Three causes blood in the stool (which are not colon cancer)

Many people are frightened by the presence of blood in the stool, but can not be something serious

It is much more common than you think, and when it appears, can generate a major concern.

Many people are shocked to see blood in your stool and think they may have something serious, such as colon cancer.

However, there are other common causes that may underlie this symptom, and some are more serious than others.

Fermín Mearin, director of the digestive system service Teknon Medical Centre in Spain, explains what they are.

1. hemorrhoids or anal fissure

Often lead to the presence of red and bright blood in the stool.
"This usually indicates that the blood comes from the bottom of the body and its cause is in the anus or rectum," says Mearin.

Hemorrhoids can not be detected visually, but this can be done through careful Anal operation, by touch or a retoscopia.

An anal fissure can also be diagnosed with a simple operation. This small cut in the anus may appear in people who have constipation and can be very painful.


Only a few cases require surgery hemorrhoids

2. intestinal inflammation

The cause of these inflammatory lesions in the intestine may be ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

"In addition to inflammation, it is customary to have diarrhea and abdominal pain," says Mearin. Typically, affecting the colon - or in the case of small bowel Crohn's disease.

In this case, the stools are red and dark. "The lower and near the anus are inflammation, are redder," explains Mearin.

3. Bleeding in the stomach

A sign of this problem are black, sticky stools. It is recommended to make a gastrocospia to descaratar that it is an ulcer in the stomach or duodenum.

If the dark blood appears mixed with the stool, is likely the colon or some more distant part of the body.

The medical indicate performing a colonoscopy to see if there are colon polyps, cancer and vascular injuries. This can leave the distressed patient, but this feeling is not justified by the statistics.


Medical examinations are important to have an accurate diagnosis

"People get scared to Consulra, but most of them are benign pathologies," says Mearin.

Having more than 50 years or a family history of colon cancer can cause doctors choose to perform an endoscopy to view the status of the colon.

And even if the stool color is a clue, one must take into account the intake of food. The black licorice may, for example, cause black stools. Beets and tomatoes may cause them to become reddish.

Anyway, semprw is detected the blood, it is important to go to the doctor for an accurate diagnosis.