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It is unlikely that there will be at least one person who would not notice the appearance of such an alarming symptom as bleeding from the anus.
Regardless of how much blood is released and how often it happens, any person who cares about their health will immediately understand that something is not right with them and, ideally, they will go to the doctor.
Rectal bleeding: cause for panic?
Despite the fact that there are no minor reasons that could provoke such a phenomenon, situations can still be different. Sometimes you can wait a few hours before the start of a new working day and go to the doctor as usual.
But sometimes the situation is urgent: you should call a doctor and often agree to hospitalization. These situations are the following:
Profuse spotting that cannot be stopped;
Vomiting, with contents in which traces of blood are visible;
Bloody discharge from the nasal passages;
Detection of hematomas of bruises, the nature of which is not mechanical (bruise, blow, etc.);
General deterioration of health: increased body temperature, the occurrence of pain in the abdomen.
If, after going to the toilet, you find traces of blood on paper, and one of the listed conditions is present, call an ambulance immediately.
Causes of bleeding from the anus
All existing causes due to which rectal bleeding occurs can be conditionally divided into groups:
Bleeding caused by infectious diseases:
salmonellosis
Enterovirus
Rotavirus
The presence of parasites (worms) in the body
Typhoid fever
Diseases that can be contracted through unprotected intercourse: venereal granuloma, syphilis, genital herpes
Dysentery
Hemorrhagic fevers
Diseases of the blood:
Leukemia
Thrombosis of the mesentery
Digestive tract diseases:
Ulcerative lesions of the stomach and/or duodenum
Gastritis with the threat of transition to an ulcer
Varicose veins in the esophagus
Rectal cancer
Polyps in the intestine
Intestinal tuberculosis
Crohn’s disease
Nonspecific ulcerative colitis
Intestinal diverticulosis
Hemorrhoids
Fissures in the anus
Why does bleeding occur?
A completely logical question that arises in many patients with the diagnoses listed above is whether rectal bleeding always occurs with these diseases? Surely more than one person who has successfully got rid of a particular disease will confirm that such a symptom is not necessary, but still, in some cases, patients have to deal with it.
As for cases when the patient has erosive gastritis or ulcerative lesions (of the stomach or duodenum), at first such conditions, of course, do not provoke bleeding. However, if the disease is not treated, the ulcer will increase not only in area, but also “grow” inside. While it is within the mucous membrane, the patient feels only pain, however, if a blood vessel is damaged, bleeding occurs, part of the blood enters the intestine and is excreted in the feces.
One of the most common causes of anal bleeding is hemorrhoids. At the same time, this is perhaps the safest diagnosis for the patient’s life, the symptom of which is the appearance of blood from the anus. According to medical statistics, two out of three people have to deal with hemorrhoids after 45 years. Depending on the state of the disease, spotting can appear in the form of a few drops or a copious discharge that provokes anemia.
Often, the detection of bleeding after the act of defecation and a visit to the doctor in connection with this reveals that the patient has anal fissures.
Very often this problem occurs in people who:
Abuse detergents for hygiene of the perineum and anus;
Suffer from frequent constipation;
They eat foods that eventually lead to a strong compaction of the stool.
The fact that cracks are the cause of bleeding is indicated by several facts. First of all, the patient notices blood only after going to the toilet. In addition, there may be a burning sensation when using soap, and the pain during defecation becomes unbearable.
Often, bloody discharge from the anus may appear with ulcerative colitis or with Crohn’s disease. These are chronic diseases in which the intestinal walls become inflamed, ulcers appear on them, and intestinal functions are disturbed. Bleeding begins if the treatment was not carried out in a timely manner and ulcerative lesions of the intestine were sufficiently advanced. Also, these diseases sometimes cause rupture of the intestinal walls and a malignant tumor, which will also be manifested by bleeding of varying intensity.
In some diseases, circulatory disorders occur. These are cirrhosis, tumors, hepatitis and the presence of all kinds of parasites. Due to these conditions, the pressure in the healthy veins of the human body increases significantly. This phenomenon does not bypass the veins of the stomach and esophagus. If the underlying disease was detected and treated in a timely manner, the patient, most likely, will not even suspect that his veins have experienced an increased load. However, if the disease is started, the expansion of the veins progresses and simply cannot be ignored: the patient develops heartburn, belching, after eating in the liver area, he feels heaviness, often pain. Possible vomiting of scarlet blood. At this stage, spotting appears in the feces. Very rarely, bleeding is profuse.
