When
anyone notices blood in the toilet, it brings panic and fear in most people's
minds. It is rightly so. But we need to understand that most of them do not
suffer from the dreaded colorectal cancer.
What are the causes of rectal bleeding? What are its likely
symptoms?
1.
Piles (hemorrhoids): Painless, recurrent, may be associated with constipation, usually
self-limiting, lasting a few days, like a splash on a pan (separate blog)
2.
Fissure: Painful, few drops, few days
3.
Diverticular: Painless, large quantity, self-limiting
4.
Colorectal cancer: Few little but persistent, associated with other symptoms (separate
blog), mixed with stool
5.
Inflammatory bowel disease: Long standing, loose motion, slime/jelly
6.
Infective colitis: Few days of loose motion and vomiting, settles when
infection subsides
When should one worry about rectal bleeding?
If
it is happening for the first time in people above the age of 50 years, then
you are likely to need colonoscopy to rule out colorectal cancer. Again, it is only
to rule out. Also, the incidence of colorectal canceris low in India. But a
colonoscopy is almost mandatory for this group of patients.
If
there is family history of cancer, then irrespective of age,a colonoscopy needs
to be conducted to rule out colorectal cancer.
What is the common cause of rectal bleeding? What are its
features?
Most
of the times,rectal bleeding occurs due to piles (hemorrhoids). When one thinks
of the following facts, it puts rectal bleeding in new light:
A.
Everyone is born with piles and dies with piles. It's a normal part of the
body.
B.
They will never cause cancer or turn into one.
C.
Piles almost never cause pain.
D.
Most times, it is self-limiting.
E.
It is usually aggravated by constipation.
