Due to intestinal dysbiosis, a baby may have blood in the stool

What is blood in stool

Doctors note that the main cause of bleeding is damage to the muscles and blood vessels of the gastrointestinal tract. Blood in the stool accompanies many diseases and requires immediate diagnosis to identify the source of the lesion and begin treatment. Pathology is evidence of severe damage to the mucous membrane and muscles:

• esophagus;
• stomach;
• intestinal sections;
• pancreas;
• oral cavity.

If bloody discharge is detected in the stool, you should immediately contact a specialist. Such symptoms may be a late signal of severe intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. Doctors identify several hundred causes of the formation of a dangerous pathology, which are combined into 3 groups:

• vascular damage;
• decreased blood clotting;
• leakage through the walls of blood vessels.

What does it look like

The gastrointestinal tract contains substances and microorganisms necessary for its normal functioning. All of them affect the blood that appears and can change its color. Diseases of the digestive system can be recognized by the appearance of blood formations in the stool:

• bright red, fresh, after defecation - rectal cancer, anal fissure, hemorrhoids;
• loose stools with blood in an adult – food poisoning, intestinal infection;
• a dark, almost black color is a sign of severe bleeding and the presence of cancer.

Dangerous symptoms indicating serious problems in the body that require urgent intervention:

• clots or streaks of blood in a child’s stool are a sign of intestinal inflammation;
• discharge mixed with mucus – polyposis, ulcerative colitis, development of neoplasms;
• the presence of hidden blood detected during stool analysis - helminthic infestations, polyps in the large intestine, rectal cancer, ulcers, stomach cancer.

Mucus in stool due to dysbacteriosis

An adult does not have visible mucus in the stool, although it is produced in small quantities by the intestinal glands. The function is to promote feces and speed up evacuation. Mucus coats the intestinal walls and protects against irritation by acid and other caustic substances. If mucus is not produced, the feces become coarser, constipation and difficult bowel movements occur. Reaching the large intestine, the mucus becomes invisible.

If a jelly-like discharge appears in the stool of an adult due to dysbacteriosis, organic, functional damage to the intestine is observed. The body protects itself from the negative effects of pathogenic microorganisms. In some cases, it indicates an inflammatory process.

Causes in an adult

When blood appears in the stool of an adult, the pathology can be caused by numerous diseases. They are often common for men and women, but there are exceptions. Bloody discharge in feces may be associated with gynecological problems. This phenomenon is a characteristic sign:

• development of hemorrhoids in women during pregnancy;
• germination of the endometrium of the uterus into the intestinal walls, causing bleeding in girls and women;
• varicose veins of the perineum;
• tumors of the genital organs.

The appearance of blood in the stool in adults can be the result of poisoning from poisonous plants or rat poison. Possible factors are poor clotting, the effect of antibiotics. Causes of bleeding:

• colon polyps;
• benign intestinal tumors;
• ulcerative colitis;
• rectal fissures;
• pancreatitis;
• intestinal and stomach cancer;
• Crohn's disease;
• intestinal infections - salmonellosis, dysentery;
• ischemic colitis – damage to intestinal vessels;
• sexual infections - gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes;
• intestinal dysbiosis.

Causes of occult blood

In case of damage to the upper parts of the digestive tract - the small intestine, esophagus, stomach, visible streaks, inclusions, and traces of blood in the stool are rarely observed. Only when other symptoms of the disease are observed is a stool test prescribed. A test for occult blood that has a positive result is a sign of pathology. Upon further examination of the patient, the following is discovered:

• stomach ulcer;
• varicose veins of the esophagus;
• damage to the intestinal mucosa;
• ulcerative colitis;
• malignant neoplasms;
• polyps;
• duodenal ulcer;
• esophageal fissure.

Blood streaks in stool

If, during defecation, bloody streaks appear in the stool, these are symptoms of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract in an adult and a child. Urgent medical attention is required if such signs are accompanied by a decrease in body weight, severe pain, loss of appetite and last for several days. The presence of streaks of blood in a baby’s stool is very dangerous. This may mean having:

• helminthic infestations – ascariasis, enterobiasis;
• advanced dysbacteriosis.

