What is blood in stool?
Blood in your stool involves bleeding from your digestive tract that shows up in your stool. It originates from various parts of your gastrointestinal tract, such as your small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum, or anus.
The blood might be nothing more than a minor nuisance that subsides on its own, but sometimes blood in stool is the sign of a serious medical problem.
What are the symptoms of blood in stool?
The color of blood in stool ranges from bright red to dark red, maroon, or black. If you have blood in your stool, you may notice the following symptoms:
- Dark blood mixed in with stool
- Bright red blood coating your stool
- Blood in your vomit
- Tarry, maroon, or black-colored stool
- Blood in the toilet
- Blood in your underwear
- Rectal pain or pressure
- Dizziness
The color of blood may indicate the origin of the bleeding. For example, bright red blood can mean bleeding in your lower colon or rectum, and dark red blood might indicate bleeding in your upper color or small intestine.
Sometimes blood in stool isn’t visible to the naked eye but appears when looking into a microscope.
What causes blood in stool?
Various factors can lead to blood in stool, some of which are serious. Examples include:
- Colorectal cancer
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal fissures
- Anal fistulas or abscesses
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Diverticulosis
- Ulcers
- Large polyps
Hemorrhoids, or swollen veins in your rectum or anus, are the most common cause of blood in stool. Most hemorrhoid treatments are simple and noninvasive, though sometimes a minor surgical procedure might be necessary.
How is blood in stool diagnosed?
Dr. Cho uses various methods to diagnose the cause of blood in stool. He may:
- Take a stool sample
- Complete a rectal examination
- Order a blood test
- Complete an endoscopy
An endoscopy is a procedure that uses a tiny camera to view the inside of your digestive tract, allowing Dr. Cho to screen for gastrointestinal problems and make a diagnosis.
What is the treatment for blood in stool?
Your personalized treatment plan for blood in stool depends on its cause. Dr. Cho may use an endoscopy to diagnosis and treat your condition at the same time. For example, he may remove polyps, which are tiny growths, or hemorrhoids during a diagnostic endoscopy procedure.
Dr. Cho controls active bleeding from your GI tract by injecting a chemical into the bleeding site, cauterizing the area, or using laser therapy.
You may require medications to treat GI bleeding due to ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or infections. Home remedies, such as dietary changes, soaking in a bath, or topical creams, are often useful hemorrhoid treatments.
Call Samuel Cho, MD, PC, or use the online scheduler at the first sign of blood in stool to determine its cause and rule out serious complications.
