Blood in the stool

Blood in the stool is one of the symptoms that accompanies many diseases. And far from always loose stools indicate a problem with the digestive tract. Sometimes, together with soreness after emptying, it suggests the development of a tumor with localization in the rectum.

Often this kind of sign does not come alone, but is accompanied by additional symptoms in adults and babies. Only by comparing all the complaints of the victim, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary verdict regarding the ailment that influenced the appearance of such an unpleasant deviation.

The main causes and accompanying symptoms

Despite the fact that the reasons for the appearance of bloody inclusions in human waste products can indicate many different ailments, in medical practice they still learned to identify the most common of them.

The most common cause of interspersed with fresh blood during bowel movements are fissures localized in the anus. It is important here to see if blood appears without defecation. If its stains are found on the underwear, and characteristic traces remain on the toilet paper, then this most likely indicates such a common ailment.

The provocateur of this condition is regular constipation, which contributes to significant muscle effort. After the passage of stool with mucus beyond the ampoule of the rectum, pain is felt in the region of the patient’s anal fissure. The degree of its manifestation directly depends on the size of the crack, because at the initial stage the process will occur without pain, only accompanied by spotting. With the development of pathology, people are faced with acute attacks, accompanied by the release of feces with a small admixture of blood.

Diagnosis of pathology includes a standard visual examination by a proctologist, as well as a digital examination. To correct the condition and treatment, they resort to the help of a special diet and laxatives, ointments with analgesic and antibacterial effects.

Some people mistakenly believe that anal fissures and hemorrhoids are the same disease, because in both cases, ichor comes from the rectum. In fact, hemorrhoids, unlike fissures, are rare in children.

The characteristic symptomatology of hemorrhoids is accompanied by secretions of very dark blood. They are easy to detect right on the surface of the stool, and a few more characteristic symptoms will finally convince the doubting victim of the diagnosis:

• itching;
• pain;
• feeling of distension.

Despite the common stereotype that venous varicose veins of the rectum provokes extremely hard stools, this is not entirely true. This kind of pathology is a consequence of the destabilization of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, which acts only as an indirect provocateur, while the main causes of occurrence are associated with increased stress on the abdominal organs. As soon as the vascular walls are damaged due to too much tension, bleeding occurs. This problem is not observed in the baby.

To make an accurate diagnosis, proctologists use a visual examination algorithm, and also involve instrumental techniques to help determine why the ichor is secreted and where the red streaks come from. Sigmoidoscopy helps in this, based on the results of which a decision is made regarding the method of treatment.

Also, a similar research method is used to collect biological material, if necessary, to conduct a study to detect an oncological neoplasm. Based on the information collected, a decision is made on surgical or alternative therapy.

Atypical diseases accompanied by blood in the stool

Somewhat less common is nonspecific ulcerative colitis, which can be diagnosed even in an infant and during pregnancy. It is characterized by destructive processes of the mucosa, submucosa, not only of the rectum, but also of the colon.

After detecting blood at the end of a bowel movement, pus, mucous clots, soreness in the abdomen, and other symptoms of intoxication of the body may be added to it after a week or two.

With untimely diagnosis and treatment of developing colitis, in the future you may encounter a number of the following complications:

• intestinal obstruction;
• peritonitis;
• intestinal perforation.

The final diagnosis is determined after taking into account and analyzing all complaints, the results of instrumental and histological studies. At an advanced stage, when there is a threat to life, the surgeon decides on a radical intervention.

Another disease of the immune nature is called Crohn’s disease. Its localization affects absolutely all parts of the digestive tract.

Typical concomitant signs, in addition to the fact that a person is worried about dark feces mixed with blood, are frequent trips to the toilet, purulent discharge, mucus, and complaints of abdominal pain. Other less common symptoms include:

• temperature increase;
• joint pain;
• fever;
• ulcers, rashes on the mucous membrane;
• visual acuity problems.

Diagnosis necessarily includes histology.

Pathologies that provoke blood in the excrement

Most often, they include intestinal infections of various origins, which are characteristic of any age. The causes of the manifestation of the disease are the following groups of pathogens:

• viruses, including rotavirus;
• bacteria;
• parasites.

The result of an untreated intestinal infection sometimes becomes a chronic lesion of the small intestine, which indicates enteritis. When the large intestine is affected, colitis develops.