The veins are the result of blood clotting, which occurred under the influence of viruses and bacteria that damaged the intestinal wall or microflora disturbances caused by taking medications or the action of parasites. Symptoms indicate the development of:

• nonspecific ulcerative colitis;
• intestinal flu;
• dysentery;
• Crohn's disease;
• inflammation of the large intestine;
• hemorrhoids;
• rectal tumors.

Blood in stool during bowel movements

The appearance of scarlet discharge during bowel movements can be seen on toilet paper. The reason for this may be anal fissures, hard stool, or hemorrhoids. Often the nature and color of blood discharge help identify diseases. During bowel movements, stool with dark clots and bloody loose stools may be observed. Causes of rectal bleeding include:

• frequent constipation;
• endometriosis of the colon;
• high fragility of blood vessels during the aging period;
• blood diseases;
• helminthic infestations;
• ischemic colitis;
• dysentery.

Dark blood

The occurrence of such a symptom signals very serious problems. In addition to heavy bleeding, there is vomiting, severe pain, and frequent liquid black stool. The reason for the formation of dark discharge is the conversion of hemoglobin into ferrous sulfate. The process occurs during the passage of blood from the upper digestive tract. The cause of the pathology is:

• peptic ulcer;
• tumor of the stomach, esophagus;
• injuries;
• taking medications.

Reasons for a child

Parents should immediately consult a doctor when their child has bloody stool. Such problems occur at any age, and symptoms vary depending on the disease. Bloody discharge may come out:

• in infants with dysbacteriosis;
• if the anus is damaged as a result of prolonged constipation;
• in case of intestinal obstruction caused by improper diet.

The causes of the formation of a dangerous pathology are:

• congenital anomalies that cause blood clots in the stool;
• inflammation of the intestinal mucosa;
• infectious diarrhea;
• rectal polyps;
• food allergy, in which there is loose stool streaked with blood;
• rotavirus infection with frequent diarrhea and fever.

Treatment and prevention

As a result of correct diagnosis, the disease that caused the bleeding is established. Treatment is prescribed depending on the initial ailment:

• In case of intestinal volvulus, intestinal obstruction, or Hirschsprung's disease, surgical intervention is necessary. To straighten the intestines, a tube is placed inside, and the operation is performed using laparoscopy. Polyps and hemorrhoids are also removed through surgery.
• Infectious infections are treated with antibacterial and antiviral medications. Children are often prescribed Bactrim or Vancomycin if the cause is a bacterial infection, Arbidol and Viferon if it is a viral infection.
• To get rid of worms, anthelmintics “Tinidazole” and “Metronidazole” are prescribed. They paralyze the nervous system of parasites and remove them from the body.
• Anal fissures are treated with special ointments with a nitroglycerin base. Children suffering from constipation are prescribed a special diet.

Some tips to avoid bleeding from the anus:

• Balanced diet. The child must receive the necessary supply of nutrients. There should be enough water in the diet.
• Elimination of an allergic reaction. If a baby experiences frequent diarrhea, this may be caused by an allergy to a certain product.
• Hygiene measures. Vegetables and fruits should be thoroughly washed, meat and fish should be thoroughly boiled and fried so that the child does not become infected with parasites.
• Submit stool tests on time. Timely diagnosis will help avoid serious consequences.

Pediatrician, allergist-immunologist, graduated from Samara State Medical University with a degree in Pediatrics. Read more »

Diagnostics

If alarming symptoms appear, go to the clinic, where the doctor conducts an examination, notes complaints, and conducts a digital examination. A prerequisite is to conduct tests. When diagnosing a disease, the following is carried out:

• blood analysis;
• examination of stool for worm eggs;
• occult blood test;
• sigmoidoscopy - examination of the lower intestines;
• colonoscopy - examination of the colon;
• if necessary - ultrasound, x-ray of the intestines, gastroscopy.

Diagnostic methods

When the baby’s parents contact the pediatrician with a complaint about the presence of blood in the feces, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. He performs a rectal examination of the anus. This method will detect the presence of hemorrhoids, fistulas and anal fissures.

