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Blood in feces: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Blood in the feces is the most alarming and serious symptom of intestinal tract diseases (anal region, anal canal, rectum).
Blood in the feces can be detected in various pathological processes occurring in different parts of the intestinal tract. Therefore, the symptoms of diseases can be diverse.
[Why feces with blood?
The emergence of blood from the anal passage can be a sign of diseases that do not threaten the life of an adult and a child, as well as a symptom of extremely serious diseases in which it is impossible to delay the appeal to the doctor.
Blood in the feces of an adult and a child is the first sign that indicates a violation of the integrity of the vessels of the intestinal tract and mucous membrane. But it should be remembered that the presence of a red liquid, resembling blood, in the feces is not always blood. In some cases, a change in the color of feces is considered to be the reason for consuming all kinds of foods, including desserts based on gelatin, beets, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. In consequence of this, when the feces turn red, you do not have to start panicking. First of all, it is recommended to think about what products were consumed during the last 2 - 3 days.
Diseases in which blood can be detected in the feces:
- Anal fissure
- Hemorrhoids
- Crypt
- Proctitis
- Rectum polyps (tumors on the surface of the intestinal mucosa)
- Colorectal cancer in decay
- Cancer of other parts of the intestinal tract and stomach
- Intestinal diverticula (diverticulosis, diverticulitis)
- Gastric and / or duodenal ulcer
- Nonspecific ulcerative colitis
- Terminal ileitis of different nature
- Crohn's disease
- Varicose veins of the alimentary tract (extremely rare)
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Parasitic diseases of the intestinal tract
- Infectious causes of blood in the feces (dysentery, amebiasis)
- Endometriosis with involvement in the process of the mucous membrane of the colon (the relationship of bleeding with menstruation)
- Anal sex and the introduction into the anus of any foreign body, damaging the mucous membrane of the rectum
- Side effects of drugs (antibiotics and some drugs with potassium can cause ulceration of the intestinal tract and bleeding, and as a result, blood in the feces)
- Any anomalies of the vessels of the intestinal tract (hemangioma, etc.)
Detection of blood in the feces and on paper is almost always considered a serious and formidable symptom requiring the participation of a doctor, since a person cannot find the exact source of bleeding on his own without a professional examination and without examination.
Who to contact?
What research is important if you found blood in your feces?
Consultation of the proctologist usually includes a digital examination of the rectum and, if necessary, rectoscopy. If in doubt, endoscopic or radiographic examinations of the entire large intestine can be performed.
The color of blood in the feces will depend on which part of the gastrointestinal tract blood comes from. The closer the bleeding area to the anal passage, the brighter the blood.
The presence in the feces of bright red fresh blood indicates the presence of bleeding in the lower intestinal tract (hemorrhoids in hemorrhoids, anal fissures, rectal tumors, etc.). Often, in these diseases, the scarlet blood also remains on toilet paper and even on linen.
It is extremely important to know that rectal bleeding is one of the main signs of not only hemorrhoids, but also colon cancer tumors, metastases of other malignant tumors to the liver.
Treatment
Treatment in the detection of blood in the feces will depend on the detected pathology, because all these diseases require a completely different approach to their treatment.
If you have found blood in the feces or on toilet paper, you should contact the proctologist for a more detailed examination as soon as possible. A full examination is extremely necessary in all cases of changes in the color of feces, so as not to miss the dangerous disease!
Do not forget: normal blood in the feces is not detected!