When to See a Specialist About Blood in the Stool

Below, your trusted hepatology specialist in Los Angeles will help you determine when blood in your stool is no big deal, and when to see a specialist about blood in the stool. It is a good idea to stay in touch with your doctor either way, as keeping your bowel movements regular is key to maintaining all other types of physical health.

Do You Have Any of the Following Symptoms?

While blood in the stool is not something that should be happening every day, it is only a serious issue if it is accompanied by other symptoms. You should get in touch with your doctor if you have blood in your stool and:

• You are more tired or fatigued than usual
• You are running a fever
• There is pain and cramping in the abdomen before and after you go to the bathroom
• You are having bowel movements a lot more frequently (or a lot less frequently)
• You are abnormally tired

Blood in your stool can look like a few different things. It can either appear as blood in the toilet, blood on the toilet paper after you have wiped, or red-colored stool. Depending on the cause of your symptoms, you might be dealing with a serious medical issue.

Major Causes of Bloody Stool

What could be causing you to have blood in your stool? This is what your doctor is going to help you find out. Although sometimes, the root cause of your medical issues may not be completely clear. Your doctor will likely want to test for common conditions such as:

• Hemorrhoids, which are swollen blood vessels near your rectum or anus. This is one of the most common causes of blood in the stool that isn’t medically serious. Treatment is still recommended ASAP as hemorrhoids can be very painful to deal with.
• Anal Fissures, which are external tears along the lining of the anus. This can cause bleeding in the stool when untreated.
• Colorectal cancer, which may be present if you have had untreated blood in the stool for a long period of time.
• Colitis, an intestinal condition marked by the inflammation of the colon. Gastrointestinal issues often cause irritation in or near the rectum, resulting in blood that comes out with the stool.

Maybe you noticed a little bit of blood in your stool one time. But you don’t see any more after that. Then you may not be dealing with a serious issue. But even if you aren’t overly concerned, it is worth visiting your doctor for a full diagnosis just to be certain.

Getting Treatment

Depending on the cause of your bloody stool, there are a number of accessible treatment options available to you. Hemorrhoids can be treated through laxatives, warm baths, and topical ointments to reduce the swelling over time. Other, more serious conditions like polyps or colorectal cancer may require more intensive treatments that your doctor will speak to you about in length.

For many patients, bloody stool simply means that there is some sort of rip or tear near the anus. Switching to a better diet, wiping more gently in the bathroom, and applying soothing ointments can help reduce the likelihood of finding blood in your stool again.

Get Expert Colorectal Care with Dr. Tabib

The office of Dr. Tabib is your number one source for getting help with all types of gastrointestinal bleeding in Los Angeles. Whether you are worried about seeing blood in your stool or you want a further diagnosis for a condition you already have, we can help you create realistic and attainable steps towards a future of good health. Get in touch with us today to schedule your personalized consultation.

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Should Hemorrhoids Be Painful?

Hemorrhoids usually occur when the rectum undergoes too much pressure, forcing the veins to strain and swell up. Several other factors can contribute to the likelihood of hemorrhoids, including:

• Being pregnant
• Being constipated and straining while having bowel movements
• Heavy lifting that strains muscles in the lower half of the body
• Sitting on the toilet for long periods of time
• Having a low-fiber diet
• Aging, as vein tissues weaken over time

Hemorrhoids don’t typically cause further complications, but they can be very uncomfortable to deal with and so doctors typically suggest that you remove your hemorrhoids right away. The two main types of hemorrhoids – internal and external – can determine the best course of action for treatment.

Types and Treatment of Hemorrhoids

Treatments vary depending on the type and the severity of your hemorrhoids. Some milder cases can be treated using home remedies and rest, while other hemorrhoids may need more invasive procedures.

Internal Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids rarely cause pain or discomfort because they are inside the rectum. You may feel some straining or discomfort when you try to pass a stool, or you may bleed after bowel movements without feeling any pain. This symptom is a good indication of internal hemorrhoids and you should get help from your doctor right away.

