This was the experience of several of my actual patients.
Mr.M was 45 years old, had blood in his stool on and off, for the past several weeks. He had about enough to color the toilet bowl pink to red. He does have some hard stools at times.
Patient went and got a colonoscopy and was told he had internal hemorrhoids. Advice was given to increase fiber in diet and use some laxatives to make the stool soft. However, the bleeding went on at a smaller pace for the following few months, and towards the end of a year, patient had a lot of blood in stool one time, this time making the toilet bowl fully dark red.
Patient was worried and had another colonoscopy and found to have internal hemorrhoids and got the same advice. Some patients had colonoscopies done yearly for this purpose but the problem remained the same.
Now, there is a painless, hemorrhoid management system which can be performed in the office itself. It does not require you taking any preparation like you would do for colonoscopy. It involves inserting a pen like device through the anus with a rubber band at the tip and putting the rubber bands on the hemorrhoids. This essentially pinches off the internal hemorrhoids and causes scarring of that area which also helps adjust the external hemorrhoids as well. This procedure could help with correcting seepage, wetness around the anal area as well.
Of all the procedures I perform as a Gastroenterologist, my patients are most thankful after I fix their hemorrhoids. I was expecting them to thank me after performing a technically challenging procedures, however, this is what gives them immense noticeable relief and that drives me to continue to offer it in my office.
There could be several other more serious reasons for blood in stool and it should not be neglected and be investigated by a trained Gastroenterologist promptly. It is not safe to assume that all blood in stool is from hemorrhoids.