Similar symptoms appear with the development of dysbacteriosis, as evidenced by numerous patient reviews. A distinctive feature of dysbacteriosis is a change in the bacterial microflora of the intestine. As a rule, this condition is realized after uncontrolled intake of antibiotics. Therefore, any organism, both an adult and a child, can face dysbacteriosis. At the same time, drops of blood here indicate damage to Clostridium.

More serious disorders are associated with neoplasms of a malignant or benign nature with localization in all parts of the intestine. If an oncological process is suspected, biological material is taken, as well as an analysis for occult blood in the feces.

With intestinal obstruction, the patient complains of difficulty in defecation, the subsequent destruction of the integrity of the intestinal walls and vascular lesions can lead to peritonitis.

Much less often, the patient has a mushy bloody stool caused by sexually transmitted infections. Among which:

• rectal type gonorrhea;
• herpes;
• anorectal syphilis;
• granuloma of the venereal type.

blood in stool in babies

Separately, experts consider situations when this symptom was found in children. With dense stools, including blood, parents should not “google” the forum in search of answers to questions, but immediately consult a doctor. It is necessary to urgently call an ambulance team if a child is suspected of poisoning.

Children under one year old are forbidden to put enemas on their own or induce vomiting artificially to persons without proper qualifications. Therefore, as soon as it becomes clear that the first complementary foods cause digestive disorders in a child, it is necessary to seek the advice of a pediatrician.

Often, the normal rhythm of life of infants is disturbed by dysbacteriosis, which is directly related to parental experiments in the treatment of other pathologies with antibiotics. Doctors always warn that the stomach of newborns is very sensitive to the components of such strong drugs, therefore, without first consulting a therapist, it is forbidden to give a child antibiotics.

Otherwise, the child may develop enterocolitis, including:

• bloating;
• slime;
• thick stools with bloody impurities, or vice versa – diarrhea;
• refusal to eat;
• diathesis.

A little less often, children are diagnosed with intestinal obstruction, delay in the diagnosis of which threatens with a serious deterioration in well-being. The risk group may include children under two years of age, in whom going to the toilet is accompanied by spotting, especially heavy in the morning. But often children are concerned about small bleeding, indicating a possible intussusception of the intestine.

The primary source of pathology are:

• overfeeding;
• feeding too early;
• congenital anomalies;
• switching from one brand of milk formula to another.

All this together or separately provokes the overlap of the intestinal lumen with another part of it. The disease makes itself felt both among premature and full-term children, manifested by vomiting and collapse.

Another common cause may be an allergic reaction with atopic dermatitis, accompanied by bloody excrement after eating nuts, gluten products, citrus fruits, milk.

Allergic reactions to food additives, flavors, dyes are especially difficult, which causes not only clots of light blood in the feces, but also complications in the form of tachycardia and anemia.

Dangers are added by the fact that an allergic reaction in newborns is possible even on the composition of cough syrup.

What to do when an alarm symptom is detected?

Excluding versions with intestinal infections, blood along with waste products in men can indicate prostate cancer. With the advanced form of the process, the tumor grows into the walls of the large intestine, perforating them in the process of growth. In this case, improvement in the condition is possible only after surgery and proper therapy.

In women, these symptoms can signal the initial varicose veins of the perineum during gestation. In this case, as a rule, there will be complaints of recurrent back pain and deterioration of well-being after riding in transport.

If bowel endometriosis is suspected, discharge similar to menstruation is possible. A similar side effect is also possible with a course of chemotherapy for oncological diseases of the reproductive organs.

As soon as a deviation is detected, it is necessary to immediately seek qualified help from a proctologist, who will provide qualified support for the patient according to his medical history until a successful recovery.

During the initial examination, it is necessary to inform the doctor not only about all the accumulated complaints, but also to report how long the disturbing phenomena have been traced, what shade of blood, how often it manifests itself.

After collecting an anamnesis, the patient is sent for a laboratory examination, including an occult blood test and a coprogram.

A visual examination by a specialist includes an assessment of the current condition of the anus. If necessary, a rectal examination of the lower rectum, standard sigmoidoscopy, X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract is added.

Mixed diagnostics will allow you to collect complete information about the patient’s health status. But if the doctor insists on conducting some kind of study that is not listed, be it a colonoscopy or ultrasound, then you should not refuse additional diagnostics. Only on the basis of a complete clinical picture is it possible to successfully treat discomfort and blood loss during bowel movements.

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