What Causes Anal Bleeding?
Anal bleeding can be frightening, as many know it to be one of the symptoms of colon or anal cancer. But blood in the stool can be due to many other reasons, not all of which are serious.
Norberto Mañas, an expert at the Hospital Clinico de San Carlos, says:
Because anal bleeding is a common problem and can sometimes be a symptom of something more serious, we’ll talk about the main causes in this article.
How is blood seen in the stool?
There may be blood in the stool for many reasons. Often the blood may not even be visible to the naked eye. Most often, blood is noticed in the following ways:
- The blood is clearly visible to the naked eye. There is blood on the paper after wiping. Blood can drip even after going to the bowl, due to bleeding at the end of the colon or in the anus. Such bleeding is usually associated with hemorrhoids or anal ulcers.
- The stool is black and tarry. Such black stools smell bad and are typically due to bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Such bleeding is more severe than the bleeding mentioned earlier.
- Stool mixed with blood or clots. Such stools usually occur in inflammatory diseases of the colon. They can also be caused by intestinal polyps and cancer.
- Latent blood. Such blood is not visible to the naked eye; in fact, it can only be detected with a microscope. Other symptoms such as anemia for no apparent reason may indicate that there is latent blood in the stool. Colonoscopy is needed in these situations.
What causes anal bleeding?
As mentioned above, the most alarming cause is colon or anal cancer. However, it is not the only possible cause of bloody stools. Other reasons include:
- Hemorrhoids. These are dilated veins in the anus and rectum. They sometimes occur in three out of four adults. Hemorrhoids are most commonly caused by exertion when defecating, and are also common in expectant mothers.
- Anal ulcer. This is a small ulcer on the anal mucosa and can occur as a result of large and hard stools. It is also associated with constipation.
- Divert articles. These are small bulges in the colon, the incidence of which increases with age.
- Adenoids. This is extra tissue that grows in the colon. Most polyps are not dangerous, but some of them can become malignant.
- Ulcers of the stomach or duodenum. These are ulcers in the wall of the stomach or intestines. Just like problems with the esophagus, these can make stool black and tarry.
- Changes in blood vessels. Vasculitis and angiodysplasia can cause anal bleeding.
- Some infections.
- Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis often manifest as anal bleeding.
If you experience anal bleeding
Thus, there can be many different causes for anal bleeding. It is not always easy to diagnose, so it can be much more serious than you think. For this reason, always go to the doctor.
Take notes so you can give your doctor as much information as possible about changes in your stool. Write down its color, number of bowel movements, and what the bleeding is like, as this information is needed to make a diagnosis. For this reason, doctors often urge you to take a look at the bowl.
People over the age of 50 should do a stool test from time to time. The goal is to detect any latent blood that is not visible to the naked eye. Your doctor may also do an examination of your anus as it will help detect any hemorrhoids and tumors. This is also a good method for detecting prostate problems. It’s an awkward study, but it’s worth it for your own peace of mind.
Colonoscopies are the most effective studies to rule out colon cancer. Depending on the type of blood present in the stool, other tests such as stomach endoscopy, x-rays, or gamma imaging may be needed.
Summary
Don’t immediately think of the worst if you see blood in your stool. The causes of anal bleeding vary, and are most often caused by hemorrhoids or anal ulceration. Despite this, anal bleeding is always a reason to see a doctor in order to rule out other, more serious causes.