In addition, the following examinations may be prescribed:

• Fibrogastroduodenoscopy – examination using an endoscope. Allows you to detect pathologies in the upper gastrointestinal tract, prescribed for black stool.
• Colonoscopy is an examination of the large and small intestines through the anus. Thanks to this method, it is possible to detect pathologies of the lower gastrointestinal tract, for example, volvulus, obstruction, polyps.
• Sigmoidoscopy. Detects injuries and pathologies of the rectum.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Prescribed for suspected injuries, pathological processes of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder.
• Stool analysis. Allows you to detect the presence of infections, inflammatory processes, and parasites.

What to do if there is blood in your stool

The most important thing when dangerous signs appear is not to self-medicate. Only a doctor can prescribe the correct therapy. If polyps or cancerous tumors are diagnosed, surgery is required. In other cases, conservative methods can be used. For the treatment of hemorrhoids the following is prescribed:

• venotonics – Detralex, Aescusan;
• Relief Advance candles, healing, relieving inflammation.

When bleeding occurs, use for:

• ulcerative colitis - cytostatics that regulate the proliferation of pathological cells - Busulfen;
• dysentery – antibiotics – Furazolidone, Tetracycline;
• autoimmune Crohn's disease - Nimustine;
• viral intestinal infections - Arbidol, Viferon;
• presence of helminths – Metronidazole, Tinidazole;
• dysbacteriosis – Vancomycin, Bactrim.

Folk remedies

You can use recipes from traditional healers only in consultation with a doctor who knows exactly the causes of bleeding. Decoctions of medicinal herbs for external and internal use may be recommended. Effectively help:

• baths with chamomile decoction for hemorrhoids;
• onion infusion inside for worms;
• Orange peel decoction is a hemostatic agent.

Changes in the color of stool are often normal after eating certain foods. It is known that beets color stool dark red, and blueberries black. Green stools occur both normally and in some diseases.

Diseases characterized by this symptom:

• food poisoning;
• salmonellosis;
• dysentery;
• antibiotic-associated diarrhea;
• lactase deficiency;
• nonspecific ulcerative colitis;
• Crohn's disease;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• jaundice;
• peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT);
• pseudomembranous colitis.

There are several mechanisms for the development of green stool.

• 1st – physiological. Green coloring of stool occurs as a result of eating foods containing a large amount of pigments;
• 2nd – eating poor quality products or being overly saturated with protein. In this case, fermentation processes occur in the intestines, which lead to the appearance of a characteristic color;
• 3rd – infectious and inflammatory diseases. They have a similar mechanism that leads to the appearance of diarrhea;
• 4th – hemolytic. In a number of jaundices, intensive destruction of red blood cells occurs with the formation of large amounts of bilirubin. It is this substance that acts as a pigment and gives color to the stool.

Green stool comes in varying intensities. Which shade is characteristic of each pathological condition is presented in the table below.

Dark green (swamp mud color)

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis

Gastrointestinal ulcer complicated by bleeding

Dark green to black

Pathological and physiological reasons When characterizing feces, other properties are also taken into account: smell, consistency, impurities. In case of infectious diseases, especially salmonellosis, bowel movements have an unpleasant odor. They are liquid, unformed, and have a large amount of impurities: mucus and blood.

Normally, stools take on a green tint when consuming foods of this color. These are broccoli, spinach, cucumbers. Some dietary supplements also contribute to the color of stool.

Pathological causes are divided into several large groups:

• infectious: salmonellosis, dysentery, rotavirus infection. All these diseases lead to the development of diarrhea, dehydration of the body and changes in the characteristics of bowel movements;
• inflammatory: Crohn's disease, pseudomembranous and nonspecific ulcerative colitis;
• gastrointestinal bleeding: gastrointestinal ulcer, varicose veins of the esophagus.
• digestive disorders: food poisoning, lactase deficiency.

The causes of green stool are varied, making it a minor symptom. Only by comprehensively assessing all changes in the body can one correctly determine the physiological or pathological nature of this phenomenon.

Important! Green stool coloration is a symptom that should be alarming if it occurs frequently or persists. It accompanies a number of infectious, inflammatory and other diseases. Some of them are very serious and, if not treated promptly, lead to complications. The effectiveness of treatment depends on the timeliness of the patient’s treatment and diagnosis.

