Rectal Bleeding

Even though rectal bleeding might be caused by a harmless condition, finding blood in the stool is frightening. Naturally, morbid thoughts begin to race in our mind. Rectal bleeding is often the first sign of serious conditions such as colon cancer and stomach cancer. Blood in the stool can be bright red, maroon, or black. The color of the blood is a good indicator as to the culprit of bleeding. Moreover, some rectal bleeding is invisible to the naked eye, and only detected by stool samples. It is important for those who experience rectal bleeding to understand that several conditions may lead to this problem. Nonetheless, disregarding rectal bleeding would be foolish. Common causes of rectal bleeding include:

Anal fissures
Colon cancer
Stomach cancer
Hemorrhoids

What are Anal Fissures?

Anal fissures are cuts or tears that occur near the opening of the anus. Fissures are an extremely common condition. This condition affects people of all ages, both males and females equally. Moreover, most rectal bleeding that occurs in infants is the direct result of anal fissures. In addition to bleeding, fissures may cause moderate to severe pain when having a bowel movement.

Anal fissures are caused by trauma. This trauma generally occurs during a bowel movement. Hard stools are the primary culprit. Individuals who suffer from constipation have a natural tendency to strain their bowels in order to pass a stool. Recurrent diarrhea may also cause anal fissures. In addition, medical procedures that warrant insertion in the anus, such as an endoscope or ultrasound, may be the root of anal fissures.

The most common symptom of anal fissures is pain during and following a bowel movement, and rectal bleeding. For the most part, the pain is so severe that many avoid having a bowel movement. However, this complicates the situation because ignoring the urge to pass a stool will result in constipation or impacted stools.

What is Colon Cancer?