Presence of Blood in Stool
The presence of blood in stool is an important diagnostic indicator that may signal various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. Blood can be visible or detected only in laboratory tests (hidden blood).
- Absent: normal result. Indicates no bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Hidden blood: detected by laboratory tests. May indicate:
- peptic ulcer disease of the stomach or duodenum,
- polyps and tumors of the intestines,
- Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis,
- early-stage hemorrhoids,
- parasitic infections (e.g., hookworm).
- Visible blood:
- Bright red blood — indicates bleeding in the lower parts of the intestines (rectum, sigmoid colon), hemorrhoids, anal fissures.
- Dark or black (tarry stool, melena) — indicates bleeding in the upper parts (stomach, small intestine), possible in ulcers or erosive gastritis.
Detection of blood in stool requires careful evaluation and may necessitate additional investigations (colonoscopy, gastroscopy, blood tests). Self-diagnosis and self-treatment are not recommended.