"Hematochezia is the passage of bright red, bloody stools from the rectum, also called thusly (bright red blood per rectum) and abbreviated BRBPR. It is distinguished from melena, which is stool with blood that has been altered by the gut flora and appears black/"tarry". Hematochezia is commonly associated with lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
In adults, the most common causes are hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, both of which are relatively benign; however, it can also be caused by colorectal cancer, which is frequently fatal. In a newborn infant (neonate), hematochezia may be the result of swallowed maternal blood at the time of delivery, but can also be an initial symptom of necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious condition affecting premature infants. In adolescents and young adults, inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis, is a serious cause of hematochezia that must be considered and excluded.
Hematochezia can be due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. However, as the blood from such a bleeding is usually chemically modified by action of acid and enzymes, it presents more commonly as melena. Hematochezia from an upper gastrointestinal source is an ominous sign, as it suggests a very brisk bleed which is life threatening." (Wikipedia)
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
12/09/2009: Man from Mobile, Al: "For rectal bleeding - stay on a soft moist diet, like baby foods, apple sauce, porridge, soft fruits, jello; anything dry or hard should be avoided! Because a wounded rectum needs time to heal and should avoid being stretched with hard stools!"Replies
12/10/2009: Lisa from Thousand Oaks, Ca, USA replies: "Instead, try eating lots of vegetables because they are very healing to the body and have so many nutrients-far more than anything mentioned. THAT will do a body good. Also, hard fruit and veggies don't remain that way so it doesn't need to be just soft fruit. In the process all the nutrients from the veggies will help restore the body's tissues very quickly. Just a thought, Lisa"
12/11/2009: Anonomous from Falling Pines, America replies: "I would like to add that taking Flax seed oil capsules and Aloe Vera Gel capsules will help your stools be softer and moist to easily be expelled.
Also getting a good hemmhroid internal supository and having someone insert it in and pushing the hemmroid back in, if hemmroid is causing bleeding will help."
08/22/2010: Health Anonymous from San Francisco, Ca: "Dear author, I really think the topic of your article is quite important and there are a number of people suffering from hematochezia caused by a number of root problems. I know you have a policy not to post links, but I feel it may be quite helpful for the readers of this site to learn about the many different causes red bloody stools.
Please consider posting this site as an extra resource for your readers: http://www.redpoop.com/"
[YEA] 07/02/2008: Marinne from Salt Lake City, Utah: "re: Rectal Bleeding (Ailment)
I have Crohn's Disease (in remission) however one of the symptoms I still get is bright red bloody rectal bleeding. (sorry it's gross) No hemorroids or diverticulitis etc. After extensive research in my 1950's editions of the books by nutritionalist Adelle Davis, I came up with the remedy of large quantities of Pantothenic Acid, vitamin B3. Panto is one of the few vitamins that you can take as much as you want and you will not get a bad reaction or throw something else out of whack. I take large quantities of it until the bright red bleeding stops, and then slowly taper off and go back to a normal dosage. Pantothenic Acid is very inexpensive."Replies
07/13/2011: Sarah from London, Uk replies: "Just so you know Pantothenic Acid is B5, not B3 - I'm going to take your suggestion and try it out. Thanks!"
09/16/2011: Guest from Oakland, Ca replies: "I found a site that deals with these kinds of digestive issues here: http://www.redpoop.com
The site is very helpful because it talks about the steps to diagnose the problem first. First you find the right diagnosis and only then you can treat the root of the problem after you know what is causing the bleeding."
12/07/2011: Melody from Bar Harbor, Maine: "Hi I am hoping that someone can give me some answers to my existing problem and maybe point me in a path of recovery. For several months I have had a foul fishy smelling mucous released from my rectum. ( Sounds disgusting, I know) An amount I would consider to be beyond the usual amount that is most always present with a normal BM. Today the amount was about the size of a quarter, translucent tan in color and very offensive to smell. I have had a colonoscopy in the last year and Dr. says there is no sign of infection. But this has continued to be larger in amount over a period of time. I fear it could be Irritable Bowel Syndrome or (! :/ ) a parasitic infection of sorts. I have had hernia repairs on both lower abdomen areas. I have pain on the left side but my Surgeon has assured me it is most possibly scar tissue. So I am in the dark, I wear a liner for obvious reasons and I really am baffled by this. Let me see... For clarifying purposes, I drink soymilk, eat yogurt alot and do eat cheese occassionally. Just to give you an example of dairy. Any way. I guess that is all I have to say for now. Hope one of you has some insight. Thanks."Replies
12/09/2011: Timh from Louisville, Usa replies: "Melody, it is only natural to be baffled as digestive diseases can have many causes; as such, you will need to focus on finding which part of your anatomy is originating the problem I. E. Colon, pancreas, gallbladder. Parasite infestation and pathogen infections wreak havoc everywhere.
If you have never had a colonic or colon cleanse of any kind, I would advise beginning there. After colon clean, try a good Walnut Hull Complex to rid parasites. I use the Nature's Answer brand with good results. Echinacea/Goldenseal taken at different interval of Walnut Complex will work on any pathogens. To augment the herbals, take the amino acid Glutamine as it fuels the immune cells of your intestines. Half spoon of milled flax seed needs to be on your once every daily do's. Charcoal or Clay will pull out any heavy metals or toxins in your dig. System. Try Oil Pulling for whole body detox.
