- Main causes of blood in stool
- 1. Very dark and smelly stools
- 2. Stool with bright red blood
- 3. Blood hidden in the stool
- What to do in case of blood in the stool
- How the treatment is done
The presence of blood in the stool is usually caused by a lesion located anywhere in the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. Blood may be present in very small amounts and may not be visible or be very apparent.
Normally, bleeds that happen before the intestine, that is, in the mouth, esophagus or stomach, give rise to black and very smelly stools, known as melena, which result from the digestion of blood in the stomach. Faeces that have bright red blood, on the other hand, may indicate bleeding in the intestine, usually in the most final portion of the large intestine or anus, called hematochezia.
Thus, depending on the type of bloody stools, the doctor may be suspicious of different causes, which can be confirmed with other complementary tests, such as endoscopy or colonoscopy, facilitating treatment.
Main causes of blood in stool
The causes that lead to blood may vary according to the type of stool:
1. Very dark and smelly stools
Very dark and smelly stools, also called melena, are usually the result of bleeding that occurs before the stomach and, therefore, the main causes include:
- Esophageal varices; Gastric ulcers; Gastritis; Erosive esophagitis; Mallory-Weiss syndrome; Tumors in the stomach.
In addition, the use of some medications, especially iron supplements, can also result in very dark and smelly stools, but they happen by eliminating iron and not by real bleeding. Understand more about the causes of dark stools and what to do in each case.
2. Stool with bright red blood
The feces with bright red blood mean that the bleeding is occurring in the intestine, since the blood has not been digested and, therefore, keeps its red color. The most common causes for this condition include:
- Hemorrhoids; Anal fissures; Diverticulitis; Crohn's disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Intestinal polyps; Bowel cancer.
To identify the blood in the stool, just look at it immediately after evacuation, and the blood can be very visible, showing around the stool or you can notice small blood risks in the stool. Check out more details about stools with bright red blood.
3. Blood hidden in the stool
Stool occult blood is a type of bright red blood in stool, but it cannot be easily seen. Therefore, it is common for this expression to be used only in the result of a stool test, for example, and it means that there are small amounts of blood that are in the middle of the stool.
Generally, occult blood has the same causes as feces with bright red blood, but it is important that the result is evaluated by the doctor, as further tests may be necessary to confirm the cause. Better understand what causes occult blood in stool and how to treat it.
What to do in case of blood in the stool
The first thing to do after identifying the presence of blood in the stool, or whenever there is a suspicion of having blood in the stool, is to consult a gastroenterologist or general practitioner.
Generally, the doctor orders a stool test, but, depending on the type of stool, he can also order other complementary tests such as blood tests, colonoscopy or endoscopy, to try to find the correct cause and start the most appropriate treatment.
Watch the following video and learn how to do the stool test correctly:
How the treatment is done
The treatment to eliminate blood from the stool depends largely on its cause. Often, a gastric ulcer is the cause of the problem and, then, the solution is to treat the ulcer with the use of antacids and a special diet, for example. Other times, the solution is to improve the person's diet, if the problem is caused by very dry stools, for example.
Investigating thoroughly what is causing blood in the stool is the starting point. The only really effective way to take care of this hassle is to consult a doctor and treat the source of the problem.
