What is Melena?
is a term that describes the special appearance of blood in the stool. This term describes stools that are black, tar and often smell due to the presence of blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Melena is associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcers, gastritis and other upper gastrointestinal tract disorders. This molecule is responsible for transporting oxygen through blood beet and each hemoglobin molecule contains iron atom. When hemoglobin passes through the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, iron passes through a chemical reaction called oxidation that changes the color and appearance of blood and stool.
Blood generally passes through the intestines quickly. When blood comes from the lower gastrointestinal tract, it is usually bright red because iron has not yet had a time -cycling. This means that the source of oxidized blood is usually the upper gastrointestinal tract. A bright red or chestnut blood in the stool is called hematochezia and usually comes from a large intestine, rectum or rectum. TeNto the type of bleeding is most often caused by hemorrhoids. In rare cases, massive, rapid stomach bleeding can also lead to bright red blood in the stool.
The appearance of blood in the stool is often no reason to alarm, but the doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. The doctor first asks for a medical history that could include questions about the drugs, diet, gastrointestinal health and other symptoms except stool blood. The doctor may also perform a physical examination of the abdomen and rectum to determine whether there are any physical features that could provide diagnostic traces.
Dimensions of the agnostic tests that could be carried out include blood tests, stool cultures and X -rays. Testing stools is important because in certain specific situations the stools can take over the appearance of mell, even if no bleeding is present. For example, consumption noErna licorice, consumption of blueberries or the use of iron tablets can cause a similar appearance. Regular tomatoes or beets can also cause stools to look red. The diagnostic process may also include colonoscopy, a test that allows the doctor to carefully explore the digestive tract to scan growth.
People who experience one or more melenes episodes could be recommended to adjust their diet to prevent further bleeding, depending on the cause. For example, a high content of natural fiber and low saturated fat and alcohol may be recommended to reduce constipation and hemorrhoids. Drugs could be prescribed if the bleeding was caused by an ulcer. Some types of drugs, such as over -the -counter -dopper -inflammatory drugs, may cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding, so people who often use these drugs could be encouraged to reduce their intake.