Because the intake of iron, bismuth or foods like beets can give the stool the same appearance as bleeding from the digestive tract, a doctor must test the stool for blood before offering a diagnosis.
Other symptoms:. The site of the bleeding must be located. A complete history and physical examination are essential. A blood count will indicate whether the patient is anemic and also will give an idea of the extent of the bleeding and how chronic it may be.
Endoscopy is a common diagnostic technique that allows direct viewing of the bleeding site. Because the endoscope can detect lesions and confirm the presence or absence of bleeding, doctors often choose this method to diagnose patients with acute bleeding.
In many cases, the doctor can use the endoscope to treat the cause of bleeding as well. The endoscope is a flexible instrument that can be inserted through the mouth or rectum. The instrument allows the doctor to see into the esophagus, stomach, duodenum esophagoduodenoscopy , colon colonoscopy and rectum sigmoidoscopy ; to collect small samples of tissue biopsies ; to take photographs; and to stop the bleeding.
Small bowel endoscopy, or enteroscopy, is a procedure using a long endoscope. This endoscope may be used to localize unidentified sources of bleeding in the small intestine. Several other methods are available to locate the source of bleeding. Barium X-rays , in general, are less accurate than endoscopy in locating bleeding sites. Some drawbacks of barium X-rays are that they may interfere with other diagnostic techniques if used for detecting acute bleeding, they expose the patient to X-rays and they do not offer the capabilities of biopsy or treatment.
Another type of X-ray is a CT scan. If you have serious upper GI bleeding, you will need surgery. Anal fissures are the most common cause of bloody stool in infants, but adults can get them too.
The blood from anal fissures is bright red in color. Anal fissures are caused by constipation, or large, firm stools that are hard to pass. This can cause a crack in the skin. Stretching the skin of the anus makes fissures visible. Fortunately, anal fissures usually heal on their own. You can treat the pain and discomfort with petroleum jelly.
Drinking more water and eating high-fiber foods can help soften your stools. A polyp is a small growth on the lining of your intestinal tract. There are a few different types of polyps. Adenomatous polyps are some of the most common. These polyps grow on the lining of the colon, or large intestine. Adenomatous polyps can develop into colorectal cancer, or cancer of the colon or rectum.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Polyps often have no symptoms, but sometimes they can cause bloody stools.
The blood can be red or dark and tarry. Polyps can be removed before they become cancerous. If they do progress to cancer, the cancer is treatable if caught early. That is why all people age 45 and older should be regularly screened for colorectal cancer. This can be done with a colonoscopy or stool-based test.
Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels that can bulge from the anus. Hemorrhoids are often uncomfortable. They can be painful or itch. Because there are a lot of blood vessels around the anus and rectum, hemorrhoids may bleed bright, red blood.
You may be at risk for hemorrhoids if you:. Surgery is an option if your hemorrhoids are severe, but most hemorrhoids do not require surgery. Eating more fiber or using a salve like Preparation H can help. Gastroenteritis is an illness of the stomach and intestines. It can be caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasite.
Sometimes, gastroenteritis can cause bloody diarrhea. This is more common in bacterial gastroenteritis. Food poisoning is a type of gastroenteritis. Bacteria that commonly cause food poisoning include:.
Most of the time, gastroenteritis gets better on its own, but see a doctor if your symptoms last for more than one or two days. Bloody stool that can't be explained is often caused by angiodysplasia.
Angiodysplasia can happen as the blood vessels in the gut age or weaken. This type of bleeding can be red or dark and tarry.
Angiodysplasia is common during end-stage renal disease kidney disease or renal failure. People with a common genetic bleeding disorder called von Willebrand disease may also have angiodysplasia. Angiodysplasia can be treated in a few different ways, including:. Fortunately, in most people, angiodysplasia disappears on its own. Inflammatory bowel disease IBD is an autoimmune disease of the bowels.
When you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks part of your own body. In IBD, this leads to inflammation and damage of the intestines. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common types of IBD. Symptoms can include bloody stool, which may be red or dark and tarry. IBD can be treated in a few different ways:. Fortunately, new drugs are reducing the number of IBD patients who need surgery. Because blood in the stool may be a symptom of colorectal cancer, it is important to see a doctor if you notice this symptom.
Bleeding from colorectal cancer may be red or dark and tarry. Colorectal cancer was once thought to mostly affect people over the age of Recent research, however, found that this cancer is also the third leading cause of cancer-related death in adults younger than There is good news, though.
Thanks to earlier detection and treatment, the five-year survival rate for patients with colorectal cancer has been steadily increasing over time. Diverticula are abnormal pouches that can form in your lower intestine.
There are two types of diverticular disease. The simple presence of diverticula is called diverticulosis. Sometimes, though, diverticula become infected or inflamed. When that happens, the disease is called diverticulitis. Both forms of diverticular disease can cause pain and blood in the stool. When diverticular disease causes bleeding, it will usually appear suddenly and be red or maroon in color. Diverticula grow out of weaknesses in the wall of your colon.
Sometimes they can grow to be several centimeters in size. The disease is often blamed on a low-fiber diet, but the true cause is unknown. A surgeon can stop bleeding from diverticula during an endoscopy or abdominal surgery. Diverticula can be treated in or out of a hospital. Diverticulitis can often be successfully treated with antibiotics. Ischemic colitis happens when the blood vessels that supply the large intestine are narrowed or blocked. Most cases of ischemic colitis happen in elderly people.
The condition can be short-term or long-term. Symptoms include:. Our dedicated staff is eager to help. Book an appointment today at one of our office locations throughout the Cary, Raleigh, Holly Springs and Triangle region. We are committed to providing you with the most comprehensive quality of gastroenterology care.
Below are some common causes of blood in stool: Hemorrhoids : Hemorrhoids are the most common cause of the kind of rectal bleeding that can lead to blood being found in the stool. In essence, hemorrhoids are swollen veins inside or just outside the rectum that usually become swollen because of excessive straining on the toilet or problems with chronic diarrhea or constipation.
Bleeding can occur when the hemorrhoids are particularly inflamed or if a difficult bowel movement causes a rupture. Diverticular Disease : Also known as diverticulitis, this condition is characterized by small, abnormal pouches called diverticula in the colon wall becoming inflamed and swollen. Diverticulitis can cause a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, and in more serious cases this can include bleeding and infection.
Anal Fissures : Though sometimes mistaken for hemorrhoids, anal fissures are actually small tears in the skin around the anus. Most causes of anal fissures have to do with the physical act of defecation; in most cases, attempting to pass very hard stools typically associated with constipation can cause a tear.
Anal fissures are also an example of the kind of bleeding that would be bright red and visible on toilet paper. Peptic Ulcers : Peptic ulcer disease refers to sores or breaks in the lining of the stomach or esophagus that can occur when there is an imbalance in the contents of your stomach acid. When ulcers bleed, the blood that shows up in the stool tends to be very dark and can even cause the stool to have a black, tarry consistency.
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