Blood in stool, what to do now?

Many people want to ignore and hope for the best when they see blood passes through or mixes with stool. Some people are scared of the sign and want to explore the causes behind it. Whatever may be the reason, we should not ignore it and should consult a doctor.
When blood present with stool it is referred to as hematochezia. Blood in the stool can be bright red or dark, black and/or tarry looking that it requires a Surgeon's attention.
The causes may vary from a less serious disease like dysentery to alarming colon cancer. So, you should make it a priority to schedule an appointment with a Surgeon.
If colon cancer is diagnosed in the earliest stages, survival rates are well — over 90 percent. If the cancer is more advanced and has spread beyond the colon, survival rate drops dramatically. The sooner you get a diagnosis the better.
The most common cause of visible blood in the stools in the adult is haemorrhoids (commonly known as piles) and fissure. Other conditions and situations that can cause blood in the stools include colon cancer, non-cancerous growths such as polyps, intestinal infections that can be caused by food-borne pathogens, inflammatory bowel diseases, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen, recent trauma (for example, blood in the stools can occur after colonoscopy examination which only lasts a day or two) etc.
Generally blood in the stool means, there is bleeding somewhere in the large intestine. The color of the blood can be an indication of where the bleeding is occurring. You should consult a surgeon if you notice blood in stool or changes in the color, consistency, or frequency of your bowel movements.
The writer is a Senior Consultant, General & Laparoscopic Surgery, Apollo Hospitals Dhaka.
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