Stool RBC

Why test for Stool RBC at Symbion VIP Diagnostics Ahmedabad ?

Blood in the stool means there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. Sometimes the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by a fecal occult test (which checks for hidden blood in the stool). At other times it maybe visible on toilet tissue or in the toilet after a bowel movement as bright red blood. Bleeding that happens higher up in the digestive tract may make stool appear black and tarry.

Some of the more unusual causes of rectal bleeding include

• anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin or aspirin, which are taken to reduce your chance of a blood clot but can sometimes cause internal bleeding.
• inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These long-term conditions cause the lining of the bowel to become inflamed. Crohn's disease affects the gut higher up, whereas ulcerative colitis affects the large bowel and rectum further down. Both tend to cause bloody diarrhoea.
• bowel polyps, small growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. These are common and often don't cause symptoms, but may lead to a small amount of blood in your stool. Although usually harmless, colon polyps can grow, bleed and become cancerous.

Colon polyps are growths in the inner lining, or mucosa, of the colon, or large intestine. It has been well established that colon cancers develop from colon polyps. The three primary types of colon polyps are hyperplastic, inflammatory, and adenomatous. The vast majority of colon polyps are benign (not cancerous), but adenomatous colon polyps have the greatest potential to turn into colon cancer.

Signs and symptoms of colon polyps may include blood in the stool, constipation, and diarrhea. Most colon polyps do not produce any signs or symptoms, which makes colon cancer screening with colonoscopy at age 50 very important. Colonoscopy allows for removal of colon polyps for microscopic analysis. In some instances, removal of the colon polyp is therapeutic and prevents the development of colon cancer in the future. Colon polyps rarely recur once completely removed.

• sexually transmitted infections (STIs) any sexual activity involving the anal area can spread STIs, which may sometimes lead to rectal bleeding.