
What Causes Black Tarry Stools And Difficulty In Passing Stool?

Question: for the past 3 days i have been having tar like unformed stools...have hemroids and according to halifax hospital i have diverticuosis unspecified...stools are black, have feeling of needing to expel but upon straining...just get this tar like mush..have the feeling of having to go frequently but not much comes out. also since 2 months ago i have experienced dry hieves and actually vomited on 3 different occasions...my appitite has decreased considerably over the past year..
Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Black tarry stools are often a sign of bleeding in the stomach or esophagus. When blood enters or is in the stomach, the acid in the stomach turns it to a soft, black tarry appearing substance. So this could be a stomach ulcer that is bleeding or other problems with the stomach causing bleeding.
If bleeding is brisk, the blood passed rectally is bright red. But black stools can be from a slower bleed. When blood comes up as vomit, it can look like coffee grounds. If this is happening, I strongly recommend going in to the ER. So it is time to take action.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, General & Family Physician
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Black tarry stools are often a sign of bleeding in the stomach or esophagus. When blood enters or is in the stomach, the acid in the stomach turns it to a soft, black tarry appearing substance. So this could be a stomach ulcer that is bleeding or other problems with the stomach causing bleeding.
If bleeding is brisk, the blood passed rectally is bright red. But black stools can be from a slower bleed. When blood comes up as vomit, it can look like coffee grounds. If this is happening, I strongly recommend going in to the ER. So it is time to take action.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

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