The occurrence of infectious diseases, which are accompanied by the appearance of green stools, is associated with poor food hygiene. Salmonellosis occurs when eating thermally untreated components of eggs and milk. Risk factors for shigellosis are poor water quality and poor personal hygiene.

What can color stool?

The green tint of feces may be the result of frequent and large quantities of grains. Even if you change your diet to other foods, the stool will be green for several days. This is explained by the presence of a reinforced protective shell in the cultures, which forces the digestive tract to secrete more bile for processing. And as a result, feces are painted this color.

There are also foods that cause green stool, for example, those that contain a lot of iron, as well as:

• leaf crops;
• caramel, marmalade and jelly with a high content of dyes;
• red meats, sea fish and legumes (red).

All of the above usually goes away without diarrhea or abdominal pain. 3-5 days after the last meal containing the above foods, the color of the stool will become normal.

Another reason for green stool in an adult that does not indicate a serious illness is diarrhea. This happens due to the low speed of microorganisms in the intestines to act on feces with such a problem.

If the movement of digested food in the form of a coma through the large intestine is disrupted, the feces also acquire a green tint.

For information, before being released, the contents remain in this part of the intestine for some time.

Now let's move on to more serious reasons for the appearance of green feces in an adult.

Causes of green stool in adults

The appearance of pathology in the body, including a change in the color of feces, will be accompanied by additional symptoms.

And depending on this, it will be possible to talk about the development of certain ailments:

1. Infections in the intestines lead to fever, nausea and vomiting, including pain in the abdominal area.
2. With dysbacteriosis, the number of pathogenic bacteria increases, causing rotting and fermentation of food. As a result, bloating, pain and discoloration of stool appear.
3. Exacerbation of a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal cancer leads, among other things, to a change in the color of feces to green. This is due to the incomplete process of iron oxidation.
4. The massive decomposition of red blood cells contributes to the development of liver pathologies - hepatitis. The diseased organ lacks hemoglobin, a derivative of bilirubin. As a result, the stool turns green instead of brown.
5. Due to the body's intolerance to any foods, an allergic reaction occurs, leading to inflammatory processes and digestive disorders. As a result, the stool turns green.

This is interesting: the hemoglobin norm in women by age is in the table

A malfunction of the gallbladder and other internal organs can also cause the appearance of stool of a different color.

Important: the presence of mucus in feces in addition to a change in color gives reason to contact a specialist.

The green color can also be different - from a dark to a light shade, and this will also indicate different health problems.

Black and green.

Such bowel movements indicate infectious diseases in the intestinal area. But if you are a vegetarian, then you don’t have to worry - the reason for this color of stool is in your diet.

Green liquid stool.

This is an alarming and unpleasant phenomenon caused by poor-quality food or taking any medications. If this happened once and did not in any way affect the overall well-being, then the body will cope on its own.

If the problem recurs, and even lasts for several days with the addition of fever and pain, you will need to consult a doctor. After all, these can be symptoms of serious diseases - dysbiosis, enteritis, internal bleeding or blood diseases.

Light green stool.

Due to taking a course of antibacterial agents, light green stool appears. The addition of increased body temperature, nausea and vomiting will be a reason to contact a medical facility, and urgently.

Feces without diarrhea or pain.

Asymptomatic green coloration of feces is a reason to simply analyze your diet.

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Why is it important to regularly check your baby’s stool?

Coprogram is one of the most important tests in children. Using stool analysis, a number of disorders can be identified:

• dysbacteriosis;
• disruptions in bowel function;
• pathology of the pancreas;
• deterioration of liver function;
• inflammatory processes at one of the levels of the gastrointestinal tract.

When diagnosing feces, its physical indicators are studied:

• consistency – solid, liquid;
• color – dark, light;
• smell – sour, putrid;
• presence of blood, mucus, bile.

Bacteriological and chemical research is also carried out. Diagnosis of feces makes it possible to identify gastrointestinal diseases that are asymptomatic, among which there may be dangerous pathologies.