Bloody stools

See your doctor at once if you notice any blood with your bowel movements. Most cases are not serious. But anyone with bloody stools must be seen by a doctor.

Your doctor will decide which tests you ought to have supported your age, other symptoms, and individual situation.

Here are the most common tests doctors use to search out the reason for bloody stools:

• Rectal exam – Your doctor will investigate the skin of your anus. He or she will also use a finger to feel inside the opening.
• Andoscopy – In his or her office, your doctor will put alittle tube into your anus. The tube goes a couple of inches into the rectum (the lower a part of the big intestine). it’s a light on that so the doctor can see inside.
• Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy – For these tests, the doctor puts a thin tube into your anus. Then, he or she advances the tube into your big intestine. the big intestine is also called the colon. The tube contains a camera attached to that, so the doctor can look inside your intestines. During these tests, the doctor may also take samples of tissue to look at under a microscope.

Treatment depends on what is cause your bloody stools. You may not need treatment. If you do, treatments might include:

• Fiber supplements and medicines to keep your bowel movements soft
• Sitting in warm water sometimes every day for about 15 minutes
• Creams and medicines that maintain or inside your anus. These help with pain, itching, and swelling.
• More serious medicines for diseases of the digestive system

If you have hemorrhoids, you can reduce the possibilities of getting bloody stools again by drinking a lot of water and eating various fiber. Fiber is common in fruits, vegetables, and breakfast cereal (table). you may also need medicines to cure constipation (trouble having bowel movements).

In children and babies, bloody stools may be a symbol of:

• Tears in the anus (anal fissures) from large or hard bowel movements
• A condition that produces it hard to digest milk or soy
• Infection by a virus or bacteria, or food poisoning
• Diseases that affect the digestive system
• Foods and medicines that seem like blood but aren’t

If you notice blood in your child’s diaper or bowel movements, take him or her to examine the doctor.