When to worry about blood in stool

Diarrhea is a common symptom and most of us are not immediately concerned when it does arise. Usually diarrhea is short-lived, often caused by a virus or bacteria, and many cases will resolve on its own even without treatment.

However, the sign of bleeding with diarrheal stool will scare most people. Often this can be a sign of a very serious underlying condition.

Diarrhea with blood and mucus

The loss of blood coupled with the loss of fluid in diarrhea can lead complications, some of which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Why is there blood in diarrhea?

Blood in the stool is not always a cause for concern.

In fact the blood is often missed in the stool either because it is very little or it has degraded to the point where it cannot be identified. Therefore tests like the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) are done to confirm the presence of blood in the feces.

If positive, it means that there is some source of bleeding within the digestive tract. The walls of the digestive tract have a rich blood supply so any break in these arteries or veins will allow blood to escape and eventually be passed o

diarrhea and blood in stool toddler

diarrhea and blood in stool pregnant