Blood from the anus - causes, diagnosis and treatment of bleeding from the anus

Causes of bleeding from the anus

If you notice blood on toilet paper after bowel movements, even if the process of bowel movement occurs without pain, you should definitely consult a proctologist for advice in order to establish the cause of the bleeding, start treatment in a timely manner and avoid possible complications.

Why does blood appear from the anus after stool in both men and women:

A fairly common factor is hemorrhoids (enlargement of the veins of the rectum). Scarlet blood appears from the anus during defecation.
Anal fissure is the second most common cause of rectal bleeding. The disease is characterized by a burning sensation during bowel movements, sometimes accompanied by acute pain (patients describe it as cutting and then squeezing). Bloody discharge appears in both small and copious portions.
Inflammatory diseases of the colon.
The presence of benign formations (polyps). A characteristic symptom is the discharge of blood from the rectum after defecation. The blood is darker, often with mucus.
The presence of a malignant tumor of the rectum. Blood of different colors may be released. Quite often, the blood released does not differ in any way from the blood that is released, for example, from hemorrhoidal tissue. And if the presence of hemorrhoidal disease only worsens the quality of life (hemorrhoidal tissue never degenerates into a malignant tumor), then the presence of a benign formation or a malignant tumor can be harmful to health and life-threatening, which is why you should not try to independently determine the source.

Only a coloproctologist can determine the true cause of bleeding from the anus and select the appropriate treatment. Timely diagnosis allows for effective conservative and minimally invasive treatment.

Blood in the stool: possible causes

People usually do not attach importance to the process of defecation, and even less so to its result. However, sometimes it is still worth paying attention to your own stool, so as not to miss changes that require medical intervention. So, blood in the stool is often not only a bright, but also a menacing messenger of possible trouble, and you need to know the enemy by sight.

Where can blood come from?

Normally, at the end of the digestive act, masses of a uniform color are formed due to pigments. There is no blood, or more precisely, red blood cells. If at any stage the integrity of the epithelial cover and the blood vessels underneath is compromised, the red blood cells mix with the contents and change the color of the stool at the exit depending on their number and the location of the bleeding.

The bright red color of stool is given by unchanged red blood cells, which signal problems in the lower gastrointestinal tract - the large intestine. Bleeding from the esophagus, stomach or small intestine looks different - red blood cells are exposed to hydrochloric acid, enzymes and intestinal contents and turn the stool dark red or red-brown. Such a change is not always visible to the naked eye and requires laboratory confirmation methods, so we will look at the main reasons for the appearance of unchanged blood in the stool.

Haemorrhoids

One of the most common causes is hemorrhoids, which affects about 10% of the adult population aged 30 to 50 years. This disease affects men several times more often.

Special veins - cavernous bodies - become deformed and enlarge, forming the well-known hemorrhoids under the intestinal mucosa. Since they are abundantly supplied with blood and, unlike other veins, have a connection with arteries, when the intestinal wall is damaged, the blood is released scarlet, does not mix with feces, or leaves bright marks on toilet paper.

Hemorrhoids “bleed” after defecation. Bleeding from hemorrhoids is the main manifestation of this insidious disease. It does not stop well and, if prolonged, can lead to the development of anemia, so it deserves close attention.

Cracks

Another problem in the anus is an anal fissure. It is a tear where the rectal mucosa meets the skin. And since the integrity of the cover is broken, the appearance of blood will not be long in coming. But in this case, blood is released in droplets, not as abundantly as with hemorrhoids, and small stripes on the surface of the stool are noticeable in the stool. This phenomenon is not always obvious; a sharp, even burning pain during defecation, which often lasts several hours after it, can be more alarming.

Oncology

Rectal cancer is one of the most “evil” cancer diseases. It develops unnoticed for a long time, and in this situation, paying attention to yourself will be a good help, since the main early manifestation of the disease is blood in the stool.

Bleeding in cancer is caused by ulceration of the tumor surface and traumatization by feces; it is rarely massive and more often looks like a small amount of dark red impurities. But you should not be immediately alarmed if you discover something like this, since this is only one of the signs and it is necessary to take into account pain, the presence of mucus in the stool or difficulties in defecation, as well as general symptoms. A doctor will help you figure it out.

Ulcer

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis also causes bleeding and the appearance of red blood cells in the stool. The very name “ulcerative” indicates the formation of a defect - “ulcer”, which in this disease affects the mucous membrane of the colon.