Then there's the big issue of food intolerance and allergies, so begin looking for foods that may directly cause your prob.
Any or all these suggestions will only help. Report any progress of your wellness."
04/07/2012: Judy from A Small Town, Nh, Usa replies: "For Melody from Bar Harbor, ME--Food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is the most effective anti-parasite cleanse, judging from the testimonials on a certain website that sells it. DE has some clay in it, which eliminates toxins from the body. Our 25 yr. Old daughter with ulcerative colitis takes a heaping Tbsp. of DE 2X/day, and has been helped and strengthened by it. Coconut oil and raw apple cider vinegar are helpful, too.
Thank you, Earth Clinic, for your site; it's been a help to us."
05/28/2007: Austin from Fayetteville, NC: "Years ago, my first couple of years in the military I was consuming MRE's for about a month and was not hydrating enough. The consequence was not having a bowel movement for 2 1/2 weeks. When I finally did I believe it ripped my rectum. Ever since then I usually have blood on my stool. Until recently it has not hurt. About four months ago I went a day without hydrating properly and the next morning's bowel movement was quite painful. Since then I have been experiencing, by other peoples description, hemmeroid symptoms, but I have had a doctor check it out and he said he thought it was a tear. I have increased my fiber intake and made sure I am getting enough water, but the pain does not seem to go away. I have only experienced pain which is worst after a bowel movement or after sitting for more than 30 minutes. I have not experienced any itching. Do you have any ideas?"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Austin: Most Ready to Eat Meals (MRE) foods are generally quite acid, high in aluminum, which cause the body to dehydrate easily as it is acid forming, causing constipation. There is actually a good reason why MRE is done that way, as it to allow the body to conserve fluids, by making the stools quite dry, and thus causing constipation. But you do conserve fluids, if you are out in the field somewhere.
The other problem is in the packaging of these foods, where the electrical charges of aluminium causes lowered colloidal properties of blood, which means the body can carry less oxygen, delaying healing of the body, because blood falls out of the plasma and thus the body accumulate excess free iron and relatively short red blood lifespan.
A simple remedy for this condition is to change the ration of drinking water into 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (I mean REAL sea salt- never common table salt), and add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda in a per one liter drinking water. The drinking water that should to drink should be this, which should keep the stool moist enough so that it won't perform any more tears inside and allow natural healing.
The other thing that should help is taking 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. The apple cider vinegar has malic acid, or sodium malate, which will help remove the aluminum caused by the packaging of possible aluminum and freeze drying technology which removes the electrical charges of the natural foods and should at least restore some of those colloidal properties of the blood normally so that the blood can remain suspended in the plasma, so it can perform its function. Usually sodium citrate, which is actually 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid can be alternated with the apple cider vinegar, to control the urinary pH at 7.0 so that constipation is removed.
Another possibility without having to bother with the drinking water is to simply take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda twice a day with 1/8 teaspoon of citric acid, which should get urinary pH to near 7, and the constipation issue is once removed.
A normal bowel movement ideally should be actually 3 times a day, but a minimum of 2 a day. In which case you need to control a consistent bowel movement. I do it sometimes myself to maintain or prevent high blood pressure, by controlling the electrolytes and alkalinity. There is no set agreement, but in my case if it is an emergency where bowel movement doesn't occur all day, I would take 1 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1 teaspoon of sea salt. However that is just for emergencies.
For long term prevention, controlling the urinary pH at 7.0 will in most cases control the body's normal bowel movements. Fiber helps to some extent, but it is the water balance between the intestines, which are often controlled by alkalinity and sea salts and its mineral. Therefore, in such a serious condition, purchasing a pocket pH meter (the prices are often around $50-$100) and increasing decreasing doses of baking soda and drinking water with some sea salt should prevent future constipation, and allowing the body to heal itself. To aid in healing, take some glyconutrient supplements, or just take kelp and aloe vera extract to help healing. Taking some vitamin C sodium ascorbate also help aid in healing too.
It is important to avoid common table salt and replace them with sea salt. The other is in field training an ideal drinking water with a proper electrolyte falls closer to a sea salt solution, with some baking soda, which current medical practices focuses only on just the salt and potassium, while most people who actually have eletrolyte problems is not just potassium, but magnesium, bicarbonates, phosphates, and micromineral (especially left sided minerals on the periodic table, which are alkaline formers, while most preserved foods are the minerals are found on the right side, which are acid in nature, e.g. chlorinated water) being the real issues and sea salts comes close in helping the body manage or prevent uneven dehydration, which can cause long term sickness.
Certain portable water may also be high in chlorine necessary to kill the bacteria, however, I prefer to use iodine drops and sea salt instead, plus some dechlorinator to remove the chlorine. The reason is simple: chlorinated water tend to cause constipation ahd high blood pressure. I remember a case of a child that gained weight to bloating whenever she goes to the swimming pool, but the bloating overweight disappeared whenever the chlorinated water were no longer used or that the girl avoided chlorinated water. Chlorine, by the way is acid forming and it too leads to constipation and may cause rectal bleeding just the same.
It seems most Western diet, is linked with the issue of acidosis, electrolyte and micromineral imbalances."