"what causes bloody stools?"?

Answer 1

Blood in the stool may come from anywhere along your digestive tract, from mouth to anus. It may be present in such small amounts that you cannot actually see it, but is only detectable by a fecal occult blood test. When there IS enough blood to change the appearance of your stools, the doctor will want to know the exact color to help find the site of bleeding. To make a diagnosis, your doctor may use endoscopy or special x-ray studies.

A black stool usually means that the blood is coming from the upper part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This includes the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine. Blood will typically look like tar after it has been exposed to the body's digestive juices. Stomach ulcers caused by ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin are common causes of upper GI bleeding.

Maroon-colored stools or bright red blood usually suggest that the blood is coming from the lower part of the GI tract (large bowel or rectum). Hemorrhoids and diverticulitis (inflammation of an abnormal pouch in the colon) are the most common causes of lower GI bleeding. However, sometimes massive or rapid bleeding in the stomach causes bright red stools.

Consuming black licorice, lead, iron pills, bismuth medicines like Pepto-Bismol, or blueberries can also cause black stools. Beets and tomatoes can sometimes make stools appear reddish. In these cases, your doctor can test the stool with a chemical to rule out the presence of blood.

Brisk bleeding in the esophagus or stomach (such as with peptic ulcer disease), can also cause you to vomit blood.

Common Causes Return to top

Upper GI tract (usually black stools):

Bleeding stomach or duodenal ulcer
Gastritis
Esophageal varices
Mallory-Weiss tear (a tear in the esophagus from violent vomiting)
Trauma or foreign body
Bowel ischemia (a lack of proper blood flow to the intestines)
Vascular malformation
Lower GI tract (usually maroon or bright red, bloody stools):

Hemorrhoids
Anal fissures
Diverticular bleeding
Intestinal infection (such as bacterial enterocolitis)
Vascular malformation
Inflammatory bowel disease
Tumor
Colon polyps or colon cancer
Trauma or foreign body
Bowel ischemia (a lack of proper blood flow to the intestines)
Call your health care provider if Return to top

Call your doctor if you notice blood or changes in the color of your stool. Even if you think that hemorrhoids are causing blood in your stool, your doctor should examine you in order to make sure that there is no other, more serious cause present at the same time.

In children, a small amount of blood in the stool is usually not serious. The most common causes are constipation and milk allergies. But it is still worth reporting to your doctor, even if no workup is necessary.

What to expect at your health care provider's office Return to top

Your doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical examination, focusing on your abdomen and rectum.

The following questions may be included in the history to better understand the possible causes of your bloody or dark stools:

Is there blood on the toilet paper only?
What color is the stool?
When did it develop?
Have you had more than one episode of blood in your stool? Is every stool this way?
Are you taking blood thinners or NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin)?
Have you ingested black licorice, lead, Pepto-Bismol, or blueberries?
Have you had any abdominal trauma or swallowed a foreign object accidentally?
What other symptoms are also present -- abdominal pain, vomiting blood, bloating, excessive gas, diarrhea, or fever?
Have you lost any weight recently?
Treatment depends on the cause and severity of the bleeding. For serious bleeding, you may be admitted to a hospital for monitoring and workup. If there is massive bleeding, you will be monitored in an intensive care unit. Emergency treatment may include a blood transfusion.

Answer 2

it could be a number of things burst blood vessel,or if you have been constipated this can happen or crohn disease as i have this and have been having blood in my stools for 9 month and quite a bit, I am on medication which has stopped the blood.
Worse case is cancer but I would not worry about that until you have been diagnosed.
Go and see your doctor they can refer you for a colonosopy, (camera inserted into the intestines which does not hurt as you will be sedated) to see into your bowel and found out why you are getting blood. My advise is not to leave it as it could get worse and if you are being refered there may be a wait to be seen.

Answer 3

I had hemorrhoids problems for different years. I was basically simply excessively embarrassed to go to a doctor or to the pharmacy to request a hemorrhoid treatment. At last I went to a doctor that tried to do everything in her power to help me, yet unfortunately the prescription didn't work. Surgery was impossible! By then, I was powerless, embarrassed and with just about no social life, so I've chosen to try something else. Then I discovered this method: http://treathemorrhoid.kyma.info I purchased this book on the most proficient method to dispose of hemorrhoids naturally notice it helped me a great deal! I don't feel torment anymore! I wish I had it years before. I can't accept how rapidly I got relief (just about overnight!) they've never returned and I don't worry about it anymore in light of the fact that on the off chance that they do, I know precisely what to do. After reading the book and making a move in 48 hours the ache, irritation, tingling and draining was gone. To my surprise I could permanently cure my hemorrhoids 100% naturally. Hemorrhoids are fundamentally engorged veins. The veins return the blood to the heart and those from the lower parts of the body work against gravity to push blood again to the heart. At the point when the blood becomes thicker because of one's absence of water admission, the blood gets pooled in the veins in light of the fact that blood is more hard to stream. This makes them get engorged and become bigger. On the off chance that this happens in the rectal area, it becomes hemorrhoids. I can assure you that I tackled my hemorroids problems with this system: http://treathemorrhoid.kyma.info It's definitly the most ideal approach to effectively dispose of hemorreoids.

Answer 4

Sometimes, if you have had hemmoroids, one may break open and cause bright red blood that may appear to be in the stool, per se. But, if the blood is dark, it could be from something more serious. Please call your Dr. and get a stool testing kit. You can take the sample at home, return it to your Dr., and he/she will send it for an analysis. I've also heard that in a Pharmacy, there is a kit for at home testing, but I would recommend calling your Dr.

Answer 5

Call your doctor if you notice blood or changes in the color of your stool. Even if you think that hemorrhoids are causing blood in your stool, your doctor should examine you in order to make sure that there is no other, more serious cause present at the same time.

Answer 6

Lower GI tract (usually maroon or bright red, bloody stools):

* Hemorrhoids
* Anal fissures
* Diverticular bleeding
* Intestinal infection (such as bacterial enterocolitis)
* Vascular malformation
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Tumor
* Colon polyps or colon cancer
* Trauma or foreign body
* Bowel ischemia (a lack of proper blood flow to the intestines)

Answer 7

The commonest cause is haemorrhoids or a rectal tear.

More serious causes are ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis and Chrohns Disease or bowel cancer.
(blood from stomach ulcers cannot be seen in stools but causes black 'tar' like stool)

Any change in bowel habits is cause to see a doctor and get checked out. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment.

If you have this symptom dont be scared and ignore it -see your doctor soon!

Answer 8

Blood in your stool can come from any bleeding in your digestive system, from the beginning to the end.

You should see a doctor to make sure it isn't something serious.

Answer 9

Straining yourself can cause this, bleeding hemorrhoids. Colon cancer, it could be a bleeding Ulcer!! you might want to have yourself checked by a doctor if this is what you are experiencing. Don't wait , sometimes time can make things worse if you don't address the problem.. See your doctor!!

Answer 10

You may have piles, get some cream from your chemist and if it doesn't sort the problem out then you should go and see your GP as it could be a sign of something more serious.