There are cases when the intestinal mucosa begins to grow uncontrollably, forming growths above the surface. In this case, we are talking about polyps. While they are small, the patient is unaware of their existence and only prophylactic colonoscopy can detect them. However, with the growth of polyps, constipation occurs and, as a result, the patient increasingly finds blood in the stool.
The appearance of rectal bleeding does not always mean an advanced disease. For example, with tumors of the digestive system, it is the first symptom, but the color and amount of discharge will depend on the location of the tumor. Also, almost immediately, you can detect blood in intestinal diverticulosis, since this disease is characterized by protrusion of the walls.
Any infection that enters the human body negatively affects the intestines. Often, infectious diseases provoke the formation of ulcers on its walls, which may cause bleeding, often very heavy. Therefore, if signs of infectious diseases are detected, it is required not to self-medicate, but to immediately enlist the support of a proctologist.
Unfortunately, often bleeding from the anus is a manifestation of malignant diseases of the bone marrow or blood. Most often, such bleeding is profuse, provoking anemia, in which it is almost impossible to do without a blood transfusion.
What to do with bleeding from the anus?
Rectal bleeding is not a disease, but a symptom, so you need to treat it very, very carefully. In the vast majority of cases, the patient will not be able to independently determine what caused the appearance of blood, and even more so, he will not be able to choose the right treatment.
What to do if rectal bleeding is detected?
If after a bowel movement you find that there is an admixture of blood in the feces or traces of it remain on the toilet paper, do not panic ahead of time and just try to visit a therapist as soon as possible, who will most likely prescribe a consultation with a proctologist.
If the bleeding is strong enough, and at the same time you feel that your general condition is gradually deteriorating, call an ambulance. Only after a qualified specialist determines what exactly caused your condition, it will be possible to prescribe therapy.
Diagnostic methods for bleeding from the anus
In medicine, various methods are used to help determine what caused bleeding from the anus:
Rectoscopy – with its help, the human digestive system is examined, and more specifically, its lower sections. Using this method, doctors can identify hemorrhoids, anal fissures, various formations in the sigmoid and / or rectum.
Colonoscopy – is nothing more than a more detailed rectoscopy. It is carried out by the endoscopic method and allows you to detect all the changes that have occurred in the structure of the colon.
Irrigoscopy – for its implementation, a special substance is introduced into the intestine, which is necessary to obtain a clear picture on the x-ray.
Gastroduodenoscopy – examination of the patient using an endoscope, which allows to assess the condition of the mucous membrane of the digestive organs. Sometimes with the help of this method, treatment is also carried out – cauterization – ulcers.
Analysis fecal masses, which allows to detect blood, even if it is not visible visually, is prescribed in cases where the doctor suspects a disease in the patient, the symptom of which is rectal bleeding.
Therapy for bleeding from the anus
It is quite clear that with such a variety of causes that provoke rectal bleeding, there can be no question of the existence of a single treatment regimen for all patients. Once again, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the pathology in question is not a disease, but a symptom, and therefore, in order to eliminate it, it is necessary to cure the disease that caused the bleeding. Not in every case, the blood released from the anus is a serious pathology, but in all cases, without exception, this is a reason to make an appointment with a doctor. There can be no question of any self-treatment, even if you know what exactly caused the appearance of blood.
Depending on what caused the problem in question, the methods and methods of dealing with it will differ:
Drug – is used most often for the infectious nature of rectal bleeding or> with helminthic invasions. Elimination of the cause entails the disappearance of an alarming symptom.
Operative – is prescribed for polyps, neoplasms, advanced forms of hemorrhoids.
Contact – used for ulcerative lesions of the walls of the stomach and / or duodenum (cauterization of the ulcer).
Combined – often required for a more effective fight against the disease. For example, with an ulcer, cauterization is performed first, and then antibiotic therapy.
Candles for bleeding from the anus
Please note that there is not a single drug in the description of which it would be said that it is used for bleeding from the anus. This is due to the fact that this condition is a consequence of internal diseases that require an integrated approach. However, with some diagnoses, bleeding is eliminated, including with the help of rectal suppositories.
Most often, suppositories for bleeding from the anus are prescribed to patients with hemorrhoids. The active ingredients that make up such drugs have several actions at the same time: they anesthetize and promote the resorption of nodes.
If the only reason for the appearance of blood is chronic constipation, due to which the feces during defecation are so dense that they damage the mucous membrane, then the use of laxatives is indicated in this case.
Regardless of what provoked bleeding from the anus, the first thing the patient should do is enlist the support of a qualified medical worker who will make an accurate diagnosis, establish the cause of the bleeding and prescribe its treatment.