Ads
related to: dark stools causes- ID & IDA Symptoms
Review iron deficiency symptoms,
conditions, and treatment options.
- FDA-Approved Treatment
Read details on an iron treatment
option. Download the brochure now.
- Treatment Safety Info
Review safety info and speak to
your doctor about any concerns.
- Download Patient Brochure
Review information about this
uniquely formulated therapy.
- ID & IDA Symptoms
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Melena is a form of blood in stool which refers to the dark black, tarry feces that are commonly associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. [1] The black color and characteristic strong odor are caused by hemoglobin in the blood being altered by digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria.
“The tarry or stickiness of the stool and the smell are what differentiate true GI bleeding from other causes such as iron supplements, dark foods, and bismuth-containing medications,” he adds.
Problems as simple as serious diarrhea may cause blood in one's stool. Black stools caused by the presence of blood usually indicate a problem in the intestines (the black color is a sign of digested blood), whereas red streaks of blood in stool usually are caused by bleeding in the rectum or anus.
Blood in stool looks different depending on how early it enters the digestive tract—and thus how much digestive action it has been exposed to—and how much there is. The term can refer either to melena, with a black appearance, typically originating from upper gastrointestinal bleeding; or to hematochezia, with a red color, typically originating from lower gastrointestinal bleeding. [6]
Main Menu. News. News
"Blood in the stool is one of the more common symptoms of colon cancer in older patients—less so in younger patients," Dr. Ligresti says. ... "It may result in dark stools, but a small amount of ...
Rapid bleeding may cause syncope. [18] The presence of bright red blood in stool, known as hematochezia, typically indicates lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Digested blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract may appear black rather than red, resulting in "coffee ground" vomit or melena. [2]
Blood may be observed in vomit or in altered form as black stool. Depending on the amount of the blood loss, symptoms may include shock. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by peptic ulcers, gastric erosions, esophageal varices, and rarer causes such as gastric cancer.