Definition

There's not a generally accepted clinical definition for frequent bowel movements. Most people consider several bowel movements a day to at least be unusual, particularly if this pattern is a change from what's normal.

If the only change from your usual bowel pattern is the frequency of your bowel movements, an illness is unlikely to be the cause. If you don't have loose, watery stools, abdominal cramping or bloody stool (diarrhea), frequent bowel movements are usually related to your lifestyle.