristol stool chart FAQ
What is the Bristol stool chart?
The Bristol stool chart (or Bristol stool scale) is a clinical reference that sorts stool into seven types by form, from separate hard lumps (type 1) to entirely liquid (type 7). It was developed at the University of Bristol and is widely used to describe bowel habits.
Which Bristol stool types are normal?
Types 3 and 4 are generally considered the most typical, well-formed stool forms. Type 4, smooth, soft, and sausage-shaped, is often described as the ideal.
Which types mean constipation or diarrhea?
Types 1 and 2 (hard, lumpy, hard to pass) usually point toward constipation. Types 6 and 7 (mushy or watery) usually point toward diarrhea.
What does Bristol type 6 mean?
Type 6 is mushy stool with ragged edges and a fluffy, pudding-like texture. It indicates looser-than-typical stool and, when frequent, is associated with diarrhea-leaning patterns.
Can the Bristol stool chart diagnose IBS?
No. The chart describes stool form only. It does not capture frequency, urgency, or pain, and it cannot diagnose IBS. A diagnosis requires clinical assessment. Logging your types over time is useful context to bring to your clinician.
Related resources
How IBS-C, IBS-D, and IBS-M map onto the seven Bristol types.
Read →IBS stool types on the Bristol scale, with what to track over 14 days.
Read →Log stool types 1–7 in seconds and review your distribution over time.
Read →- Lewis SJ, Heaton KW. Stool form scale as a useful guide to intestinal transit time. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 1997.
- Rome Foundation. Rome IV criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders, 2016.
Educational summary based on published clinical references. Not medical advice.
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