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“The tarry or stickiness of the stool and the smell are what differentiate true GI bleeding from other causes such as iron supplements, dark foods, and bismuth-containing medications,” he adds.
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.
It is also one of the medications that can cause toxic epidermal necrolysis or Stevens–Johnson syndrome. [8] The pediatric version of cefdinir can bind to iron in the digestive tract; in rare cases, this causes rust or red discoloration of the stool. Blood typically appears dark brown or black in stool, and testing may confirm which is present.
There are many causes of infectious diarrhea, which include viruses, bacteria and parasites. [29] Infectious diarrhea is frequently referred to as gastroenteritis. [30] Norovirus is the most common cause of viral diarrhea in adults, [31] but rotavirus is the most common cause in children under five years old. [32]
You take calcium supplements or calcium-supplemented antacids. As noted by Dr. O’Connor, certain drugs and supplements can cause the stool to appear pale or clay-like.
Impaired digestion or absorption can result in fatty stools. Possible causes include exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, with poor digestion from lack of lipases, loss of bile salts, which reduces micelle formation, and small intestinal disease-producing malabsorption. Various other causes include certain medicines that block fat absorption or ...
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]
The result can be impaired nutrient absorption, excessive water and mineral loss through the stools due to breakdown of the control mechanisms in the intestinal tissue that normally remove water from the stools, and in severe cases, the entry of pathogenic organisms into the bloodstream. Anemia may also arise due to the blood loss through diarrhea.