August 10, 2008
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February 8, 2010
Blood in stool is often discovered with some fear, accompanied suitably by exclamations of bloody (the adjective, not the expletive). Scarlet red dots of blood cover the excrement. Maroon red blood besmirches the toilet tissue. Down the legs and into the toilet bowl trickles bright red spots of blood. A sudden pang of perplexity causes our hearts to skip a beat or two.
But really, there is no reason to panic as the rectal hemorrhaging or bleeding could be ascribed to any number of 7 possible reasons originating in the colon. Disturbing they will be but the majority of the 7 causes are treatable with early detection and the right approach. Do not be complacent. Start paying close attention. Visit your doctor without delay if bleeding, with pain, persists for over a week.
Appropriate treatment can be rendered to solve the problem once skillful diagnosis establishes the exact cause. More overwhelmingly, blood in stool may be find its root cause in some type of cancer.
Hematochezia or Melena
Whilst usually known as rectal bleeding, medically it is identified as hematochezia (bright red or maroon colored blood) or melena (black sticky or tarry stools). Though so called because the blood exits the body via the rectum, the 7 causes may begin in the small or large (colon) intestinal tract. In the colon, the 7 known causes are cancer, colon polyps, diverticulosis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, intestinal ischaemia and peptic ulcer.
Colorectal Cancer
640,000 people internationally die annually from colorectal cancer, making it the 3rd most frequent cause of of cancer-related death. For this very reason one must see a medical professional for persisting blood in stool.
Malignant growths in the colon, appendix and rectum are classified as colorectal cancer. Surgical excision and chemotherapy are standard treatment for colorectal cancer which is chiefly spotted by colonoscopy (visual inspection by micro-camera introduced via the anus. Complete healing is possible with early detection. Higher risk groups comprise those over 50 years of age and those with family history of cancers. Among the top killer cancers, colorectal cancer distresses both women and men indifferently..
Another vital piece of information needs to be highlighted. Contrary to popular internet literature, colorectal cancer commonly results in occult (not visible to the naked eye) blood in feces i.e it is NOT a frequent reason for visible blood in stool! Bleeding produced by colorectal cancer may be visible or occult (imperceptible to the naked eye), needing special tests for detection; this based on work done by the University of Michigan Health System. Diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, weight loss, appetite loss and incessant fatigue are attendant symptoms to watch out for.
Colon Polyp
Mostly benign, polyps are raised or flat growths on the intestinal or rectum wall. They are likely to appear in those above 50 years of age and those with a family history of polyps and colorectal cancer. Smoking, alcohol, obesity and lack of exercise are contributory causal factors. In truth, the actual cause is unknown.
For safety sake, benign polyps are typically removed during colonoscopy as they may become malignant. The majority of with polyps demonstrate few or no symptoms at all|Symptoms may not be exhibited at all in many who have polyps|Polyps do not usually cause conspicuous symptoms. But in others, blood in stool occurs.
Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis causes pouches (diverticula) to stretch out of the colon wall. The reasons behind diverticula, whilst unknown, are presumed to be primarily abnormal colon pressure. Deprivation of dietary fiber is believed to be a contributory factor. If food gets trapped in diverticula, infection may set in resulting in diverticulitis. Further damage can occur if the infected diverticulum ruptures to release bacteria to the abdominal lining. Peritonitis, which is potentially fatal, can develop.
Symptoms, if at all, are seldom observable. Constipation, bloating and mild cramps are some experienced symptoms. Rectal bleeding, nausea and vomiting are the more acute symptoms. The dangers posed by peritonitis reaffirm the view that blood in stool should first be examined by a doctor. Diverticulitis can be effectively diagnosed with a CT (computed tomography) scan.
Ulcerative Colitis
Colitis falls under the classification of IBD or inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammation in itself is a normal reaction of the human body to heal itself in the event of an injury to its tissue. Tissue remedied by the inflammation process can also be wounded by it if the process becomes unchecked. Ulcers cause colitis in the colon by eroding the mucous membrane lining.
