Blood in stool which doctor to see

Once the bleeding has stopped, your doctor will develop a plan to treat the cause of the bleeding. Blood in Stool. What is blood in the stool? Symptoms that are often present in conjunction with blood in your stool are: Abdominal pain Fatigue Weakness Shortness of breath Pale skin Diagnosis of blood in stool A primary care doctor should evaluate you if you find blood in your stool.

To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may order a series of diagnostics including: Hemoccult test — this simple test may detect hidden blood in your stool, but cannot determine where the cause of bleeding.

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EGD — during this procedure, your doctor inserts an endoscope into the stomach to determine the source of the bleeding. Nasogastric lavage — helps your doctor see where the bleeding is occurring; during the procedure, the contents of the stomach are removed to determine if the stomach is bleeding, if there is not evidence of bleeding in the stomach, the cause of the bleeding is likely in the lower digestive tract.

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Strate L. Etiology of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in adults. Accessed Jan. Gastrointestinal bleeding. Understanding minor rectal bleeding. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Innes JA, et al. The gastrointestinal system. In: MacLeod's Clinical Examination. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.

If you are noticing blood consistently and it is getting heavier, it might be time to see Digestive Health Services. If you are becoming concerned about the amount of blood you notice, it is always best to seek medical assistance. More serious signs that you should see a gastroenterologist as soon as possible include the following:. There is typically no reason to panic if you notice a little blood in your stool as many conditions can be treated easily.

Make note of the color, frequency, and amount of blood you notice. Contact Digestive Health Services at if you are seeing blood in your stool and it is becoming more frequent.