UC, as doctors affectionately call it, occurs with periods of exacerbation, when inflammation acquires pronounced features. As a result, the capillaries of the mucous membrane expand, the epithelium becomes necrotic, and blood appears in the stool. At the same time, the very nature of the stool changes - it becomes more frequent, thins out, and patients are often bothered by “bloody” diarrhea. Blood in the stool can be either abundant, covering it, or in the form of impurities - it all depends on the extent of the lesion.

This disease is often accompanied by anemia, since the intestine bleeds every time there is an exacerbation, and in some cases there is no relief at all.

Intestinal inflammation

Another inflammatory disease characterized by blood in the stool is proctitis, i.e. inflammation of the rectal mucosa. The causes of proctitis can be very different, from radiation to parasites, and it is always important to find out them in order to successfully fight the disease. The nature of the stool will help suggest proctitis - bloody discharge in the form of impurities, usually light.

Discharge color and disease

bright red, scarlet blood from the anus on toilet paper or underwear, drops at the end of a bowel movement (stool) - hemorrhoids or anal fissure;
red color of blood during anal bleeding - cancerous tumor, intestinal polyp;
dark blood clots - tumors of the distal colon, diverticulosis;
cherry-colored blood from the anus - pathology of the colon;
black, tarry stools - diseases of the stomach, duodenum and small intestine.

IMPORTANT!

Bleeding is a serious symptom, after the appearance of which you cannot postpone a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, blood from the anus can cause diseases such as a tumor of the rectum or colon. And in the worst case, this tumor may turn out to be malignant. Blood can also occur as a result of injury to a polyp - a benign tumor. Long-term polyposis can be a sign of colon cancer.

Blood mixed with stool

Another clinical variant of bleeding from the anus may be bloody discharge mixed with feces. In this case, the blood can be either unchanged (bright red) or partially digested (dark). This depends on the activity of blood loss and the location of the source in relation to the anus. The relationship is directly proportional: the shorter the distance and the more active the blood loss, the fresher the blood looks among the feces. Typically, the sources of such anal bleeding are:

Neoplasms of the colon and sigmoid colon;
Polyposis or single large polyps of the large intestine;
Colon diverticula.

If this type of bleeding from the anus exists for a long time, then there is a high probability of its transition to profuse bleeding, in which there is a release of fresh blood in large quantities.

Fiber colonoscope is the most effective device for diagnosing the causes of bleeding from the anus

Bleeding pattern and disease

Regular heavy bleeding not associated with bowel movements - diverticulosis, polyposis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rectal or colon cancer;
Blood mixed with feces - cancer of the rectum and colon;
Bleeding with diarrhea - dysbiosis, irritable bowel syndrome;
Discharge of blood with mucus or pus - internal hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse or polyp;
Severe bleeding with mucus - proctitis, colitis, rectal cancer.

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Causes of blood

The following diseases can lead to the appearance of blood traces after defecation:

Cracks in the anal passage, hemorrhoids, proctitis,
Polyposis, tumors in the rectum,
Crohn's disease, nonspecific ulcerative colitis,
Infections in the intestines: amoebiasis, dysentery, salmonellosis, etc.,
Intestinal thrombosis, including vascular pathology and mesentery,
Helminth infestation
Open gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer.

Diagnosis and treatment

When faced with an intimate problem, especially such as bleeding from the anus during bowel movements, you can get confused, especially if you don’t know about the methods of diagnosing and treating such ailments or don’t understand which doctor to contact.

A proctologist or coloproctologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases of the colon, rectum and anus, as well as problems of the sacrum, coccyx and perineum. You should not postpone a visit to this specialist if there is blood from the anus after stool.

A proctologist will listen to complaints and the history of their occurrence, and to determine the cause of the appearance of blood from the rectum, he may perform the following procedures:

Digital examination of the rectum: a primary research method that makes it possible to assess the condition of the anus and identify possible pathologies in the form of neoplasms, anal fissures, uncharacteristic discharge, and bleeding.

