Stool samples can help doctors diagnose some health conditions. Tips for collecting a stool sample include urinating before collecting the sample and using any tools that the sample kit provides.

If you are having digestive symptoms, your doctor may prescribe an at-home stool test, in which you collect stool samples and send them to a lab or bring them to your doctor’s office for analysis.

Occult blood refers to small traces of blood that a person cannot see in their stool. The presence of blood in the stool could be a sign of an underlying condition. Health experts often use this test ...