Live blood in the stool: what it can be and how to treat it

The presence of live blood in the stool can be scary, but although it can be a sign of serious problems such as colitis, Crohn's disease or cancer, it is usually only a sign of milder and easier to treat problems, such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures, for example..

So, to find out the exact cause and start the proper treatment, it is very important to consult a proctologist or gastroenterologist to make diagnostic tests and identify the problem.

Main causes of live blood in feces

In most cases, the presence of blood in the stool is due to simpler problems such as:

1. Hemorrhoids

They are more common in people with constipation and arise due to the dilation of the veins caused by the force necessary to defecate. In addition to bleeding, they cause symptoms such as severe itching, pain when defecating and swelling in the anus region.

How to treat it: A good way to relieve pain is to take a sitz bath with warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. However, it is necessary to use ointments and remedies to treat hemorrhoids quickly, so it is recommended to consult a doctor. Learn more about how this problem is treated.

2. Anal fissure

Although anal fissures are more rare, they can also occur in constipation sufferers and consist of small sores that appear around the anus and that can bleed when defecated. Other symptoms that can arise with the cleft are pain when cleaning the anus and itching. See more about anal fissure.

How to treat: to relieve discomfort it is recommended to drink plenty of water during the day and eat vegetables to make the stools softer and prevent them from hurting. However, a proctologist should be consulted to begin treatment with medicines that help with healing. In the most severe cases, surgery may be necessary to close the fissure.

3. Medical exams

Colonoscopy is a medical examination widely used to assess bowel problems. In this examination, a thin flexible tube is inserted through the anus to transmit images that help the doctor to observe the interior of the intestine. During the examination, the tube can cause minor trauma to the intestinal wall, which then bleeds, leading to blood in the stool. In addition, if it is necessary to remove polyps during colonoscopy, the risk of bleeding is greater.

How to treat: these bleeds are usually normal and should not be a cause for concern, disappearing within 48 hours. However, if the bleeding is very heavy or lasts more than 2 days, you should consult the doctor who did the exam or go to the emergency room.

More serious causes of live blood in stool

Although it is much more rare, bright red bleeding in the stool can be one of the first signs of more serious problems such as:

4. Diverticulitis

This disease is more common after the age of 40 and happens due to an inflammation of the diverticula, which are small folds in the intestinal wall. Diverticulitis can cause symptoms such as severe abdominal pain in the lower left part of the belly, nausea, vomiting and even fever.

How to treat: The treatment must be indicated by a gastroenterologist and, usually, it is done with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat the diverticulitis crisis. However, as the diverticula remain in the intestine, they can re-ignite, so it is advisable to follow a special diet to prevent the crisis from reoccurring. See how the diet should be done to avoid this problem.

5. Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a serious and chronic problem that causes intense inflammation of the intestine by deregulation of the immune system. The disease can go many years without causing symptoms such as bloody stools, constant diarrhea, lack of appetite, strong abdominal cramps and weight loss, but when it appears it is common to cause several crises throughout life. Understand more about this disease.

How to treat it: a gastroenterologist should be consulted to identify the severity of the disease and to start treatment with antibiotics, corticosteroids or drugs that reduce the immune system's response and prevent new crises. In the most severe cases, it may be necessary to remove the most affected parts of the intestine through surgery.

6. Bowel cancer

In some cases, the presence of bright red blood in the stool can be a sign of cancer in the intestine, however these cases are more rare and occur with other symptoms such as sudden changes in intestinal transit, feeling of heaviness in the anal area, excessive tiredness and loss of weight.

How to treat it: if cancer is suspected, especially when there is a family history of the disease, it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist to have a colonoscopy or other tests, such as a CT scan, to confirm the diagnosis and start the appropriate treatment. Understand how this type of cancer can be treated.

When to go to the doctor

Regardless of the cause, it is important to see a doctor when:

• Bleeding lasts more than 1 week; The amount of blood in the stool increases over time; Other symptoms appear such as severe pain in the belly, fever, excessive tiredness or loss of appetite.

In addition, it is very important to have preventive tests, such as colonoscopy if there is a family history of serious intestinal problems.