Blood in stools

Blood in stools is a common problem and can occur in people of any age group. Blood can appear in stools for various reasons, but the most common among them are piles and anal fissures. Other reasons may include colon cancer, rectum cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, stomach ulcer, and more. To find the right cause and choose an appropriate treatment, it is important to consult with a doctor or an expert. You can use options like a Gastroenterologist near me to find immediate care.

Most people assume the reason to be ‘piles’ when they notice blood in stools. But when you visit the doctor, the diagnosis is made considering various symptoms, and then the treatment is done. For example, those who suffer from constipation have the risk of developing anal fissures. For some people, there might be a lot of blood, and it might be due to leakage of blood from different organs like the small intestine or large intestine.

When the stool is black or dark in colour it might indicate GI bleeding, which means bleeding in the stomach, esophagus, or small intestine. Blood mixed with stool might be a symptom of cancer.

Diagnosis

First, the symptoms are evaluated, and then a physical examination is done. Then for piles diagnosis, an assessment using an instrument called a proc to scope is done. To examine the rectum and lower part of the large intestine, a test called sigmoidoscopy is done. If there is a problem suspected CT scan, MRI and angiogram are done.

Also Read: Testing for Abnormal Blood Flow with Doppler Ultrasound

Treatment

Simple problems like fissures and piles can be treated with medications and diet changes in the early stage. In severe cases, surgery might be needed. For cancer, different treatments like surgical procedures and radiation are done.

Kauvery Hospital

If you notice blood in stools, do not assume the reason yourself. Instead, please consult with a doctor and get it diagnosed properly. If you don’t get satisfactory results, with search options like Gastroenterologist near me, visit our hospital since we have experienced experts with advanced treatments.

Best Gastroenterologist in Chennai | Best Gastroenterologist in Salem | Best Gastroenterologist in Trichy | Best Gastroenterologist in Hosur

Causes of blood in the urine and the treatment

Dr. Jeevagan, Urologist, Kauvery Hospital Chennai, shares valuable insights about the importance of consulting with a specialist if a patient manifests blood in the urine and explains the various reasons that could lead to the condition and the treatment options.

Causes of blood in the urine

If you notice blood in the urine, it should be taken seriously. It is never normal to see blood in the urine. It is essential to see a doctor at once and get tests done and a diagnosis made. 

There are several causes for the occurrence of blood in the urine, and these include:

Urological causes

· Tumour in the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra It is essential to get this checked at once, even if the blood stops after a few days. It could be the beginning of a tumour, and the earlier it is detected and treated, the better the outcome.

· In women, it could be due to a UTI .UTI often occurs in young women and recently married women, and they present with chills, fever, and blood in the urine. It is easily treatable with medication.

· It could be caused due to urinary stone disease.The bleeding occurs when the stones move in the urinary tract, rub against mucosa and cause bleeding. Treatment to remove the stones should address the problem.

Nephrological causes

· Glomurenephritis

This is a nephrological cause for blood in the urine. It occurs due to the inflammation of the glomeruli or the tiny filters in your kidneys. It can come on suddenly or gradually. The nephrologist will formulate a treatment plan.

Best Urologist in Chennai | Best Urologist in Hosur | Best Urologist in Salem | Best Urologist in Trichy |

Dengue Fever Awareness

We have had a rough 2020, and 2021 doesn't seem to be any less stressful. While dealing with the pandemic, it is important to remember that the pandemic has not caused other illnesses to recede. We are still vulnerable to all the other diseases out there, and for us, Chennaiities, Dengue tops the list.

How is Dengue caused?

The Aedes mosquitoes cause dengue fever. When a mosquito bites a person infected with a dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another person, the virus enters that person's bloodstream and causes an infection.



The Dengue mosquito, or the Aedes aegypti, is about 4-7 meters long. It has white markings on its legs and the upper surface of its body. The female mosquito has a shorter antenna, and the male has a longer one. It is the female mosquito that is dangerous. Be on the look-out for mosquitoes with white markings and short antennae. These are most active during the day.

They breed in any place with stagnant water and therefore flourish in cities and city suburbs where they can find stagnant water in discarded tyres, empty flower pots, coconut shells, etc.

Read More  Fatty Liver – Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention Methods

 
Symptoms of Dengue

It is common for an infected person to manifest symptoms between 3-14 days. It usually starts with a fever. Within 2-5 days, there could be a rash and blood in stools. In young women, menstrual bleeding may be heavy. There is usually throat and nose chest congestion between the third and seventh day. Other symptoms include:

· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Rash
· Aches and pains
· Eye pain, typically behind the eyes
· Bone pain
· Fever

Symptoms of Dengue typically last 2–7 days. Most people will recover after about a week.

