One of the scariest things a person can experience is to find blood in the stools. Visible blood on the stools or on the tissue paper after wiping, or else black or tarry stools can mean something serious which might need medical attention especially if it is accompanied by pain or if it regularly occurs. If the sufferer has had no prior experience of bloody stools, it is best to seek medical advice as soon as possible to make sure that there is no internal bleeding in the digestive system caused by one of the more serious diseases.
What are the causes of blood in the stools? Let’s start with the minor health problems or the less serious causes before moving on to the more serious ones.
Blood in the stools can be caused by anal fissures which are small cuts or tears in the lining of the anus caused by the movement of large and hard stools. Anal fissures may be itchy, painful and uncomfortable, but unless one regularly passes large and hard stools, it can heal up on its own. Meanwhile, the sufferer can use softer tissue paper or clean up using only water until there is no more pain or discomfort. A laxative which softens the stools may also be recommended by a doctor. To help prevent anal fissures in the future, a diet high in fiber and regular intake of water will result in softer stools. However, if one regularly has blood in the stools due to the passing of hard stools, the currently existing anal fissure may worsen. In this case, it may need serious medical attention in addition to the preventive measures.
Another one of the less serious causes of blood in the stools is hemorrhoids. A hemorrhoid is like a varicose vein in the rectum and can be internal or external depending on whether they are found inside the rectum or outside, i.e. around the anus. They are swollen veins caused by the regular habit of straining when moving stools possibly due to having large and hard stools. Like anal fissures, hemorrhoids can feel itchy and painful. The means of prevention for hemorrhoids are similar to anal fissures. Usually a high fiber diet will allow hemorrhoids to become less swollen or at least not worsen. There are also ointments which can help to reduce the swelling. A natural and proven remedy is a soak in an Epsom salt bath. This can reduce the swelling of hemorrhoids and ease the pain. Unfortunately, a refusal to stick with a high fiber diet can result in the hemorrhoids becoming more serious. If so, it might be necessary to have a minor operation to remove it; otherwise, hemorrhoid sufferers usually just learn how to minimize their discomfort.
Now let us move on to the more serious causes of blood in the stools. If the sufferer of blood in the stools does not have anal fissures or hemorrhoids, the problem may be a more serious one. One important point that must be made about blood in the stools or problems felt around the anus and in the rectum is that most people refuse to ask a doctor’s advice because they find the problem embarrassing or they feel uneasy to be examined in that area. In most cases, blood in the stools is usually only caused by the two minor conditions discussed above, but it is better to be safe than sorry. A good doctor should be able to reassure his patient by describing how he will examine the area.
A common but serious cause of blood in the stools is an ulcer in the digestive or gastrointestinal tract (GI). An ulcer is a break in the membrane of an organ. In the GI, it can occur in the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine. When the ulcer bleeds in these areas, the stools can become black or look like tar because the blood has already been exposed to the digestive fluids. Unlike fresh blood in the stools, i.e. when the stools are bright red in color, tarry stools usually mean something serious. It is important to point out though that certain foods like black licorice, blueberries and iron supplements may color the stools black. If no such foods were consumed prior to the experience of black stools or if black stools are accompanied by other ulcer symptoms of pain, nausea, or loss of appetite, it may be necessary to conduct a test for traces of blood in the stools.
Diverticulosis is another one of the more serious causes of blood in the stools. This is where there are pockets of weakness in the muscle layers of the colon. Sufferers of this ailment also experience cramping, flatulence and irregular bowel movements. When a pocket ruptures, that’s when the disease becomes serious and can lead to blood in the stools. Diverticulosis is common in people over the age of 60, but this does not mean it cannot happen to someone as young as 40. If the blood in the stools is accompanied by previous experiences of the symptoms of diverticulosis, then the sufferer should seek medical help.
Another serious cause of blood in the stools is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The inflammation can either be contained in the large intestine, in which case it is specifically called ulcerative colitis, or else it can affect the whole digestive tract, in which case it is called Crohn’s disease. Besides blood in the stools, the symptoms of IBD include fever, weight loss and fatigue. This is one of the scarier causes of blood in the stools because it can seriously affect the sufferer’s life. Also, the specific cause of this disease is still unknown making a lasting treatment difficult.
Lastly, cancer is the most serious cause of blood in the stools. This is actually one of the warning signs of cancer. Blood in the stools or black stools may be caused by bowel cancer occurring in the colon, rectum, or anus. If the problem is cancer, then blood in the stools will be accompanied by symptoms like alternating constipation and diarrhea, thin stools, abdominal pains, gas and bloating.
It is necessary to consider all the possible causes of blood in the stools before thinking that one has cancer to prevent anxiety. As was said before, it is always better to consult with a doctor first.
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