What is the reason for occasional blood in stool

Blood in the stool is a phenomenon that many people have. When symptoms of bloody stools appear, you must not take it lightly, otherwise it may cause greater harm to your health. The specific symptoms of blood in the stool are different, and the diseases they indicate are also different. For example, fresh blood in the stool means that the patient has problems such as hemorrhoids, intestinal polyps, rectal prolapse, anal fissure, etc., while mucus and blood in the stool means that the patient may have diseases such as rectal cancer and colon cancer. The following is some relevant knowledge for you.

1. Bloody stool

Most of the time it is acute (immediate) bleeding, and the blood flows out of the blood vessels and is discharged through the anus with feces in a short time, or flows out directly after defecation. The appearance of the blood flowing out is similar to that of bleeding from external injuries, and its color is bright red, purple red, or dark red. It can coagulate into blood clots after a while. Common in the following diseases:

(1) Hemorrhoids: Internal and external hemorrhoids of all stages and mixed hemorrhoids can cause bleeding in the stool, usually with fresh blood in the stool or blood dripping after defecation. External hemorrhoids generally do not cause bleeding in the stool.

(2) Intestinal polyps are painless bleeding in the stool. Bleeding occurs during bowel movements and stops after bowel movements. The amount of blood varies. Generally, the blood does not mix with the feces. However, if the polyps are located high and the number is large, they may be mixed with the feces.

(3) Rectal prolapse: Bleeding during defecation may occur after a long-term illness.

(4) Anal fissure: Blood in the stool. The bleeding occurs in the form of blood stains on one side of the stool that are not mixed with the stool. Some patients experience blood dripping after defecation.

2. Bloody stool with pus/mucus

That is, the excreted feces contains both pus (mucus) and blood. Purulent (mucous) and bloody stools are often seen in tumors and inflammation in the rectum or colon. The following diseases are common:

(1) Rectal cancer: The blood is fresh or dark red, and there may be mucus in the stool. Blood, mucus, and stool are often mixed.

(2) Colon cancer: As the disease progresses, bleeding in the stool gradually occurs, usually containing pus or mucus, and the blood is dark in color.

(3) Ulcerative colitis: Mucous stool or bloody stool, accompanied by left lower abdominal pain or lower abdominal pain.

(4) Intestinal infectious diseases such as bacillary dysentery, amoebiasis, etc.

3. Black stools

Also known as tarry stools, the stools are black or brownish black. It is one of the most common symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. If the amount of bleeding is small and the bleeding rate is slow, the blood stays in the intestine for a longer time and the feces discharged is black; if the amount of bleeding is large and the bleeding time in the intestine is shorter, the discharged blood is dark red; if the amount of bleeding is particularly large and is discharged quickly, it may also be bright red.

4. Occult blood in stool

Small amounts (trace amounts) of gastrointestinal bleeding will not cause changes in stool color and will only show a positive result in the fecal occult blood test, which is called occult blood in stool. All diseases that cause gastrointestinal bleeding can cause occult blood in the stool, the most common of which are ulcers, inflammation and tumors. A fecal occult blood test detects small amounts (trace amounts) of blood in the stool. Early fecal occult blood tests for intestinal polyps (cancer) may be positive. Regular fecal occult blood testing is an important way to screen (primary screening) for colorectal tumors.