Donate Plasma – Save a Life

COVID-19 – when will it end? Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that right now. While the countries of the world are all racing against time to find a vaccine for it, plasma donation seems to be the way out at least until a vaccine becomes available.

What Is Plasma Therapy?

Plasma therapy, though it is still in the research stage, has shown promising results. This therapy involves separating the plasma of patients who have recovered from COVID-19. This plasma is then given to COVID-19 patients to help them fight the disease.

Dr S. Prabakaran, a transfusion medicine consultant at Kauvery Hospital - Trichy, explains how it is possible for every COVID-19 survivor to make a difference in other COVID patients’ lives. He explains that a person’s blood is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, blood platelets and plasma. This plasma is what contains the antibodies to different diseases. So, a COVID-19 survivor’s plasma will contain antibodies that fight against that infection.

Read Also Difference between the common flu and COVID-19.

Time Is of Essence

The sooner a hospital starts plasma therapy for a COVID patient, the greater his chances of recovery and survival. It is also to be noted that the plasma taken from one recovered patient can be used for two COVID-19 patients, effectively helping save two lives in the process. So, from when can a COVID survivor start plasma donation? Dr Prabhakaran explains that 14 days after recovery from COVID-19, a person can start donating plasma.

Fear Is What We Need to Beat

A lot of people fear going to the blood bank to donate blood. This is understandable as they have just recovered from a pandemic that is ravaging the world. However, if they can overcome this fear and donate plasma, they will be making a huge difference to many families – they could possibly save a mother, a father or a child in a family and earn the family’s undying gratitude. If every survivor was to decide that he/she will help save others by donating plasma, it will indeed make a world of difference to many COVID-19 patients!

Words From a COVID-19 Survivor

Mr Subbaraman was an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient. He was treated successfully at Kauvery Hospital and discharged. Mr Subbaraman urges all COVID survivors like himself to donate blood to save the thousands of patients who are suffering in hospitals.

Make a difference; donate plasma and save lives!

Watch Dr Prabhakaran explain plasma therapy - 

Bathing After a Meal Delays Digestion

The prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in our day-to-day life. Some of these changes may be considered insignificant, but in the long run, their effects on our body are definitely not insignificant to say the least. One such lifestyle change that has been brought about is that many people now no longer bathe before lunch, preferring to postpone bathing to after lunch. This might seem like a trivial thing, but as Dr Muralidharan Parthasarathy of Kauvery Hospital explains, bathing after meals has more repercussions than we realize.

Dr Muralidharan who is a general, GI, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, explains that the pandemic has changed the way we live. Our daily routine of getting up, bathing, breakfasting and then leaving for work has been upset because of many factors caused by the pandemic. As a result, people bathe at times convenient to them, often after meals, not realizing that this has adverse effects on their digestion.

Read: How to exercise during the Covid-19 pandemic

How Is Digestion Affected?

When we eat, an increased volume of blood supply is needed by the stomach and small intestine to aid in the process of digestion. If we bathe after a meal, the bath causes a change in our body temperature. This in turn results in an increased requirement of blood by the skin and other parts. Therefore, the blood that was meant to aid in digestion is now diverted to the skin. This practice of bathing after meals, when it is done on a regular basis, puts people at risk of many digestion disorders.

Read: What is the difference between Indigestion and Heart burn?

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Dr Muralidharan explains that it is best to wait for at least an hour after lunch and then bathe. Even better would be to take a bath before lunch. These simple solutions could avoid digestion problems.

To listen to Dr Muralidharan himself explain digestion issues caused by variations in bathing times, 

Blood in Urine

Dr. Sasi Kumar, Consultant Urologist, Kauvery Hospital, Trichy.

I like to share valuable insights regarding the symptoms and causes of blood or red blood cells in the urine and how it can be treated. Hematuria maybe symptomatic or asymptomatic. 

Various problems can cause this leakage of blood into urine – including commonly encountered urinary tract infections. These occur when bacteria enter your body through the urethra and multiply in your bladder. Seeing blood in your urine can be alarming, while in many instances the cause is harmless or less serious like presence of kidney stones, bladder stones etc. Hematuria can indicate a serious disorder like kidney infections (pyelonephritis), prostatic hyperplasia, malignancies like bladder cancer, prostate cancer or renal cancer. Make your appointment and consult your urologist anytime you notice blood in your urine.