If you notice blood in your stool, or even a little spotting, it is natural to immediately get alarmed. While it will not be bleeding in the literal sense, you may experience some amount of blood while you pass stool. In such a case, the blood will be dark in tint, a dark red or blackish in colour. Sometimes, the bleeding will also be accompanied with pain.
In most cases, you will not need any special treatment to stop the bleeding, and it will stop on its own. However, if you notice blood in your stool on a regular basis, and if it is more than just a few drops, it may point to any of the conditions below.
1. Ulcers
If you have any type of bacterial infection, it can cause peptic ulcers around the upper end of your small intestine or in the stomach lining. As a result, you could notice blood spots in your stool. Reducing or quitting smoking and alcohol consumption can lower your risk of having peptic ulcers. Also, if you are on any type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), speak to your doctor and change your dosage, or get an alternative.
2. Fissures
Fissures are another reason that could cause blood spots in your stool. If you are constipated or pass very hard stools, it can cause cuts or tears in the tissues around your rectum, known as fissures. When these bleed, you will notice blood in the stool. Adding fibre rich food to your diet will help ease your digestive system.
3. Colitis
Colitis is a condition in which there is inflammation in your large intestine or the lining of your colon. It could be because of some infection in your intestine or some problems in your bowel. If you have bleeding due to colitis, you will not see a few spots but will notice more regular bleeding. As colitis is caused mainly by germs, make sure to follow proper washroom hygiene. You could also experience inflammation due to hereditary reasons or due to the auto-immune response of your body.
4. Problems In The Blood Vessels
If you have very fragile blood vessels, you suffer from a condition known as angiodysplasia. In such a condition, you will notice spotting in your stool. In case you also experience weakness or breathing difficulty, get in touch with your doctor.
5. Cancer
This may not always be the cause, but sometimes, if you have any type of cancerous growth in your rectum area, it could cause small amount of spotting in your stool. Do not be alarmed, as spotting can also be caused due to a host of other reasons, as mentioned above. The best way to be sure about the cause and rule out cancer is to go for a colorectal cancer screening test at regular intervals. Speak to your doctor about how often you should be tested.
