Dorothy FarrarBlood in the stool
Blood in the stool is a symptom that scares many people. In fact, blood in the stool can indicate many diseases, some of which are dangerous. Most of the time, the causes are rather harmless. Haemorrhoids or small tears in the anus region are often the reason for bloody stools. In some cases it is not blood at all, but red food coloring that has been excreted (e.g. beetroot). In order to rule out malignant diseases (stomach cancer), a doctor should be consulted for diagnosis.
What is blood in the stool?
It describes the phenomenon of blood in the excretions. This can either be light or dark red, but still liquid, but it can also color the stool and darken it completely – this is then referred to as tarry stool.
If the blood in the stool is still fresh, it can be assumed that it has come from the intestines, primarily from the areas near the anus. Clotted blood, such as tarry stool, means that the blood in the stool comes from higher regions of the digestive tract.
Causes
The causes of blood in the stool are very complex. If the blood is very light red, it can usually be assumed that hemorrhoids are present. Hemorrhoids are blood-filled vascular cushions in the rectum. If hemorrhoids are enlarged, they can protrude unprotected from the anus and be injured by the bowel movement and bleed.
However, blood in the stool is also the main symptom of various types of colon cancer. If there is coagulated blood in the stool, the cancer could be in the stomach area , because the blood would have enough time to coagulate on its way to the anus.
But there are also less serious diseases of the digestive tract in question, such as anal fissures (anal tears), anal fistulas, rectal ulcers, intestinal inflammation, infectious diseases or severe constipation.
However, dark stool can also be caused by food components such as beetroot or blueberries and is often mistaken for real blood in the stool.
Diseases
- rectal ulcer
- Intestinal diverticulum
When to the doctor?
Those affected by hemorrhoids know that they can become noticeable through bleeding from the anus. In most cases, however, this is not heavy bleeding and the small amounts of blood should be thinly deposited on the stool. A doctor should be consulted immediately if large amounts of blood appear in or on the stool. This applies both to dark, rather coagulated blood and to fresh, light red blood.
In this case, large amounts of blood can be a sign of acute bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. If feelings of exhaustion and paleness appear in addition to the blood in the stool , a doctor should be contacted immediately. With an ultrasound examination, he can find out whether the cause of blood in the stool is deep in the abdominal cavity or whether it is a harmless accumulation caused by small fissures in the anus.
If symptoms of blood in the stool occur very regularly, this should be clarified by the family doctor. Blood in the stool, which shows up again and again, can be a warning symptom of colon cancer or other tumorous events in the abdominal cavity, regardless of the question of pain.
symptoms and course
Since blood in the stool is a symptom itself, it only brings side effects and has no specific course. The admixture of blood usually sets in suddenly and slightly, and can intensify over time.
Some sufferers will find that the blood in the stool is accompanied by general or specific discomfort related to the digestive tract. If the phenomenon is not treated, it will continue and can also bring other side effects.
In rare cases, there is heavy bleeding, so that the blood in the stool can no longer be overlooked and is not limited to the stool: this can indicate an emergency.
Diagnose
If blood is detected in the stool, a medical examination is always required. The best thing to do is to go to your family doctor and have yourself thoroughly examined by him and specialists. Any treatment must be preceded by an adequate diagnosis, because blood in the stool is not always a clear symptom of a specific disease – other possibilities must be ruled out. For example, patients with hemorrhoids must be able to be sure that the blood in the stool is not caused by colon cancer and that this is left out by the diagnosis of hemorrhoids.
Complications
Depending on the cause of this phenomenon, bloody stool can be an indication of complications that need to be clarified by a doctor. If digestive problems have existed for some time and have not yet been examined by a doctor, blood in the stool should be taken as a warning sign. Bloody patches or large amounts of fresh blood that has been passed in the stool can be an indication of a tumor in the area of the intestine. On the one hand, this can irritate the surrounding tissue and organ structures through space displacement and infiltration, leading to bleeding.
On the other hand, the tumor itself can also start to bleed as a complication of the cancer. Internal bleeding of this type can go unnoticed by the patient over a longer period of time. Symptoms such as weakness and paleness are not always interpreted as the first indications of anemia. However, if blood is visible in the stool, this is always an indication of complications in the digestive tract. Heavy bleeding can also start suddenly. Here the patient is threatened with unconsciousness through to cardiovascular failure. If bleeding is large, medical attention should be sought immediately to stop the bleeding.
Treatment and therapy
The most typical causes of blood in the stool – hemorrhoids and ulcers of the digestive tract, are treated on the basis of an individual therapy plan. Once the exact focus of the bleeding is located, it is important to stop the bleeding as a first step. Depending on the cause, immediate intervention can be vital.
It is not uncommon for hemorrhoids to be removed or surgically repositioned. These can often be treated with suppositories and ointments. Cancer requires chemotherapy and surgical removal of the tumor.
If, on the other hand, there are fissures in the anal skin (anal tear) due to hard stool, anal fistulas or other causes, only gentle drug treatment (ointments) and a change in lifestyle and diet are usually required.
Outlook and prognosis
Blood in the stool can lead to subacute anemia (low blood count). Prognostically, constant tiredness , limited performance, cold hands and feet and headaches can occur. This prognosis also applies to occult (non-visible) blood in the stool. This prognosis also applies to hematochezia (bright red bloody stool) or melena (dark red to black blood in the stool).
If the cause of blood in the stool is acute proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), there is a risk of a chronic course that can only be treated surgically. The prognosis for a complete recovery is good. There is usually no increased risk of colon cancer with proctitis. If blood in the stool is due to internal or external hemorrhoids, the chance of recovery depends largely on the degree of hemorrhoids and the stage of treatment. Chronic anemia with its accompanying symptoms can also often be observed here.
If the hemorrhoids protrude from the anus, they can become trapped. The symptoms can be very painful. Blood congestion can result in slower blood flow in the vessels, which can lead to thrombosis . If the stool contains large amounts of blood, life-threatening circulatory failure is possible. The additional discharge of blood into the abdominal cavity is considered extremely dangerous.
Prevention
Blood in the stool can be prevented by taking care of the overall health of the digestive tract. A healthy and balanced diet, as few harmful substances as possible, and regular exercise are important to burn off excess pounds. Depending on the type of illness, there are very specific ways to prevent it, so there is a reduced likelihood that one day you will be surprised by blood in your stool.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.