Symptom: blood in the stool

Blood in the stool is a common symptom. The quantity and quality of blood can be different, which, in turn, indicates different diseases.

Blood stains on toilet paper after defecation. This may indicate the presence of small defects in the perianal skin associated with skin inflammation in this area (perianal dermatitis). The causes of this disease can be: a violation of the intestinal flora, a violation of the flora of the vagina, or a local (perianal) infection that "came" from outside (public baths, saunas, swimming pools, etc.) The diagnosis is most often made on initial examination, with an indistinct picture of skin lesions, additional examination is necessary in the form of a smear or seeding from the skin in the anal area. holes (funnels).

Causes of blood discharge

1. The most common cause of blood discharge from the anal canal is hemorrhoids. In this disease, blood discharge most often occurs at the end of defecation, and in the "neglected case" it can be outside of it (when urinating, coughing, sneezing, active movements during the day). The amount of blood can be different - blots on toilet paper, "drops" on underwear, sometimes blood discharge can even be a "jet". Blood is most often bright, scarlet in color, without clots and not mixed with feces (on them or even without them). There is a whole range of causes for the development of bleeding hemorrhoids and many factors that cause an exacerbation of this disease. The most common cause is prolonged, chronic constipation, prolonged sitting on the toilet, heavy physical exertion (including sports), pregnancy, etc. Improper nutrition (abuse of spicy food, spices, alcohol), frequent visits to saunas or baths, frequent flights, etc. can lead to an exacerbation. The diagnosis is most often made at the initial appointment after a detailed medical history (complaints of the patient and the history of his disease) and examination. It is worth noting that in the diagnosis of this disease, not only finger examination is often used, but also examination with an anoscope (rectal mirror) or rectoromanoscopy (the study is conducted by a proctologist, but if necessary, this study requires a little preparation and the doctor will warn you about the time of the study on another day).
2. In 50-70% of cases, blood can be released when (both with the appearance of acute mucosal defects and with exacerbation of chronic ones). The intensity of blood discharge from anal fissures also varies: from blood stains on toilet paper to drops in the toilet bowl. With this disease, the blood will also be a bright scarlet color, without clots and not mixed with feces, it may look like a strip on feces.
3. Blood secretions also accompany diseases such as ulcerative colitis, and other colitis, radiation and other proctitis, Crohn's disease, diverticula, endometriosis, prolapse, rectal invagination, etc.
4. The most terrible disease in which blood appears in the feces is oncological lesion of the large intestine (including cancer of the anal canal and rectal cancer). Blood secretions can begin in small portions and resemble blood secretions in hemorrhoids, which is very dangerous, since the cancer process can develop almost asymptomatically in the initial stages and manifest itself only by blood secretions. The blood can be either scarlet or dark, with clots and mucus.

If you notice the appearance of blood after or during the act of defecation, you should contact a proctologist . The EMC provides a full range of diagnostic, conservative and surgical care for coloproctological diseases of any severity.