Apart from other symptoms, blood in stool is common. The dire prospect of peritonitis from colitis is the key reason for confirming it as the cause of rectal bleeding.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is an auto-immune disease whereby the body’s immune system provokes harmful inflammation by turning on the gastrointestinal tract. The whole gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, is susceptible to Crohn’s disease. However, the large intestine (colon) and small intestine, are the main sites~But it typically affects the small and large intestine (colon)~The small and large intestine (colon), however, are the primary afflicted areas.
Absolute causes are not known but it is believed to be due to one or all of several factors including industrial environmental exposure, genetic makeup and smoking. The symptoms are blood in stool, serious bloody diarrhea, blood in toilet bowl or on toilet tissue, fever and weight loss.
Occasionally reappearances throughout life or permanent remission both characterize Crohn’s disease, also commonly described as granulomatous colitis. Currently, there is no known surgical or pharmaceutical solution for Crohn’s disease. Early diagnosis is vital for effective management of the symptoms and inhibiting relapses.
Intestinal Ischemia
The suppression of blood supply to any part of the body is described as ischemia. Usually due to dysfunctional arteries, it leads to tissue damage from denial of oxygen and nutrients. Causing inflammation of the large intestines, intestinal ischemia is a inadequacy blood supply that is a consequence of blood vessel constriction, blood clots and high blood pressure.
Symptoms include blood in stool, urgent and violent bowel movements, weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, abdominal bloating and fever. The restoration of intestinal blood supply is a medical emergency if there is continual pain. It may be unavoidable to surgically circumvent blocked blood vessels and remove blood clots and injured tissue. To counteract clots and infections, respective medication includes anticoagulants and antibiotics.
Peptic Ulcer
An immensely painful ulcer, this is found in the gastrointestinal tract. An ulcer is an deterioration of the mucosal membrane that is at least 0.5cm in diameter. Frequently mistaken to occur in the stomach, peptic ulcers are actually prevalent in the duodenum (initial part of the small intestine). The primary cause is postulated to be a bacterium that causes chronic gastritis that develops into ulcer formation.
Symptoms include blood in stool (melena), abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, appetite and weight loss, vomiting of blood and at the extreme, perforation of the intestine. Potentially deadly peritonitis, which needs emergency surgery, can manifest. Treatment of milder cases includes antibiotics to resist the bacteria and antacids to moderate the acidity.
Hemorrhoids
Rectal bleeding may result from any of the above 7 causes and only precise diagnosis by a doctor can pinpoint the exact one, if any. Correct treatment and medication, possibly including surgery, can accelerate the path to recovery.
After reading this far, it will certainly be an immense relief to know that the most common cause of blood in stool is simply hemorrhoids, both external and internal.
Further Reading
If you are interested in finding more about this topic, we have a related post on Bowel Movement Bleeding - Six Possible Causes Of Rectal Bleeding at our site. Do check this out.
February 7, 2010
Herbal Formulas have been the chief agents of Chinese Medicine for over 4000 years. In its primary theory, the human and the natural world are considered an inseparable whole. Knowing how to work with Yin Yang, Meridians or channels, differentiation, etc., are considered essential to sustain the balance of the whole body. An herbal practitioner assists the body to unblock the circulation of energy thus supporting a natural healing. The stasis, excess or deficiency of energy will finally make the body vulnerable to “evils” or external invasions. For example: Evil heat is very similar to infection. The English word of Medicine transferred to China in the late 16th Century, without the knowledge of modern chemistry. The Chinese used the word “Chinese Medicine” and “Chinese Drug” as a way to translate or help the English speaking understand their healing methodology before there was a FDA regulation outlawing the use of Chinese/American medical terminology.
Chinese medicine is still used in most of European countries and recognized as a viable contribution to the health arts and practice. Again, the term was coined to help English and Chinese speaking medical practitioners understand, bridge and assist in the exchange of information. The goal was to never replace one another’s art but to share between methodologies. Accurately, Chinese medicine is not a chemistry form of medicine. Herbs are not pharmaceutical chemicals but therapeutic foods. In truth, if you were to explore the nutritional values in herbs and in drugs, examination would show what is apparent. There is nutritional value in herbs whereas pharmaceutical medicines are empty of nourishment that meets the criteria as a chemical.
