Blood in the Stool

Blood in the Stool  

Whenever there’s an appearance of blood in the stool, the medical term for that is hematochezia. This happens when there is rectal fissure and hemorrhoids. The problem with this kind of condition is that it’s a very sensitive matter that most people find humiliating that is why they tend to keep this in secret and does not discuss it with anyone else even with their doctors. But whenever there is blood in the stool, it’s not a matter that should be ignored because it might mean something worse or even fatal. Whenever there is blood in the stool, it would indicate a problem on the large intestines and lower digestive tracts which involves organs that pass out the feces. Hematochezia could be a sign or symptom of something that can be either mild or life-threatening that’s why it should never be disregarded. There are many different reasons for blood in the stool to occur and it can be really disturbing for the one who experiences it. 

Common Reasons for Blood to Appear in the Stool: 

Diverticulitis – This is a medical condition wherein there’s a presence of pocket-like bulges within the walls of the large intestine.  

Hemorrhoids – These lumps of flesh found on the anal area occurs whenever the blood vessels ruptures due to too much straining.  

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Specific IBD that could cause blood to appear in the stool are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. 

Stomach and Duodenal Ulcers – The bleeding may come from the ulcers in the stomach and duodenum but these could cause the person to have black tarry stools which is a characteristic that there is bleeding within the digestive system. 

Types of Blood in the Stool: 

1)       Fresh Blood 

This is a very visible blood that appears on the bowl or on the toilet paper. It’s usually bright red in color, just like the color of blood. This is an indication that there is a problem in the lower digestive tracts such as hemorrhoids. 

2)       Maroon or dark blood 

This is bleeding that comes from the first part of the large intestines, namely the ascending and the transverse colon. 

3)       Black Stool 

If the stool appears to be black, sticky and even smellier than usual, it can be described as black tarry stool which also indicates bleeding within the digestive system. This happens when the bleeding came from the upper gastrointestinal tracts and the common cause of which are ulcers. 

4)       Occult Bleeding 

This cannot be seen by the naked eye but can be caused by the same factors as aforementioned. This could only be detected through fecal occult blood test. 

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