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Suggest Treatment For Blood In Stool And Hemorrhoid Irritation
Question: My 67 yr old husband has been showing bright red blood with bowel movements for about one week. He also has been passing several clots multiple times daily. He has a hemorrhoid, but denies usual symptoms to hemorrhoid irritation. He has had regular colonoscopies and is due for another in about 2 years. Thank-you for your opinion.
Brief Answer:
Need to see a gastroenterologist promptly.
Detailed Answer:
Bright red blood is usually from the colon, but if it is briskly flowing, can be from anywhere in the digestive tract.
Even if he is not due for another colonoscopy for 2 years, bright red blood from the rectum is a sign that he needs evaluation right now.
The best plan would be if he can get in to see a gastroenterologist in the next few days. If not, he should see his primary in that time.
However, if the bleeding increases he should go to the ER. There they can get a gastroenterologist to come in and see him quickly and probably do a scope of his lower GI tract (colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy) or if they think it is warranted, of the upper tract (upper GI endoscopy).
Possible causes include:
Diverticulosis or diverticulitis: These small outpouchings in the colon wall can become inflamed and cause bleeding.
Anal fissure: These are small tears in the anal lining that can happen after a hard BM. Hemorrhoids can also bleed.
Colitis: Inflammation in the colon wall from inflammatory bowel disease.
Angiodysplasia: A malformed blood vessel can be fragile and bleed.
Peptic ulcers: These are ulcers either in the duodenum (first part of small intestine) or stomach (less common) and can sometimes bleed. Usually if it is coming from the stomach, the stools appear black and tarry from the stomach acids action on the resulting stool, but if it is a brisk bleed, can be bright red.
Polyps or cancer: Polyps can be benign and cause bleeding. They can also turn into cancer. Cancers of the colon can cause bleeding with no other symptoms.
So - I urge him to be seen quickly, and if the bleeding increases, to be seen immediately.
Need to see a gastroenterologist promptly.
Detailed Answer:
Bright red blood is usually from the colon, but if it is briskly flowing, can be from anywhere in the digestive tract.
Even if he is not due for another colonoscopy for 2 years, bright red blood from the rectum is a sign that he needs evaluation right now.
The best plan would be if he can get in to see a gastroenterologist in the next few days. If not, he should see his primary in that time.
However, if the bleeding increases he should go to the ER. There they can get a gastroenterologist to come in and see him quickly and probably do a scope of his lower GI tract (colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy) or if they think it is warranted, of the upper tract (upper GI endoscopy).
Possible causes include:
Diverticulosis or diverticulitis: These small outpouchings in the colon wall can become inflamed and cause bleeding.
Anal fissure: These are small tears in the anal lining that can happen after a hard BM. Hemorrhoids can also bleed.
Colitis: Inflammation in the colon wall from inflammatory bowel disease.
Angiodysplasia: A malformed blood vessel can be fragile and bleed.
Peptic ulcers: These are ulcers either in the duodenum (first part of small intestine) or stomach (less common) and can sometimes bleed. Usually if it is coming from the stomach, the stools appear black and tarry from the stomach acids action on the resulting stool, but if it is a brisk bleed, can be bright red.
Polyps or cancer: Polyps can be benign and cause bleeding. They can also turn into cancer. Cancers of the colon can cause bleeding with no other symptoms.
So - I urge him to be seen quickly, and if the bleeding increases, to be seen immediately.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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