The presence of live blood in the stool can be frightening, but while it can be a sign of serious problems such as colitis, Crohn’s disease or cancer, it’s usually just a sign of milder, easier-to-treat problems, such as hemorrhoids. or fissures, for example.
Therefore, to discover the exact cause and initiate appropriate treatment, it is very important to consult a proctologist or gastroenterologist for diagnostic tests and identify the problem.
In most cases, the presence of blood in the stool is due to simpler problems such as:
They are most common in people with constipation and occur from the dilation of the veins caused by the force needed to defecate, in addition to bleeding, cause symptoms such as severe itching, pain during defecation and swelling of the anus area.
How to treat it: A good way to relieve pain is to take a siege bath with warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, however, it is necessary to use ointments and remedies to treat hemorrhoids quickly, so it is recommended to consult a doctor. Learn more about how this problem is being treated.
Although fissures are rarer, they can also occur in people with constipation and consist of small sores that appear around the anus and can bleed during defecation. Other symptoms that can occur with the slit include pain when cleaning the anus and itching. Learn more about the fissure.
How to treat: To relieve discomfort, it is recommended to drink plenty of water during the day and eat vegetables to soften stool and prevent them from asleep, however, a proctologist should be consulted to start treatment with medicines that help healing. In the most severe cases, surgery may be needed to close the crack.
Colonoscopy is a medical examination widely used to evaluate intestinal problems. During this test, a thin, flexible tube is inserted through your anus to transmit images that help your doctor look inside your intestine. During the exam, the tube may cause minor trauma to the intestinal wall, which then bleeds, causing blood to enter the stool. Also, if polyps need to be removed during colonoscopy, the risk of bleeding is higher.
How to treat: these bleeds are generally normal and should not be a cause for concern, disappearing in 48 hours, however, if the bleeding is very heavy or lasts more than 2 days, you should consult the doctor who performed the examination or go to the emergency room . room.
Although much rarer, bright red bleeding in the stool may be one of the first signs of more serious problems, such as:
This disease is most common after age 40 and occurs due to inflammation of diverticulums, which are small folds in the intestinal wall. Diverticulitis can cause symptoms such as severe abdominal pain in the lower left stomach, nausea, vomiting and even fever.
How to treat: Treatment should be indicated by a gastroenterologist and is usually done with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat the diverticulitis attack, however, as diverticulums remain in the intestine, they can reactivate inflammation, so it is advisable to follow a special diet to prevent seizures from happening again. See how your diet should be done to avoid this problem.
Crohn’s disease is a serious and chronic problem that causes severe inflammation of the intestine by deregulation of the immune system. The disease can last for many years without causing symptoms such as blood stool, constant diarrhea, lack of appetite, severe abdominal cramps and weight loss, but when it appears, it is common to cause several seizures throughout life. Learn more about this disease.
How to treat: A gastroenterologist should be consulted to identify the severity of the disease and start treatment with antibiotics, corticosteroids or drugs that reduce the immune system response and prevent further seizures In the most severe cases, it may be necessary to remove the parts of the intestine most affected by surgery.
In some cases, the presence of bright red blood in the stool may be a sign of bowel cancer, however these cases are rarer and occur with other symptoms such as sudden changes in intestinal transit, feeling heavi in the region, excessive fatigue and weight loss.
How to treat it: In case of suspected cancer, especially in case of a family history of the disease, it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy or other tests, such as CT scans, to confirm the diagnosis and begin appropriate treatment. Understand how this type of cancer can be treated.
Whatever the cause, it’s important to see a doctor when
In addition, preventive tests, such as a colonoscopy, are very important if there is a family history of serious bowel problems.