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  • Blood in the stool warrants a visit to a physician. In some cases bloody stools may not be indicative a serious medical condition, but in other cases they may be a symptom of serious disease. According to the National Health Institutes, the blood that appears in stool may originate from anywhere along the digestive tract.

    Medical Conditions

    Conditions such as internal bleeding, rectal injury, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, anal tumors, colon polyps, bowel ulceration, peptic ulcer and intestinal ischemia may be responsible for blood in the stools.

    Infections and Food Poisoning

    Illnesses such as viral infections, bacterial infections, parasitic infections and food poisoning can sometimes cause bloody stools as well.

    Diseases

    Diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease and colorectal cancer may cause blood to appear in the stools.

    Diagnosis

    A physician will likely use X-rays and endoscopy tests to determine the source of the blood.

    Considerations

    Certain foods may make stools appear reddish. These foods include tomatoes, cranberries and beets. Also, red Jell-O or Kool-Aid can also cause the stools to appear red.

    Source:

    Wrong Diagnosis

    Mayo Clinic: Symptom Checker

    MedlinePlus

    More Information:

    Mayo Clinic: Stool color

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