Question: I have had diarrhea
for 3 weeks now. My bowels have blood in them (I do not have hemorrhoids),
and normally come with moderate to severe pain in my abdomen. I went
to the emergency room and they told me to drink more water and take
extra fiber. The diarrhea is getting worse. I can no longer control
my bowels. Is this normal, or could there be something more going
on that the emergency room missed? Tamara
Answer: Dear Tamara,
When suffering from diarrhea it
is important to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. An increased
intake of fiber will also increase bowel activity.
When there is blood present in
the stool it is recomended to visit a doctor and have a colonoscopy
performed. Blood in the stool can be caused by polyps in the colon
which, if not treated, could become cancerous.
Other causes for bloody stools
include:
- Anal fissures
- Intestinal infection
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colon cancer
