Bloody bowel movements (BAB) is a condition that cannot be underestimated. This condition needs to be treated by giving the right bloody stool medication according to the cause. The reason is, bloody stools can indicate a serious problem in the digestive tract or system.
Bloody stools are generally characterized by the presence of blood in the stool or when you wipe the anal area after a bowel movement.
The appearance of blood in the stool generally indicates that there is bleeding in your digestive tract, especially the lower digestive tract, namely the large intestine, rectum, and anus.
Color and Causes of Bloody CHAPTER
The color and appearance of blood that comes out during bowel movements can indicate the location of bleeding in the digestive tract, namely:
Bright red
Bright red blood that appears on the surface of the stool indicates that there is bleeding in the large intestine, rectum, or anus. These conditions can be caused by:
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal fissure
- Colon polyps or colon cancer
- Intestinal infections
- Abnormalities in the intestinal blood vessels
- Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
- sexually transmitted disease
- Diverticulitis
Dark red or maroon
Dark red or maroon bloody stools mixed with stool usually indicate bleeding in the large intestine or small intestine. This condition can be caused by colitis, diverticular disease, or an intestinal tumor.
Black
Bloody stools that are black in color (melena) and have a bad smell indicate bleeding or sores in the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. This condition can be caused by several things, including:
- Varicose veins in the esophagus and stomach due to cirrhosis of the liver
- Mallory-Weiss syndrome
- Esophageal, stomach, or duodenum cancer
- Inflammation of the stomach or gastritis
- Bleeding stomach ulcer
- Cut off the blood supply to the intestines
Usually, people who experience bloody stools will experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, fainting, and weight loss. However, this depends on the cause, severity, and location where the bleeding occurs.
Treatment of Bloody CHAPTER
If you experience bloody stools, immediately consult a gastroenterologist to get the right diagnosis and treatment based on the underlying cause.
To determine the cause of bloody stools, the doctor will perform a physical examination and supporting examinations which include colonoscopy, gastric endoscopy, examination of blood and feces, as well as X-rays and CT scans of the digestive organs.
After the cause of the bloody stools you are experiencing is known, your doctor may recommend treatment in the form of:
Administration of bloody defecation drugs
The administration of drugs to treat bloody stools is adjusted to the cause. There are several types of bloody stool medications that can be given by doctors, including:
- Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections pylori and bacterial infections in the colon
- Corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs to treat colitis
- Hemorrhoid creams and remedies to treat hemorrhoids
- Chemotherapy to treat colon cancer
Operation
In addition to giving bloody stools, doctors can also perform surgery to remove polyps or the presence of parts of the colon that are damaged by colon cancer, diverticulitis, or inflammatory bowel disease.
Lifestyle changes
Doctors will also generally advise you to make lifestyle changes by eating more fibrous foods and drinking more water so that your stools become soft and the defecation process is smoother.
In addition, diligently eating fiber and drinking enough water are also useful for preventing and alleviating constipation and anal fissures.
In severe bloody stools, bleeding has the potential to cause hypovolemic shock due to large blood loss. This dangerous condition needs to be treated in a hospital immediately.
Doctors will provide fluid therapy through IVs and blood transfusions as soon as possible. During treatment, the patient's condition will be monitored closely by the doctor.
If you experience discolored stools or bloody stools, immediately consult a doctor for proper treatment and medication for bloody stools.