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Melena is a form of blood in stool which refers to the dark black, tarry feces that are commonly associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. [1] The black color and characteristic strong odor are caused by hemoglobin in the blood being altered by digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria.
Digested blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract may appear black rather than red, resulting in "coffee ground" vomit or melena. [2] Other signs and symptoms include feeling tired, dizziness, and pale skin color. [18] A number of foods and medications can turn the stool either red or black in the absence of bleeding. [2]
When your body has trouble digesting certain foods, you could have a food intolerance, which can cause diarrhea, gas, bloating and heartburn, Dr. Ahmad says. Lactose intolerance, where someone can ...
Blood in stool looks different depending on how early it enters the digestive tract—and thus how much digestive action it has been exposed to—and how much there is. The term can refer either to melena, with a black appearance, typically originating from upper gastrointestinal bleeding; or to hematochezia, with a red color, typically originating from lower gastrointestinal bleeding. [6]
Along with smelly stool, other symptoms include watery stool, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and abnormal heartbeat, per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 8. You have cancer.
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Eating beetroot can cause harmless red-colored feces because of insufficient metabolism of a red pigment, and is a differential sign that may be mistaken as hematochezia. Consumption of dragon fruit or blackberries may also cause red or black discoloration of the stool and sometimes the urine (pseudohematuria). This too, is a differential sign ...
Antibiotics can also cause diarrhea, and antibiotic-associated diarrhea is the most common adverse effect of treatment with general antibiotics. While bismuth compounds ( Pepto-Bismol ) decreased the number of bowel movements in those with travelers' diarrhea, they do not decrease the length of illness. [ 112 ]