What doctor should I see for blood in stool?
What kind of doctor treats rectal bleeding? Rectal bleeding usually is managed by a gastroenterologist, a colon and rectal surgeon, or a proctologist.
Are bloody stools normal?
Common benign (non-serious) causes — If you see a small amount of bright red blood on the toilet paper after wiping, on the outside of your stool, or in the toilet, this may be caused by hemorrhoids or an anal fissure. Both of these conditions are benign, and there are treatments that can help.
Can blood stools be harmless?
Blood found in your feces (stool), on toilet paper or in the toilet after a bowel movement is often times is harmless, but can signal a serious health condition. Blood in your stool is also sometimes discovered in routine diagnostic tests.
When to call the doctor if you have blood in your stool?
If you have blood in your stool or notice blood in the toilet or on the toilet paper after a bowel movement, call your doctor right away. Do not wait to see if it goes away on its own.
What does it mean when you have a bloody stool?
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).
Where does blood come from in your stool?
If blood is coming from the rectum or the lower colon, bright red blood will coat or mix with the stool. The cause of bleeding may not be serious, but locating the source of bleeding is important. The digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum and anus.
What kind of test to check for blood in stool?
Tests may include: Nasogastric lavage. A test that may tell your doctor whether bleeding is in the upper or lower digestive tract. The procedure involves removing the contents of the stomach through a tube inserted into the stomach through the nose.
What are the reasons for bloody stool?
Typically, bloody stools will be caused by hemorrhoids or anal fissures (with bright red blood or maroon-colored stools), diverticula, ulcers and other problems of the duodenum or stomach (with a black, tarry stool from partial digestion of blood).
What causes blood when you poop?
Blood in the stool (poop) may be caused by irritation when moving the bowels. It can also be caused by straining very hard, by an ulcer or a tumor in the bowel, by hemorrhoids (enlarged blood vessels in or around the anus), or by a low platelet count.
Why your Poop may be red or maroon?
Hematochezia is commonly the reason behind red or maroon colored poop when it is a result of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract or the rectum.
How long does bloody stool last?
Less than a week: Depends on how severe the intussusception was. Usually after successful radiographic reduction, blood in the stool should resolve within a week.