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What Causes Blood In Stool?
Question: I am 41 yr old male...active, healthy...had colonoscopy 9 yrs ago was found to be hemmroids...had a strad of bright red blood in stool a week ago..none since. Feel bloating in lower abdomen...stools are regular a bit broken up usually. no dark or tarry stools. No more blood since last week. A lot of gas too. Worreid it cud be cancer, but i have no history, other than my grandmother at age 80. I eat healthy, dont smoke but do drink alcohol a few times per week. Also I run a lot, so some low back pain and hip flexor stuff, but thats it.
Brief Answer:
Colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Blood in the stool means there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. Sometimes the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by a fecal occult test (which checks for hidden blood in the stool). At other times it may visible on toilet tissue or in the toilet after a bowel movement as bright red blood. Bleeding that happens higher up in the digestive tract may make stool appear black and tarry.
Possible causes of blood in stool include:
Diverticular disease. Diverticula are small pouches that project from the colon wall. Usually diverticula don't cause problems, but sometimes they can bleed or become infected.
Anal fissure. A small cut or tear in the tissue lining the anus similar to the cracks that occur in chapped lips or a paper cut. Fissures are often caused by passing a large, hard stool and can be painful.
Colitis. Inflammation of the colon. Among the more common causes are infections or inflammatory bowel disease.
So in your case as your grandmother also had cancer i would suggest u do a colonoscopy test to rule out malignancy along with a faecal occult blood test.
Hope i have answered your query
Regards
DR De
Colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Blood in the stool means there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. Sometimes the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by a fecal occult test (which checks for hidden blood in the stool). At other times it may visible on toilet tissue or in the toilet after a bowel movement as bright red blood. Bleeding that happens higher up in the digestive tract may make stool appear black and tarry.
Possible causes of blood in stool include:
Diverticular disease. Diverticula are small pouches that project from the colon wall. Usually diverticula don't cause problems, but sometimes they can bleed or become infected.
Anal fissure. A small cut or tear in the tissue lining the anus similar to the cracks that occur in chapped lips or a paper cut. Fissures are often caused by passing a large, hard stool and can be painful.
Colitis. Inflammation of the colon. Among the more common causes are infections or inflammatory bowel disease.
So in your case as your grandmother also had cancer i would suggest u do a colonoscopy test to rule out malignancy along with a faecal occult blood test.
Hope i have answered your query
Regards
DR De
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
I had a colonoscopy 9 yrs ago....does that help my situation? Can a cancer grow that quickly and also considering my age?
Brief Answer:
Confirmatory test
Detailed Answer:
Hi
As you are having family history of your grandmother having cancer it is better to be on safe side by having a colonoscopy test.
Cancer can grow very quickly so colonoscopy test is suggested.
It will differentiate between haemmroids and any cancerous growth.
Regards
DR De
Confirmatory test
Detailed Answer:
Hi
As you are having family history of your grandmother having cancer it is better to be on safe side by having a colonoscopy test.
Cancer can grow very quickly so colonoscopy test is suggested.
It will differentiate between haemmroids and any cancerous growth.
Regards
DR De
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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