Blood in the stool can be frightening, whether you discover it while wiping after a bowel movement or from a test ordered by your health care provider. While blood in stool can signal a serious problem, it doesn't always. Here's what you need to know about the possible causes of bloody stools and what you -- and your doctor -- should do if you discover a problem.

Causes of Blood in Stool
Blood in the stool means there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. Sometimes the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by a fecal occult test (which checks for hidden blood in the stool). At other times it may visible on toilet tissue or in the toilet after a bowel movement as bright red blood. Bleeding that happens higher up in the digestive tract may make stool appear black and tarry.

Associated Symptoms
A person with blood in the stool may be unaware of bleeding and might have reported no symptoms. On the other hand, they may also have abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, difficulty breathing, Diarrhea, palpitations, fainting, and weight loss depending on the cause, location, length, and severity of the bleeding.

Blood in Stool Treatments
A doctor may use one of several techniques to stop acute bleeding. Often endoscopy is used to inject chemicals into the site of bleeding, treat the bleeding site with an electric current or laser, or apply a band or clip to close the bleeding vessel. If endoscopy does not control bleeding, the doctor may use angiography to inject medicine into the blood vessels to control bleeding.

Beyond stopping the immediate bleeding, if necessary, treatment involves addressing the cause of bleeding to keep it from returning. Treatment varies depending on the cause and may include medications such as antibiotics to treat H. pylori, ones to suppress acid in the stomach, or anti-inflammatory drugs to treat colitis. Surgery may be needed to remove polyps or the parts of the colon damaged by cancer, diverticulitis, or inflammatory bowel disease.