Colon cancer and hemorrhoids may inflict a few similar conditions or symptoms, blood loss while going to the loo or pain near the anal canal. Seeing the blood first time in the stool can be alarming.
Most likely, you may have been straining during a bowel movement, as a result, the bleeding. In other cases, blood in the stool could be a sign of a more serious condition. Let’s take a look at hemorrhoids and colon cancer in brief so you can be informed.
What are Hemorrhoids and how are they Caused?
Hemorrhoids cause itching, pain in the anus and rectum. The same may happen from congestion in the blood vessels around the anal canal. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external.
Many people experience hemorrhoids at some point in their lives, so yes, they are more common than you might think of. Mostly, they occur from additional pressure from straining to have a bowel movement. But, hemorrhoids can also be caused by:
- Pregnancy
- Aging
- Sitting for long periods of time
- Chronic constipation or diarrhea
- Straining
- Lifting objects that are too heavy
- Symptoms of Hemorrhoids
It is evident that the most common symptom of hemorrhoids is blood loss in stool, but there are more warning signs. Some other common symptoms of hemorrhoids are:
- Irritation and itching
- Pain or discomfort during bowel movements
- Sensitive, painful lumps around the anus
- Leakage of feces
Also read: Nutrition Health – To Get Rid of Piles & Constipation!!
How to Diagnose Colon Cancer?
In most cases, symptoms of bowel cancer include changes in bowel habits and blood loss during a bowel movement. Bowel cancer can be colon cancer in the large bowel or rectal cancer in the back passage.
Possible symptoms of bowel cancer:
- Bleeding from the rectum or blood in your stool
- Changes in your normal bowel habit, pooping more often or constipation
- Lump that your doctor can feel in your tummy, more commonly on the right side
- Feeling as if you need to poo, even after opening your bowels
- Losing weight
- Pain in your abdomen or back passage
- Tiredness and breathlessness caused by anemia
Cancer in many cases causes a bowel obstruction. The symptoms include:
- Cramping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
A bowel obstruction is considered an emergency. You should make an appointment with an expert proctologist if you think you have a bowel obstruction.
What does Blood in Stool Mean?
Blood in stools is considered as a sign of bowel cancer, however, often other causes may result in the same. if you are worried about any symptoms if it’s cancer or hemorrhoids, visit the best proctology clinic and consult with an expert in the field.
More often than not, blood in the stool is from hemorrhoids, especially if it is bright red, fresh blood. Since hemorrhoids are swollen veins, these veins are fragile and can easily bleed from bowel motion.
Blood from inside the anal canal doesn’t look bright red, actually, it is dark red or black and can make your bowel motions look like tar. This bleeding can be a sign of cancer higher up the bowel. It is of utmost importance that you go to a doctor if you have any bleeding and get checked.
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