Gastrointestinal bleed bleeding

In some cases, rectal bleeding can be a minor symptom of a condition that can be easily treated. Hemorrhoids, for example, can cause you to experience rectal bleeding. This usually doesn’t last long and hemorrhoids are often easy to treat. However, rectal bleeding can sometimes be a sign of a serious condition

You might see or experience rectal bleeding in a few different ways, including:

• • Seeing blood on your toilet paper when you wipe.
• • Seeing blood in the bowl of the toilet when you are using the bathroom — the water in the bowl might look like it’s been dyed red.
• • Noticing dark red, black or tarry poop while you are having a bowel movement.

Rectal bleeding can be bright red or darker in color. You can also have rectal bleeding without being able to see it. This can happen when you have very small amounts of blood in your stool — called occult bleeding.

What is occult bleeding ?

Sometimes, you can have blood in your stool that’s not visible. This is called occult bleeding. This can be a sign of bleeding inside your digestive tract. It can also signal a more serious condition like an inflammation disease in your intestines or cancer. Occult bleeding is usually found during lab tests that look at a sample of your poop to check for small amounts of blood. This is called a fecal occult blood test and it can be used as a way to screen for possible colorectal cancer. Your healthcare provider might recommend this if you have a family history of colorectal cancer. One thing to keep in mind when you see an unusual color in your poop is what you ate. There are certain foods that can change the color of your stool and make it look red or even black. This is often mistaken for blood in your stool.

What are the symptoms

The symptoms of rectal bleeding can vary depending on what is causing the bleeding. In some cases, rectal bleeding can be a symptom of a serious disease, such as colorectal cancer. It is important to see a gastroenterologist in case of form gastrointestinal bleeding

Some symptoms you might have with rectal bleeding can include:

• • Feeling rectal pain and/or pressure.
• • Seeing bright red blood in or on your stool, underwear, toilet paper or in the toilet bowl.
• • Having stool that’s red, maroon or black in color.
• • Having stool that has a tar-like appearance.
• • Experiencing mental confusion.
• • Feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
• Fainting
• • Experiencing a sudden drop in your blood pressure.
• • Having a fast heart rate.
• • Not being able to urinate.
• • Slipping into unconsciousness.

POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR BLOOD IN STOOL

There are many different reasons why you might experience rectal bleeding. The causes of rectal bleeding can vary from common and mild conditions to more severe and rare conditions that need immediate medical treatment. The source of bleeding can be anywhere between the mouth upto the anal canal and you should see a gastroenterologist for the same

Causes of rectal bleeding can include:

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding

1. Gastric and duodenal ulcers

2. Varices secondary to chronic liver disease

3. Gastric tumors

4. Acute pancreatitis with pseuodo aneurysms

5. Small bowel bleeding

• • Hemorrhoids: The most common cause of rectal bleeding, hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the rectum (internal hemorrhoids) or the anus (external hemorrhoids).
• • Anal fissure: Sometimes confused for a hemorrhoid, an anal fissure is a split or tear in the skin around the anus..
• • Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis: These conditions happen when small pouches — called diverticuli — develop in weakened sections of your intestine. These diverticuli can protrude through the walls of your bowels, causing bleeding and infections.
• • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is swelling of the small or large intestine. There are two types of IBD — crohn’s disease and colitis. Crohn’s disease is a condition where you develop patches of swelling in the digestive tract. In colitis, the swelling is mainly in the large bowel. People with IBD might experience fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, intestinal blockages, and rectal bleeding.
• • Ulcers: When the amount of digestive fluids in your intestines is out of balance, it can damage the lining of your digestive tract and cause ulcers. These can bleed, causing you to have black stool that’s sometimes tar-like in appearance.
• • Large polyps: A polyp can look like a mushroom that’s growing out of the side of your bowel. Large polyps can bleed, causing you to experience rectal bleeding. In some cases, polyps can turn into cancer if left untreated. It’s important to have rectal bleeding related to polyps checked because it could be a sign of colorectal cancer.

Are there any foods that can change the color of my stool in a similar way to rectal bleeding?

Sometimes eating pigmented foods may be the reason for discoloration of stool and may not be actual rectal bleeding.Meet a agstroenetrologist to know more when unusual colors appear in the stool

Can straining too hard for a bowel movement cause rectal bleeding?

Straining too hard during a bowel movement can cause rectal bleeding. This is often related to constipation. When you strain, you can cause conditions like hemorrhoids or anal fissures. Very hard stool can actually cause the skin around your anus to tear, causing you to see blood. Treating constipation can help prevent this from happening.

CARE AND TREATMENT

You will be required to be hospitalised prior to any intervention to find out the cause of bleeding. This is mainly for your safety till the source and cause of bleed can be localised and treated. A massive bleed is better managed in the hospital especially in ICU

Tests to help diagnose the cause of bleeding can include:

• • A physical exam of the rectum and anus.
• • A upper GI endoscopy
• • A colonoscopy.
• • A sigmoidoscopy.
• • Capsule endoscopy to look at the small intestine
• • Spiral enteroscopy to look at source of small bowel bleed

Your gastroenterologist may suggest only one of these tests, or do several of them together to try and discover the cause of bleeding..

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

When do I need to see a doctor about blood in stool ?

It’s usually a good idea to reach out to your gastroenterologist when you see blood in stool.

Dr. Sawan Bhopanna, the top-rated gastrointestinal bleeding doctors in West Delhi, should be your first choice when looking into gastroenterologist specialist in West Delhi. He has more than 13 years experience as the best pancreas specialist doctors Vikas Puri Delhi. He is passionate about many aspects of gastrointestinal bleeding treatment.