Stool Samples In Atlanta: How They Work

Maintaining your health involves a lot of tools and moving parts. Whether receiving urgent care X-rays in Atlanta or getting immunized at your annual physical, preventative medicine and tests help patients and doctors treat conditions. One such lab test, stool tests, detect abnormalities in stool samples provided by the patient.

What are stool samples, how do they work, and how can patients prepare for them?

Stool Samples: What You Need To Know At A Glance

A stool sample is a small amount of feces collected and tested in a laboratory. Urgent care and primary care doctors in Atlanta use these stool samples to perform various medical tests.

Stool samples are commonly used to diagnose various diseases and conditions, such as infections, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), digestive problems, and cancer.

Why Stool Samples Are Important To Your Health

Stool samples are essential because they can provide important information about a person's health.

For example, a stool sample can be tested for the presence of certain bacteria or parasites, which can cause infections or other health problems. Healthcare professionals can also use stool samples to diagnose conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or cancer.

In addition, stool samples monitor the effectiveness of specific treatments, like those for bacterial infections or digestive disorders.

An urgent care or primary care provider can test stool samples for various diseases and conditions.

Some of the most common ones include:

• Infections. You can use a stool sample to detect infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. For example, a doctor can use this test to diagnose a bacterial infection like salmonella or a parasite infection like giardiasis.
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These tests can help diagnose IBD, including conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
• Digestive problems. With the help of a stool test, doctors can more easily diagnose digestive issues, such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease.
• Cancer. In some cases, doctors can detect the presence of blood in someone’s stool, which can be a sign of colorectal cancer.
• Malabsorption. Stool tests can help diagnose malabsorption, a condition in which the body cannot absorb nutrients properly.
• Other conditions. Stool samples can also help diagnose other conditions, such as liver disease, pancreatitis, and Hirschsprung's disease.

Different Types Of Stool Tests

There are several types of stool tests to diagnose various conditions or infections. Some common types of stool tests include the following.

Ova and parasite test

This test looks for parasites and their eggs (ova) in the stool. Ova and parasite stool tests aim to diagnose infections such as giardiasis and amebiasis.

Fecal occult blood test

This test looks for small amounts of blood in the stool that are not visible to the naked eye. It can diagnose conditions such as colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.

Stool culture

This test identifies bacteria or other organisms in the stool. With a stool culture, urgent care doctors can diagnose infections like salmonella or E. coli.

Stool DNA test

This test uses DNA analysis to identify bacteria, parasites, and other organisms in the stool. The Stool DNA test’s chief function is to diagnose infections or other gastrointestinal problems.

Lactose intolerance test

If you suspect you have a problem processing dairy, you can use this test to diagnose lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is when the body cannot digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products.

Fecal fat test

This test measures the amount of fat in the stool. The fecal fat test diagnoses conditions such as malabsorption, in which the body can’t absorb nutrients from food properly.

Do I Need To Prepare For A Stool Sample?

Yes, you can do a few things to prepare for the test.

• Follow instructions. Follow any specific instructions from your urgent care provider in Atlanta or the laboratory. These instructions may include how to collect the sample and how to store it before it undergoes lab testing in Atlanta.
• Avoiding supplements. Avoid medications and supplements that can affect the test results, if possible. These may include non-prescription antidiarrheal medications, laxatives, and iron supplements.
• Avoid certain foods. Avoid eating foods that can interfere with the test results. These may consist of fatty or greasy foods and foods high in fiber or red dye.
• Hydrating. Drink plenty of water to help ensure that you have a sufficient amount of stool for the sample.
• Hygiene. Follow good hygiene practices when collecting the sample to avoid contamination. This includes washing your hands thoroughly before and after handling the sample and using gloves if recommended.

By following these steps, you can help ensure that your stool sample is accurate and reliable for lab tests in Atlanta.

Stool Tests In Atlanta

The process for collecting a stool sample at an Atlanta urgent care center is generally as follows:

1. Urgent care staff will give you a special container to collect the sample.
2. An urgent care provider in Atlanta will instruct you to collect a small amount of stool from your next bowel movement.
3. The sample should be collected in the container provided, making sure to handle it carefully to avoid contamination.
4. The container should be sealed and returned to the Atlanta urgent care as soon as possible.
5. The healthcare provider will then proceed with stool testing.

It is essential to follow the instructions provided by the healthcare provider carefully to ensure that the sample is collected correctly. Proper handling will help ensure that the results of the test are accurate.

Analyzing A Stool Sample In Atlanta With WestsideMed

WestsideMed in Atlanta offers in-house lab testing, with a stool sample included, alongside urinalysis, rapid strep throat tests, and more. If you suspect you're suffering from a health issue requiring stool samples, contact WestsideMed today to start lab testing in Atlanta.