Why Is My Stool Slightly Red But Not Blood? What Should I Do?
If the stool color is reddish but not bloody, it may be related to diet. Some foods are not easy to digest, which can make the stool appear reddish. Additionally, if this is a subjective perception rather than a test result, it cannot be excluded that there may be red blood cells present. If so, it is often accompanied by anemia and fatigue, which may be related to gastroenterological diseases. In such cases, it is recommended to promptly visit the hospital for examination to understand the specific cause.
1. Dark red stool occurs when blood is evenly mixed with the feces, also known as jam-like stool. It is commonly seen in amebic dysentery, colonic polyps, and colonic tumors. Additionally, certain specific diseases such as thrombocytopenic purpura, aplastic anemia, leukemia, and epidemic hemorrhagic fever can also lead to hematochezia due to coagulation disorders. This type of hematochezia is generally dark red and sometimes bright red, often accompanied by skin or other organ bleeding.
Another possibility is that excessive intake of coffee, chocolate, cocoa, cherries, mulberries, etc., by healthy individuals can also result in dark red stool.
2. Pale red stool resembling washed meat water is most commonly seen in summer due to the consumption of certain pickled foods contaminated with halophilic bacteria. Common examples include diarrhea caused by Salmonella infections.
3. Bright red stool is commonly seen in lower gastrointestinal bleeding. When the outer layer of the stool is sticky with fresh blood, accompanied by severe pain that disappears after defecation, it may indicate anal fissure. If the blood is bright red and varies in amount or appears as blood clots attached to the outer layer of the stool without mixing with the feces, and can be washed away with water, it may indicate internal hemorrhoid bleeding.
