Seeing blood in the stool is alarming. Stools that contain blood may appear black, tarry, maroon or red, depending on where the bleeding originates in the gastrointestinal tract, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Blood in the...
Blood in the stool originates from one thing: bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract. The bleed may be slow and chronic or swift and of sudden onset. In diagnosing the cause of blood in the stool the first step is to find the source of the bleed...
Blood in the stool is alarming. It's often due to an injury or disorder of the digestive tract. Appearance of blood in the stool can range from bright red to black and can originate from any part of the digestive tract, according to the University...
Gastrointestinal bleeding or blood when a child passes stool can be, but is not necessarily, a sign of a serious health problem. However, Johns Hopkins Children's Center underscores the importance of finding the source of the bleeding. Bleeding...
Blood in the stool can originate from anywhere in the digestive tract, which runs the entire length from the mouth to the anus. The color of bloody stools is often indicative of what condition is causing the blood, and can range from bright red to...
If you enjoy the taste of an ice-cold soda but would like to stay away from the calories, you may resort to diet soda. Food additives and carbonation found in diet soda can increase gas in your digestive system. This can result in pain, cramping,...
The digestive system is made up of a series of tissues that mechanically and chemically digest food and absorb nutrients into the body to sustain life. The length of the digestive system is lined with membranes that contain specialized digestive...
Bloody stools, medically known as hematochezia, is an alarming condition that can be a sign of a serious medical illness. These stools can actually be bright red or even black in color. Sometimes, the stool may be normal in appearance but contain...
Although bathroom habits are typically a private matter, you might occasionally need to go public with your poop color. Typically, a healthy stool is brown and has a soft, formed consistency. When your stool turns bloody or black, it could...
Although blood in a baby's stool is an alarming sight for parents, it's usually not an an emergency. More often it's an easily resolved problem. Whatever the cause, however, it's always a good idea to give your pediatrician a call.
If you see blood in your child's diaper or in the toilet, it may cause panic and alarm. While blood in the stool can indicate a serious problem, the majority of the time it is caused by a minor condition that is easy to treat or to cure. Call your...
A toddler with constipation may have a small amount of blood on the outside of his stool, from trauma to the delicate rectal tissue as the hardened or larger-than-normal stool passes. A toddler with fever along with bloody diarrhea, especially if...
The portal vein is a large blood vessel that delivers blood from the intestines to the liver. Portal hypertension is an increase in blood pressure in that vein and its branches. Causes for portal hypertension include an increased amount of blood...
Finding blood in your baby's stool can be alarming to a parent. A variety of conditions can cause a bloody stool in an infant. Fortunately, the more common causes are benign. While some conditions causing bloody stool do not require any specific...
Black stools get their color because of the presence of blood in the stool. The blood turns black because the bleeding comes from the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract---which includes the esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small...
Blood in or on your stool can be startling and quite frightening. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that bloody stools can indicate an injury or disorder in your digestive tract. Call your doctor right away so he can run tests and...
The sight of blood in your stool can be alarming. Common causes, however, such as constipation and hemorrhoids, are typically mild and no cause for alarm. A nutritious, fiber-rich diet can help manage or prevent your symptoms. Discuss dietary...
Bloody stools are usually a sign of an injury or other problem in some part of the digestive tract. If this condition worsens when you eat foods containing lactose such as dairy products, it may be caused or aggravated by lactose intolerance. Only...
Blood in your toddler's stool may be the result of a few different problems, and it is often difficult to determine the cause yourself. Because of the potentially dangerous situations, it is best to seek prompt medical attention if you see blood...
Inside the walls of the colon, little pouches have a tendency to form as a person ages. These are called diverticula. When they first appear, the symptoms are generally mild and this is considered diverticulosis. When these diverticula become...
Motrin (ibuprofen) belongs to a group of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs are used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Motrin is commonly used to treat the symptoms of arthritis, fever, menstrual...
Schedule an appointment with your doctor so he can diagnose the specific medical problem that is causing you to have bloody stools. Blood in your stool can be the result of ulcers, hemorrhoids, polyps, colon cancer and many other gastrointestinal...
The body requires an ideal internal environment in order to function properly. The kidneys maintain an ideal internal environment by filtering the blood of excessive and toxic substances and eliminating them through urine production. Kidney stones...
The herbal medicine cascara sagarda, commonly sold as an over-the-counter laxative, can cause several significant side effects. The U.S. National Institutes of Health classify cascara sagrada as a stimulant laxative, noting that its effects are...
The liver is the single largest organ inside the human body. It is also one of the busiest organs in there. The main function of the liver is to act as a filter for the blood, removing any impurity that may be present and releasing the fresh,...
Depo-Medrol, or methylprednisolone, is a corticosteroid that is used to treat inflammation in the body. Drugs.com states that this medication is used to treat conditions that decrease adrenal gland function, asthma, allergies, arthritis,...
Described by Medline Plus, the large intestine is composed of five segments: the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and the sigmoid colon. The primary function of the large intestine is to absorb the remaining water from...
Bloody stool is an abnormal finding. Although on a microscopic scale our bodies discard spent and dead blood cells regularly, visible and/or testable blood in the stool reflects a problem. The presence of bright or dark "tarry" stools is very...
The largest gland in the body, the liver is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen below the ribs. It has a rich blood supply and a duct for collecting bile. It produces plasma proteins and antibodies to fight infection, destroying...
Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammatory conditions of the large intestine and, in some cases, the small intestine. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are examples. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for...
