Gullet inflammation

An inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis) usually occurs in the context of gastroesophageal reflux disease. In this case, rising stomach acid causes an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the esophagus. This often manifests itself with heartburn, which occurs mainly at night and often in combination with a feeling of pressure and air bursts. However, it can also lead to blood in the stool, which is usually dark in colour. Acute oesophagitis can be treated by inhibiting the secretion of stomach acid.

Mallory-Weiss Syndrome

Mallory-Weiß syndrome is an increased incidence of tears in the mucous membrane at the transition area between the oesophagus and the stomach. Initially this typically causes vomiting. Later, upper abdominal pain, bloody vomiting and bloody stool are added. Mallory-Weiß syndrome can be treated well by gastroscopy with haemostasis, usually without complications.

Liver disease with portal vein hypertension

In chronic liver disease, high pressures occur in the venous portal vein system, making venous outflow from the intestine to the liver increasingly difficult in the long term. As a result, the venous blood can flow – due to the high pressure – from the portal vein towards the intestine, i.e. change direction. This leads to an overstraining of the vessels in some places, which are not aligned for this high pressure. These points are mainly in the area of the esophagus and the anal canal. Depending on their location, this can lead to dark or light blood in the stool.

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is one of the most common forms of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CED). It affects the entire gastrointestinal tract, which is usually not continuous. The disease often manifests itself by unintentional weight loss, lower abdominal pain, mostly unilateral on the right side and very frequent diarrhoea. The latter symptom in particular causes the intestinal mucosa to become very irritated, which can lead to small tears with blood in the stool as a result.

Ulcerative colitis

Alongside Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CED). In this case, an unexplained cause leads to an inflammation of the intestinal wall, in some cases antibodies can also be detected. The clinical picture typically manifests itself as diarrhoea, which is mainly bloody and mucous and often occurs in combination with abdominal pain and fever. In addition, severe pain can occur in case of urge to defecate.

Intestinal polyps

Intestinal polyps are bulges of the mucous membrane in the intestinal area. They are very common in elderly people and can remain completely asymptomatic and may not be detected. As a possible symptom, the stool may present itself as slimy and bloody.

Other changes in stool behaviour can also occur. Constipation or diarrhoea may occur. If intestinal polyps are discovered during a colonoscopy, they should be removed because of the risk of degeneration into malignant tumour tissue.