Treat Blood in Stool
Numerous ailments are associated with blood in the stool (or in medical terms, hematochezia), but this symptom often indicates an injury or disorder in the digestive tract. The blood color may be bright red, maroon, or black, depending on how close the bleeding site is to the anus. The rule is that the closer the bleeding site is to the anus, the brighter red it will be. So if the bleeding is from the anus, rectum and sigmoid colon, the blood will tend to be bright red, while if the bleeding is from the transverse colon, the blood will tend to be dark red or maroon. If the blood is black then it signifies that bleeding is from the upper gastrointestinal tract.
The ailments associated with blood in the stool may range from harmless, such as hemorrhoids, to life-threatening, such as colon cancer. Other ailments include peptic ulcer, constipation, gastritis, or colorectal polyps.
What should you do when you notice blood in your stool?
