Bhanu Garg in Health

What kind of Doctor to See for Blood in Stool 2023 Updated

Blood in stools is one of the serious issues that is associated with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. If you are a patient of heavy rectal bleeding, you must immediately look for a doctor. The doctor may help you with the GI tract and its related diseases. The GI tract of the human body includes the stomach, large intestine or colon, and small intestine. Seeing blood in the stool can be a serious health issue unless you know the reason behind this. It can be a sign of cancer and may also lead to some other less serious conditions. There can be chances of different medical conditions for blood in the stool such as bad diarrhea and constipation. However, if you or anyone you know is going through adverse issues of blood in stool, you can connect with the experts of Arka Hospital.

What are the possible causes of blood in the stool?

There can be multiple causes of blood in the stool. All of these causes are individual medical issues that possess different symptoms and ways to diagnose or treat.

Hemorrhoids

This kind of medical condition happens because of the swollen veins inside the anus. It is one of the most common causes of bleeding in the anus. There is nearly one person in every 20 people worldwide, who is impacted by hemorrhoids. This type of medical condition becomes common with age. It occurs in the rectum or the final part of the colon and around the outer area of the anus. The blood in this medical condition is usually bright red. Other symptoms of hemorrhoids include:

Anal itching
Pain, and
Sometimes, there can be chances that the impacted person may not be able to identify the blood in the stool

In some rare cases, anal pain develops because of the blood clot inside the anus. This is known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid.

Anal fissures

It is sometimes called anal ulcers. In actuality, these are the small tears in the lining of the anus. They are caused by the formation/production of:

straining while having a bowel movement
diarrhea
large stools
anal sex
childbirth

Anal fissures are one of the common types of medical disease in infants. If you, anyhow, experiencing anal fissures, you may also experience other symptoms like:

pain during, or after a bowel movement
anal spasms
itching
a lump or skin tag

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

It is used as one word for many of the diseases related to bowel movements. This may include illnesses related to the colon, and bowel. For example, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In reality, these are autoimmune diseases, which cause the human body to mistakenly attack its own cells. The body sends white blood cells to the digestive tract, where the chemicals are released causing damage to the bowel. This can also lead to inflammation in the bowel. Blood in stool is often a symptom of IBD. But, there can be chances that you may develop the symptoms of blood in stool because of other causes like:

diarrhea
abdominal cramping or pain
bloating
the urge to have a bowel movement
weight loss
anemia

Colorectal cancer

Heavy rectal bleeding can also be the cause of colorectal cancer, which is the cancer of the colon or rectum. Most colorectal cancers are associated with the production of polyps, which are small and noncancerous tumors. They grow in the lining of the colon or rectum. In addition to bleeding, there can be chances that you may develop the symptoms like:

a change in bowel habits
very narrow stools, like a pencil
abdominal pain
unexplained weight loss
fatigue

Infection

Infection is another possible cause of blood in the stool. It can cause the symptoms of diarrhea, which is also known as dysentery. Dysentery is the cause of the majority of bacterial and parasitic causes. It is important to note that you must get yourself checked early if you notice the sign of

Heavy rectal bleeding. This needs to be treated as early as possible. Bacterial causes which result in the development of all these foodborne diseases include:

Shigella
Salmonella
Campylobacter
the hemorrhagic type of E. coli

Which type of doctor to see?

Gastroenterologist for blood in stool:

Your doctor may help you examine the anus and visually have the look at the body part. He/she may check for any cancer or external hemorrhoids. Your doctor may also like to examine your body part internally with the help of gloves. He/she may like to insert a lubricated finger to check for any kind of abnormality in the lower rectum or anal canal. If possible, he/she may also perform the procedure called colonoscopy. In this procedure, your doctor may insert a flexible lighted tube which may be about the thickness of a finger to examine the entire colon of your body. You may also be given sedative medications, so that you may feel sleepy. The doctor will then check for any kind of abnormality with your body part. An alternative to evaluate the bleeding is to follow the process of sigmoidoscopy.

Proctologists for blood in stool:

Proctologists are surgeons who help in diagnosing and treating the diseases or disorders related to the rectum, anus, and entire gastrointestinal tract. The word proctologist has become outdated. The new name for such specialists is “colorectal surgeon” or “colon and rectal surgeon.” They are the surgeons who perform a variety of diagnostic tests and surgical procedures. They help you with the procedures like anoscopy, colonoscopy, digital rectal exam, endorectal ultrasound, proctoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy.

Also, you should not seek the help of blood in stools directly from your colorectal surgeon until your general practitioner refers to the specialist. You may also look for a specialist if you have developed the following symptoms:

anal itching or burning
bleeding from the anus
anal or rectal pain
anal warts, bumps, or the sensation of a foreign body
fecal incontinence

It is very much important that you should understand the extent of your symptoms. This may help your colorectal surgeon to help you with your understanding. You must try to gain knowledge with respect to the symptoms of illness or how your body reacts. However, it may become harder for your surgeon to identify the triggers unless or until you notice the symptoms by yourself. You should explain the same to your doctor in case you see any new change. That is why it is crucial to speak openly to your colorectal surgeon. Otherwise, you may have to go through unnecessary tests and diagnosis or treatments. This will impact you financially and medically.

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