After a digital examination, the coloproctologist, if necessary, prescribes further diagnostic methods using special equipment:

Anoscopy. This is an examination of the last 3-7 cm of the rectum; it is in this area that almost half of the sources of visible bleeding are located. There are several types of anoscopes (straight, conical, with and without a cutout, transparent and not transparent), each of them is used strictly according to indications, but any of these types allows you to perform a full examination of the anal canal and lower ampullary rectum. Anoscopy is used when performing minimally invasive methods of treating hemorrhoids (ligation, sclerotherapy), as well as performing a number of surgical interventions (bipolar coagulation). As a rule, no preparation is required to perform diagnostic anoscopy; preparation is required for anoscopy for therapeutic purposes.
Sigmoidoscopy or rectoscopy (RRS or RRS) is a diagnostic procedure using a special device with a camera. It makes it possible at the initial appointment to quickly and painlessly visually assess the condition of the rectal mucosa, identify the presence of mucosal formations and compression of the intestine. During rectoscopy, up to 20 cm of the intestine is examined (the entire rectum and the place of its transition to the sigmoid). Preparation is required for rectoscopy.
Colonoscopy is the most informative method of examining the large intestine compared to others. It is carried out using a flexible fiber colonoscope equipped with a high-resolution camera that will show even the smallest sources of bleeding. The procedure is also prescribed for the purpose of endoscopic removal of colon formations. A colonoscopy is performed by an endoscopist.

The appropriate method of treating the disease is determined and prescribed by the doctor. You should not engage in self-treatment and neglect contacting a coloproctologist.

When is it time to sound the alarm?

Imprints and drops of blood on paper after bowel movement can be an independent symptom of the disease. Sometimes before their appearance, people suffer from bowel problems, such as diarrhea or prolonged constipation with hard stool.

In many cases, bleeding from the intestines is a sign of hemorrhoids. Patients with this disease find red-brown marks on their underwear after severe physical exertion or bowel movements. Bleeding is often observed in women during pregnancy. This is due to the heavy load on the pelvic internal vessels, since the child in the womb puts pressure on them. But this phenomenon is not considered normal, so a woman should definitely tell her doctor about the blood.

Before visiting a proctologist for research, you need to carefully look at the color of the discharge, track the time of its appearance, as well as the events preceding it. In some cases, girls confuse traces of blood from the anus with vaginal discharge, which may be caused by endometriosis. In any case, both the first and second phenomena become a reason for examination.

Read also: Causes of hemorrhoids after cesarean section, what provokes its development and treatment methods

Intestinal problems

How to prepare for the examination?

The own research of specialists from the proctology department of the Altermed clinic made it possible to make a visit to a proctologist as easy and comfortable as possible. There is no longer any need to fast the day before and plan the procedure for the morning. In the proctology departments of Altermed, a way has been found to successfully cope with all these difficulties. This is Microlax bowel preparation.

The use of Microlax microenemas makes fasting unnecessary, does not require special equipment or premises, and saves a lot of time. The laxative effect occurs 5-15 minutes after administration of the drug. The quality of bowel cleansing is such that treatment can begin immediately after rectoscopy and anoscopy. If it is necessary to use during pregnancy and lactation, Microlax does not require special precautions.

The Proctology Clinic provides diagnostics using the most modern equipment. The best doctors in St. Petersburg - both men and women - and a delicate approach are at your service.

Associated symptoms

Often, intestinal bleeding is accompanied by pain in the peritoneum or anus. But in many cases, the symptoms are of a different nature, when the leakage of blood indicates the development of a specific disease:

If blood flows profusely, the patient has low blood pressure, paler skin, and is dizzy, then this indicates blood loss and anemia,
With rectal fissures and hemorrhoids, the patient feels spasms in the sphincter area, and the anus itches or itches,
Grabbing and cutting pain in the abdomen signal the development of ulcers, colitis, the likelihood of a tumor in the intestinal tract, as well as possible dysentery,
An increase in body temperature during bleeding is a symptom characteristic of infectious diseases.

If accompanying symptoms are observed, the patient must tell the doctor about them so that he can draw up the most complete picture of the complaints. This will help him in further diagnosis.

Treatment tactics

The goal of treatment will be to eliminate the disease that led to bleeding from the rectal passage. If this symptom is accompanied by stool disorders, the doctor will first take measures to normalize it. For constipation, laxatives are prescribed, and for diarrhea, drugs that slow down peristalsis are prescribed. If the bleeding is severe, then hemostatic medications should be used. For hemorrhoids, suppositories and ointments are prescribed that relieve pain and relieve inflammation. In the most advanced cases, the problem must be solved by surgery to remove lumps, polyps, ulcers, etc.

To ensure that your health never fails, you need to go to the hospital on time, because the initial symptoms and stages of diseases will be treated much faster and easier than advanced pathologies.

Read also: How hemorrhoids are treated in children: treatment methods for infants and older age categories