Two thousand years ago, Dr. Hauto, the most respected doctor of Chinese medical history declared that, ” Herb is food, food is medicine”. At that time, the English term of medicine did not exist yet. Language, sometimes, can cause problems. This is especially true when you are still learning a foreign language. The current situation is a challenging paradox for American Chinese herbologists who have to live under the standards of traditional American medical doctors while in the U.S.A. Whereas, in China, both traditional medical arts from America and China are respected, equally. In the U.S., its OK or legal for Chinese acupuncturists and herbologists to say, “Chinese Medicine heals the body, but herbs are not medicine”. This is difficult to understand when the Chinese practice of medicine has existed 4000+ years as compared to the 200 year practice of American traditional medicine.
Over time, the sharing of both medical practices will yield more trust and exchange. By and large, progress in the curative ability will increase from this combined effort and eventually the ailing will reap the reward providing genuineness and the patient’s welfare are appreciated.
February 6, 2010
For those interested in the healing power of a Reiki attunement, you will be delighted to learn that there is no longer a need to visit a practitioner or Reiki master to benefit from Reiki. In fact, you can do your own Reiki self attunement and harness the powerful energy that you already have inside of yourself.
Limitless and universal is this Reiki energy.It is all around us, everywhere, even within us.it is still there even though we are unaware of it.It works with any or no religion, it does not matter what religion you are part of or follow.It’s the basic process of linking with the universal energy that surrounds us. Usually people can reach their Reiki energy through spiritual meditation, similar to what the founder of Reiki, Dr. Mikao Usui did when he attuned himself during his meditation on Mount Kurama.
Many advantages come from a Reiki attunement.The result is that tension and stress within our bodies is elimitated along with deep relaxation.With the release of the stress, we are then able to reconstitute our abilities for natural healing. Reiki and the associated Reiki Symbols has helped people with sleep problems, the support of immune systems and with people with illnesses such as cancer by balancing their body after their unpleasant chemotherapy treatments. Instead of being lethargic, these people experience more energy which helps with the recovery process.
A Reiki self attunement can be just as effective as with a practitioner.By altering your own consiousness in a moments time in order to perform a healing on yourself and gather a boost of energy anytime you need. If you are not sure how to begin, there are special books and systems out there that can help.You may or may not believe it but within as short a time of 48 hours you can learn to become a Reiki master. You are able to acquire the knowledge of these systems from practitioners with 40 or more years of experience. Imagine how it will feel when you use these systems and receive a full certificate of becoming a true Reiki master and having the ability to help others.
If you don’t have access to a practitioner of Reiki you are able to learn how to perform a Reiki attunement on yourself. Reiki opens up new doors that you probably didn’t even know existed. Having the ability to heal yourself and others is a powerful feeling and it is when you use it on a regular basis for “good” reasons that you truly become a Reiki master.
February 6, 2010
Per consultants based mostly in last researches, the usage of antibiotics for acne
could increase common illness or diseases, what it absolutely was demonstrated by an experiment in that a group of people that was treated
with antibiotics for acne for more than six weeks (all of hem were volunteers). When the experiment, this cluster was a lot of than twice as
possible to develop an upper respiratory tract infection within one year as people with acne who were not
treated with antibiotics.
The overuse of antibiotics, explain experts, can cause resistant organisms and a rise in infectious illness. There
have been, however, few studies concerning folks who have truly been exposed to antibiotics for long periods and there the importance of
this one.
In keeping with consultants, the ideal folks to review
consequences of using antibiotics for acne are patients with acne (an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin; characterised by papules or pustules or comedones) , who
use for long-term antibiotic therapy, representing a unique and natural population in which to review the effects of long-term
antibiotic use.
A cluster of experts from the School of Drugs of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, identified individuals
diagnosed with acne between the years 1987 and 2002, aged 15 to 35 years, in a medical database in the United Kingdom (UK).
The researchers searched info such as how often individuals were probably to determine a
physician, and compared the incidence of a common infectious illness, higher respiratory tract infection (URTI), in people treated with antibiotics for acne and
those whose acne was not treated with these medications.
Specialists reported that “inside the primary year of observation, 15.4 percent of the patients with acne had a minimum of one
URTI, and within that year, the percentages of a URTI developing among those receiving antibiotic treatment were 2.15 times
larger than among those that were not receiving antibiotic treatment”.

