When Should You Worry About Blood in Your Stool?
“Seeing blood in the stool is always alarming,” says Dr. Ford. “While I would never turn a patient away if they came in with this concern, most occurrences are nothing to worry about.”
Once you’ve ruled out constipation and red foods, bloody stool accompanied by abdominal pain, cramping, fever, or diarrhea could indicate a more serious digestive issue.
In this case, a gastroenterologist may decide to run a test on your stool that identifies microscopic amounts of blood, called a fecal occult blood test. This assessment can help inform your diagnosis and provide accurate treatment.
With that said, both Ford and Jodorkovsky point out that certain elements can cause false positives or false negatives in the fecal occult blood test. These include red meat, turnips, broccoli, horseradish, and vitamin C supplements. It’s important to avoid these foods and supplements for several days before the test.
A closer look at the specific color of your stool may also help determine the source of bleeding.
Bright red stool, for example, could mean bleeding is coming from your lower digestive tract in your colon or rectum. Darker red or maroon stool could indicate bleeding in your upper digestive tract or your small intestine. Black or tar-like stool could mean the bleeding is coming from your stomach and could possibly be a sign of ulcers.
If you’re experiencing pain, weakness, or fatigue in addition to bloody stool, it’s important to tell your doctor. Further tests, such as colonoscopies or CT scans, could help you determine what you’re seeing in the toilet bowl.
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