What causes black stool?
Black stool (medically known as "melena" or "tarry stool") is a common gastrointestinal symptom that may indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding or other health problems. The following is a compilation of information related to melena from hot topics and hot content searched across the Internet in the past 10 days to help you understand its possible causes, diagnosis and countermeasures.
1. Common causes of melena
Melena is usually caused by bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract (such as stomach and duodenum). Blood is digested and decomposed in the intestine to form black matter. The following are the main causes:
| Cause classification | specific disease or factor | illustrate |
|---|---|---|
| digestive tract diseases | Gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer | Bleeding from ulcers is the most common cause of black stools |
| Rupture of esophageal varices | Patients with liver cirrhosis are prone to bleeding, which is large and dangerous. | |
| Gastric cancer, esophageal cancer | Tumors erode blood vessels causing bleeding | |
| drug factors | Aspirin, NSAIDs | Long-term use may damage gastric mucosa |
| Iron agent, bismuth agent | Your stool may turn black after taking it (pseudomelena) | |
| other reasons | Food effects (such as animal blood, blueberries) | Need to be distinguished from true melena |
2. Symptoms and danger signs associated with melena
Black stool may be accompanied by the following symptoms, indicating the severity of the condition:
| symptom | May be associated with diseases | degree of danger |
|---|---|---|
| dizziness, fatigue | acute massive bleeding | ★★★(need urgent medical attention) |
| Vomiting blood or coffee-like vomitus | upper gastrointestinal bleeding | ★★★ |
| Abdominal pain, weight loss | ulcer or tumor | ★★ |
3. Diagnosis and examination methods
If black stool occurs, your doctor may recommend the following tests:
| Check items | Purpose |
|---|---|
| fecal occult blood test | Check for gastrointestinal bleeding |
| Gastroscopy/Colonoscopy | Direct observation of gastrointestinal lesions |
| blood test | Assess the degree of anemia and liver and kidney function |
4. Recent hot cases and discussions
In the past 10 days, the following topics have attracted widespread attention:
1.Gastric ulcers increase in young people: Social media is hotly discussing the connection between staying up late, stress and melena, with many bloggers sharing their experiences of gastrointestinal bleeding caused by work stress.
2.Substance abuse risk: An Internet celebrity developed black stool due to long-term use of painkillers, and the public is reminded to use medication with caution.
3.The importance of early cancer screening: A piece of news that “black stool leads to advanced gastric cancer” was on the hot search, emphasizing the need for timely medical treatment.
5. How to prevent black stool?
1. Eat regularly and avoid excessive alcohol and spicy food.
2. Use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with caution, and follow your doctor’s advice when necessary along with gastroprotective drugs.
3. People over 40 years old should undergo gastrointestinal endoscopy regularly.
4. Do not eat hard or spicy foods after discovering melena, and seek medical attention immediately.
Summarize:Black stool may be a sign of a serious illness and requires urgent treatment, especially when accompanied by other symptoms. Recent online cases also show that bad living habits and lack of health awareness may exacerbate risks. It is recommended to combine medical examination and lifestyle adjustments to reduce the probability of gastrointestinal bleeding.
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