Man worried because he found some blood in his stool

What does Blood in Stool mean

There may be a time when you wipe yourself after you do “number two”, and you see blood on the toilet paper.  You look into the toilet bowl and also see blood in feces floating in the toilet bowl.  Then you ask yourself, what does blood in stool mean?  Pooping blood can cause anyone panic and disruption and so it is important to learn more about this and try to find out the blood in stool causes.

When You Find Bloody Mucus in Stool

Blood in poop is usually caused by hemorrhoids.  The mechanism of this is that there are anal fissures in the rectal area due to the tearing of the lining of the anus when bowel movements are strained.  Blood in feces causes that great concern over one’s health and so it is important to identify properly the bloody mucus in stool.

Identification of Blood in Stool

It is good to know what type of blood is found on the stool to determine the blood in feces causes.  Black colored blood or tarry natured blood in feces means that the bleeding is happening in the gastrointestinal tract which is a level higher in the whole digestive system.  The black color is caused by the stomach acids that tend to turn the red blood into black.  However, if you find blood that is bright red in color, then most probably, the blood is fresh and it comes from somewhere very near in the whole digestive system and we can infer that it is coming from the rectal area.  This is the sign that you are looking for to determine hemorrhoid symptoms.

What are the Causes?

While you may see red stains on the tissue paper, it is still important to double check it with the doctor. Microscopic laboratory testing can determine the main cause of the blood in feces.  In the case of hemorrhoids, blood in stools is usually caused by the veins that erupted due to strain and pressure being placed on them when bowel movements are made highly difficult.  The blood may also come from the tears that can be found in the anal area, which are called anal fissures, that also are caused by pressure and strain.

Tests and Procedures Involved

When you go to your health care provider for assessment of hemorrhoids when you tell them about your blood in stools, they will let you in on a rectal exam to see if there are lumps in the anal cavity and the surrounding area as well as anal fissures.  Further tests can include anoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.

What to Do?

When you see blood in the tissue paper that you used after a bowel movement, consult a doctor for an assessment of your situation.  Hemorrhoids is not something to be afraid of since there are a lot of people all over the world who experience the same thing.  Everyone – males, females, any race and any age, experiences hemorrhoids at one point in their life or another.  It is a treatable condition so you do not have to worry so much about it.

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Filed under: Hemorrhoid Symptoms

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