Blood in Stool? What It Could Mean

If you Google, why does my poop have blood in it? I guarantee it's going to say that you've got cancer or you're going to die. Quick, go and see your doctor. While I'm not saying having blood and your poo is no big deal, I definitely would not Google it. It can be from a few different things. So in this video, I'm going to help you take a closer look at your toilet antics and help you figure out your next move. My name is Sarah Jeffries. I'm a registered nurse with experience in emergency room nursing, education, and sleep therapy. Many people tend to shy away from topics around the gluteal region, apart from my best mate. She likes to update me regularly on her daily habits. But bringing up poop is probably going to be awkward for you. But I want to change that. Poop is just as normal as sweat. It's an excretion from your body. And when you think about it that way, it makes it a little bit less awkward. Awareness is the first step to understanding what's happening in your body. And the sooner you do that, the earlier your doctor can find and diagnose a problem if there is one. So what could be wrong? Bloody faeces can be a sign of a few different things. But today in this video, we're just going to compare hemorrhoids versus colorectal cancer, as they have a lot of similar symptoms. So what are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids, often known as piles, are swollen blood vessels in and around your anus, much like varicose veins in your leg, only they're in your butt. And when they swell, they can lead to Compared to colorectal cancer, this is the growth of malignant cells in the colon. But hemorrhoids and colon cancer have quite a few similarities, and they can both cause blood in the faeces. That's your poo. They both can cause rectal bleeding. Now, rectal bleeding can be spotting when you wipe your butt after going to the bathroom. So you'll have a little bit of spotting However, blood from hemorrhoids is typically bright red, whereas blood from rectal and colon cancer tends to be darker and a deeper shade of red. Number two, they both have rectal and anal itching because the mucus in the stool aggravate the sensitive skin around there. And number three, they both can cause a lump around that area. It can be a hard, painful lump, and you can often feel it in the opening of your anal cavity. So let's talk about the differences. But before I go on, I just have to say this video is for educational purposes only and not a replacement for medical advice or treatment. So let's start with the symptoms that specific to colorectal cancer. One of the main things is a shift in the bowel habits, alternating between constipation and diarrhea, as well as a noted change in the firmness and the shape of the poo. So you can have narrow pencil thin poops and also feeling like your stool is really hard to pass. Another symptom that's specific to colorectal cancer is prolonged abdominal soreness, such as bloating and cramping. This could indicate that you have a bowel blockage from the cancerous mass. The next thing that's quite specific to colorectal cancer is weight loss that isn't explained. And also feeling as if your bowels aren't emptying completely. Also weakness and exhaustion caused from the intestinal bleeding, which can cause anemia. So you can be very pale and breathless and really tired. So symptoms that are specific to hemorrhoids can be from poor bowel habits, like sitting on the toilet for too long. Most people experience hemorrhoids or piles as the also known from straining when you go to the bathroom. Also, you can experience it after you've had some diarrhea, especially when you've been pregnant in the later stages of pregnancy. And you can also experience hemorrhoids after anal intercourse. Maybe you've been lifting more weights than you used to. Also, it can be caused from a low fiber diet and not drinking enough water, which is where you try and strain to get the poop out. And that causes the hemorrhoids. So hopefully this video helped a little bit. So you're not Googling your symptoms. And please let me know in the comments down below if you think I've missed anything. And thank you for watching. Click here where I explain what the ER waiting times are all about.