Frequent bowel movements means having more bowel movements than what's usual for you. There's no set number that means you have frequent bowel movements. You may think several per day are unusual, especially if that’s different from what you usually have. Frequent bowel movements without other symptoms might be caused by your lifestyle, like eating more fiber. Symptoms like watery stools and belly cramps might show a problem.
See a healthcare professional if you have the following symptoms and more-frequent bowel movements:
- Changes in what your bowel movements look like or how large they are, such as passing narrow, ribbonlike stools or loose, watery stools.
- Stomach pain.
- Blood or mucus in your feces.
Show References
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- Evaluation of the gatrointestinal patient. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/approach-to-the-gastrointestinal-patient/evaluation-of-the-gastrointestinal-patient?query=Evaluation%20of%20the%20GI%20patient. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Symptoms and causes of celiac disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/inflammatory-bowel-disease/about/. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hyperthyroidism. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Symptoms and causes of irritable bowel syndrome. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/symptoms-causes. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Diarrhea. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/diarrhea/all-content. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). American College of Gastroenterology. https://gi.org/topics/irritable-bowel-syndrome/. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
- Ferri FF. Lactose intolerance. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2025. Elsevier; 2025. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Sept. 10, 2024.
Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/frequent-bowel-movements/basics/causes/SYM-20050720