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What does blood in my stool mean?
Blood in the stool means that there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. There are a handful of possible causes of bloody stool. Some of the possible causes are minor issues but it is never a bad idea to contact your gastroenterologist if you are experiencing blood in your stool.
Some of the possible causes of bloody stool are:
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal Fissure
- Colon Polyps
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Diverticulosis
- Colitis
- Colon Cancer
If your stool has bright red blood in it that typically points to an issue lower in the GI tract such as the rectum or anus. If you see darker blood in your stool that typically means that the bleeding is coming from a location earlier in the GI tract like the stomach, small intestine, or colon.
What Should I Do When I See Blood In My Stool?
Blood in your stool can be a sign of something less serious like hemorrhoids or an anal fissure.
However, due to the severity of issues that point to blood in your stool it is important to contact your gastroenterologist right away.
They will be able to diagnose you and the earlier they catch any condition causing blood in the stool the better.