Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Common causes include
- anal fissures,
- hemorrhoids,
- diverticulitis,
- colitis,
- Crohn's disease,
- colon and rectum polyps, and
- cancer.
The color of the blood in the stool may provide information about the origin of the bleeding. The color of stool with blood in it may range from black, red, maroon, green yellow, gray, or white, and may be tarry, or sticky. Treatment of blood in the stool depends on the cause.
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