The sight of blood in your stool can be an alarming experience, especially if this is the first time you have experienced it. The blood may be caused by the excessive straining you just did in order to make the stool come out, due to a previously undetected hemorrhoid. However, a blood in the stool can also be an indication of a more serious medical condition that needs to be treated right away.
Did you know that some cancer patients initially thought they were just having a bad case of the hemorrhoids? This is why it is important that you can tell the difference between the two. Both hemorrhoids and colon cancer happen in the large bowel and cause blood to appear in one’s stool, but the similarities end there.
Knowing the difference can spell the difference between life and death. You can get diagnosed and treated correctly right away—before the sickness becomes worse.
How to Differentiate Between the Two
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the US. In this year alone, there are already 95,520 new cases of colon cancer.
If the blood in your stool is accompanied by abdominal cramps, fatigue, loss of appetite, and unexpected weight loss, these could be warning signs for colon cancer.
Cancerous cells use up the body’s energy supply while the immune system tries to fight the disease, resulting to the unexplained weight loss and fatigue.
If you are experiencing hemorrhoid symptoms and it is not responding to home care or if it keeps coming back, you need to see a Los Angeles anal doctor right away. For your peace of mind, please make an appointment at the Proctology Institute in order to rule out the possibility of a more serious medical condition.
