One of the biggest fears that afflicts patients who go to a specialist visit, concerns the presence of blood in the stool. Why yes, hemorrhoids are annoying and uncomfortable, but can hemorrhoids cause blood on stool? This question immediately leads to another thought: what if it was a tumor?
Let’s try to analyze the symptoms and shed some light on the pathologies that can lead to bleeding from the anus. We remember, however, that it is always essential to rely on a consultation with a specialist, without improvising in hypothetical self-diagnoses that are potentially very dangerous.
Can hemorrhoids cause blood on stool. What kind of blood?
First of all, it is necessary to distinguish the different types of bleeding that can occur from the anus. Not all blood, in fact, is the same. The blood in the stool that we can find is distinguished by the coloration, which indicates which part of the intestine it comes from.
Bright red blood
Bright red blood is what you notice immediately, usually after a bowel movement. It is made up of drops of bright red blood, which remain as streaks on the toilet paper or in the toilet. The fact that the blood is still liquid, uncoagulated, bright red in color, means that it comes from the last part of the intestine, the one closest to the anus.
In this case it almost exclusively indicates the presence of hemorrhoids or anal fissures. Do not worry unnecessarily, although we advise you not to underestimate the problem and go to a specialist for a visit.
Dark red or black blood
It is easy to spot dark red or black blood because even the feces take on a different color, much darker, due to the presence of partially digested blood inside. The blood that comes from the upper part of the intestine takes this color.
With the recommendation not to be alarmed ahead of time, this symptom could however be linked to more serious pathologies, such as intestinal polyps or the dreaded colorectal cancer.
The dark color of the stool may have been caused by some foods consumed. Try to remember the last things we ate so that you can tell your doctor at the time of the consultation. Large amounts of chocolate or spinach, which contain a large amount of iron, can cause a dark color to the stool. This feature will obviously only be temporary.
Occult blood in the stool
It can only be traced through a specific test, the search for occult blood in the stool. Colorectal cancer, unfortunately, only manifests itself when it is at an advanced stage. For this reason it is important to undergo specific control exams for those who are in the categories most at risk: in particular those over 60, even more so if they are familiar with the problem.
Free screening campaigns are organized to control the development of colorectal cancer. It is an absolutely non-invasive and easy to carry out examination which we recommend to undergo periodically.
Other symptoms of colorectal cancer could be: anemia, periods of constipation alternating with diarrhea, weight loss. In general, it is always important to discuss any doubts with your doctor, who will be able to direct you to the most appropriate check-up procedure.
The other causes of blood in the stools
In addition to hemorrhoids, anal fissures, polyps and colorectal cancer, there are many other diseases that can occur with the presence of blood in the stool.
We often don’t think about it, but an intestinal parasite infection could be the cause of the problem. Amoebiasis, Shigellosis are just some of the possible causes of blood in the stool. Sexually transmitted diseases, such as Chlamydia , also have blood in the stool as one of their symptoms. Other possible causes are:
- Colitis;
- Ulcerative colitis;
- Meckel’s diverticulum;
- Diverticulosis;
- Enteritis;
- Hepatic fibrosis;
- Gastroenteritis;
- Viral gastroenteritis;
- Intestinal infarction;
- Kidney failure.
As you can see, the possible pathologies are various and very different from each other. What matters is not to get scared and talk about the presence of blood in the stool as soon as possible with your doctor. Even the most serious diseases, such as colorectal cancer, if caught early have an excellent chance of recovery.
