Should you be concerned when you see blood in the stool? Yes, usually blood in the stool is not serious and gets better on its own, but in some cases, it can be a sign of a severe problem. The good news is that it is mostly treatable when noticed earlier. Learn what blood in stool appears like and when you should seek medical help for bloody diarrhea in this article. You can contact us by visiting our clinic or visiting our website at https://doralhw.org/.

 

 

What does blood in stool look like?

There are several colors that blood in stool can appear depending on the organ that’s coming from:

  1. Bright-red blood:

This color bleeding in the stool occurs when it occurs from the lower part of your colon, rectum to your anus. The anus is the part of the body through which poop comes out. It also indicates bleeding in the lower GI tract or, in severe cases, can occur from the upper GI tract.

 

  1. Dark-red or brown blood:

This color bleeding happens from your colon or small intestine’s higher part.

 

  1. Black or tarry stool:

This color bleeding happens from the upper GI tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine).

As a general rule, the darker the blood gets, the more severe the source of the bleed. According to the American College of Surgeons, upper GI bleeding is more common than lower GI bleeding, considering 70% of all GI bleeds cases.

 

  1. No change in color:

In some cases, you may not notice any bleeding in your stool, unless it is lab-tested under the microscope. This is called occult bleeding. People with a family history of bowel cancer may need regular testing to avoid this type of diarrhea.

Some foods can also change the color of your stool; however, it doesn’t mean that there’s blood in your stool. It may happen because your stool takes the color when you eat those foods. It may include – beets, tomatoes, blackberries, or supplements such as iron and some multivitamins.

Besides blood in the stool, you may also have other symptoms like abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, palpitations, fainting, and weight loss depending on the cause, location, length, and severity of your bleeding.

 

When to see a doctor?

While most of the time blood in stool is not serious. However, you should see a doctor if you notice signs like unexplained abdominal pain or weight loss, pain during passing stool, and little blood during bowel movement. In case you notice any of the following symptoms, then you should seek emergency medical help:

  • A lot of blood or clots during bowel movements.
  • A large amount of red or dark blood in a bowel movement.
  • Dizziness
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Chest pain
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Pale face
  • Shortness of breath
  • A rapid heartbeat
  • Had blood in your poop for more than 3 weeks.
  • Feel a lot of pain in your hip area.
  • Pain or a lump in your stomach.
  • Your poop becomes softer, thinner, or longer than normal for 3 weeks.
  • You have no idea why you’re

 

How do doctors diagnose blood in stool?

To diagnose blood in the stool, the doctor may ask some questions like:

  • How much blood do you notice in your stool?
  • Is it only on the toilet paper or in the bowel movement?
  • How often does blood come in the stool?
  • Do you feel pain or any other symptoms?

Then, the doctor may examine the rectum and do other tests to identify the cause and how much blood you lost due to this. The next step of diagnosis depends on your blood loss.

 

Emergency situations

If a person reports a significant amount of blood loss, then the doctor needs to give them blood to stabilize them. The doctor may recommend a CT scan to find the source of the bleeding. In case the doctor already knows or suspects the source of bleeding, they may perform an endoscopy without a CT scan.

In endoscopy, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera attached at one end, to the upper or lower end of the GI tract, depending on the type of blood that was seen. For an upper endoscopy, the doctor guides the endoscope through the mouth and down into the upper GI tract. A colonoscopy is a form of endoscopy that requires inserting the endoscope into the anus and through the lower GI tract.

Once the doctor finds the source of the bleeding, they insert tiny instruments through the endoscope and use them to repair the damaged tissue. The doctor may recommend interventional radiology which uses image-guided procedures to block the bleeding vessel if they cannot reach or control the source of bleeding but target the source with imaging.

Alternatively, if the doctor is not able to fix the bleeding, then they may recommend surgical removal of all or part of the damaged area.

 

Non-emergency situations

If the bleeding doesn’t seem to be life-threatening, the doctor may perform the following:

  • Complete blood count: This test helps to find the extent of blood loss.
  • Digital rectal examination: In this test, the doctor examines the rectum manually to check for hemorrhoids or other causes of bleeding within the rectum.
  • Endoscopy: This procedure is used to check the inner lining of the GI tract.

 

Blood in your stool may be mild if you don’t experience weakness, dizziness, fever, too much blood loss in the stool, abdominal pain, etc. The blood might clear up on its own, however, if it lasts over 3 weeks, and the bleeding gets heavy, then you should see the doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

 

Need help with bloody diarrhea, visit our gastroenterology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!

You can schedule an appointment with Doral Health and Wellness Gastroenterology Center’s best gastroenterologist doctors in Brooklyn. If you are looking for treatments, you can also talk to our specialists and inquire with them. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call 1-347-384-5690.