External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids can be very painful and obtrusive. These occur on the outside of the rectum and can be visible when they grow very big. Hemorrhoid pain can prevent you from being able to sit or lay down comfortably, making it difficult to perform even the simplest of daily tasks with ease. External hemorrhoids are pretty obvious and should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.

Levels of Treatment

Hemorrhoids are usually treated with a combination of medications and home remedies. Hydrocortisone cream can help to reduce the swelling in the rectum, letting the hemorrhoids grow smaller over time. If that isn’t enough to get rid of them, the doctor may suggest different types of procedures. Rubber band ligation essentially “kills” the hemorrhoid by suffocating it with a rubber band until it dies and withers away. There is also injection therapy or laser surgery to remove each hemorrhoid and help the affected space heal over.

As a last resort, and only in the most major cases, hemorrhoid removal surgery can be performed to remove all of the tissue causing excessive bleeding and pain. A combination of pain killers and a hot bath will relieve pain while recovering from such a procedure.

Get the Best Hemorrhoid Treatment Today

At the office of Dr. Tabib, we offer state-of-the-art hemorrhoids treatment in Los Angeles to patients who are struggling with external or internal hemorrhoids. It can be difficult to discover hemorrhoids when there are no symptoms of pain, but that is why it is important to receive regular check-ups to keep your internal organs free from continuous damage. Get in touch with our pros today to learn more about hemorrhoid symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. We can set you up with a custom treatment plan that will best serve your needs. Contact us today!

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What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids affect your rectal area. They can be either external on the surface of the buttocks, or internally in the anus. Hemorrhoids are essentially swollen veins in this area of your body. Because they become swollen, they stretch to the point of discomfort and pain. Hemorrhoid pain is made worse by the fact that you sit down quite often on the affected area, and that the pressure of bowel movements can cause flare-ups. The external hemorrhoids can sometimes be seen if they are bad enough to form a lump.

What are the Symptoms of Hemorrhoids?

There are several symptoms of internal and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are the milder of the two and are relatively painless. Since they are far enough inside the rectum, the external force of sitting down doesn’t exacerbate them. Although pain isn’t a big issue, you will still have some other similar symptoms. You may see some blood in your feces, or on the toilet paper after wiping. This is possible for both external and internal conditions. External hemorrhoids are the ones that cause more uncomfortable symptoms. Pain, swelling, and itchiness are the worst symptoms due to the external nature of these hemorrhoids.

Why am I Getting Hemorrhoids?

The main association for hemorrhoids is pressure in the anus. This means that chronic conditions of constipation and bowel movement strain are the main culprits. People with these problems usually spend a long time sitting on the toilet, which can add to the occurrence. Essentially, anything that affects the blood flow to the rectum creates an environment for these vessels to swell. There has been some association found with genetics. If you have a family member who has hemorrhoids, you are more likely to get them too. The pressure that causes hemorrhoids isn’t just exclusive to bowel movements though. The pressure exerted while exercising can cause them. The additional weight and strain from pregnancy is a pretty common cause. Even poor diet and health can add to the likelihood of having hemorrhoids.

How do you Manage Having Hemorrhoids?

If you are suffering from hemorrhoid pain and want to know your treatment options, Dr. Tabib is the best place to start for expert medical advice. Since the main cause of hemorrhoids is constipation or trouble performing regular bowel movements, your diet could be the cause. If you have a diet low in fiber, you will inevitably have trouble on the toilet. This heightens the likelihood of having hemorrhoids and makes life with them that much worse. The best way to add more fiber to your diet is with natural foods, like whole grains, beans, fruits, oatmeal, and vegetables. But if you can’t swallow it, then try using a fiber powder that can be consumed for supplemental purposes.

A 30-minute brisk walk has been known to help alleviate the bowels as well. For immediate relief of the symptoms, there are topical ointments that can be used. These creams will temporarily numb the area it is applied to. If hemorrhoids will not go away and are becoming unbearable, there are surgical options. You can remove the clot that is causing stress to the vein. This is the most intense option and should be done more as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted.

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