Turn to Conventional Medicine in Case of Medical Emergency

Antoaneta Sawyer, Ph.D.

The University of Maryland Medical Center published a Comprehensive Emergency Medicine Study Guide on gastrointestinal bleeding. The advice of their specialists is in case of bloody stools or vomit to aim for an immediate physician consultation, evaluation and quick surgery or treatment.

The main causes of blood in the stools medically termed Melena or Hematochezia, according to the Maryland Medical Center are:

1) Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis)
2) Bleeding ulcer in the duodenum or the stomach.
3) Bleeding esophageal varices or stomach varices.
4) General infection in the stomach and intestines (gastroenteritis).
5) Irritation or erosion due to injury in the GI tract.
6) Alien objects lodged in the gastrointestinal tract.
7) Ischemic (insufficient blood flow) intestines.
8) Abnormality in blood vessels, or an esophageal tear.
9) Hemorrhoids or anal fissures.
10) Diverticulitis
11) IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease).
12) Tumors of the esophagus, stomach or the small bowel.
13) Colon cancer or polyps in the colon.

Not less dangerous are the symptoms of blood vomiting (regurgitation of blood) medically termed hematemesis. Blood vomiting through the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the stomach, mouth, throat, esophagus and the first part of the small intestine bleeding. The university researchers consider quite difficult to differentiate between vomiting blood and coughing up blood (from the lungs) or a serious nose bleeding. In fact vomiting blood is a true gastrointestinal bleeding and deserves an immediate attention by a physician.

References:
Overton, D. T. (2006). Gastrointestinal bleeding. In: Tintinalli, J. E., Kelen, G. D., Stapczynski, J. S., Ma, O. J., Cline, D. M., eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill; chap 74.