Gastroenterology

Bloody diarrhea can be caused by short-term infections, but it can also signal inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s; if symptoms last more than two weeks, recur with blood, or come with weight loss or fatigue, seek medical evaluation. Diagnosis may include stool tests, blood work and colonoscopy, and urgent care is needed for high fever, severe abdominal pain, dehydration, or heavy bleeding. There are several factors to consider; see below for key differences from infections, other causes to rule out, red-flag symptoms, and the testing and treatment options to discuss with your doctor.

There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. The most suggestive symptoms are persistent abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea sometimes with blood, unintended weight loss, fatigue, fever, mouth sores, and perianal problems. The most diagnostic tests are fecal calprotectin and inflammatory blood markers to screen for gut inflammation, with colonoscopy and biopsies as the gold standard and MR or CT enterography to define extent and complications; no single test stands alone, so key next steps and red flags are explained below.

There are several factors to consider: persistent diarrhea, blood in the stool, urgency, cramping, weight loss or fatigue can signal ulcerative colitis, sometimes with symptoms outside the gut, and red flags like heavy bleeding, high fever, severe constant pain, or dehydration need urgent care. Diagnosis involves stool and blood tests and a colonoscopy, and treatment depends on severity and extent, ranging from 5-ASA medicines to steroids, biologics, or surgery; see below for how to tell UC from IBS or infections, what to watch for, and which next steps may be right for you.

These often occur together because chronic gut blood loss, malabsorption from conditions like celiac or IBD, inflammation that traps iron, and reduced intake with frequent stools can all cause iron deficiency. There are several factors to consider; see below to understand more. Workup typically includes history and exam, CBC with iron studies and celiac screening, stool tests for blood, infection and inflammation, and targeted endoscopy or imaging, with treatment aimed at iron repletion plus the underlying cause; urgent red flags like black stools, severe pain, fever, fainting, or rapid weight loss need immediate care, and important details on next steps are outlined below.

Mouth ulcers plus diarrhea can signal Crohn’s because this inflammatory bowel disease can involve the GI tract from mouth to anus, so oral lesions often flare alongside intestinal inflammation that drives persistent diarrhea. If this combination lasts more than two weeks or is accompanied by red flags like weight loss, blood or mucus in stool, fever, or joint or eye symptoms, seek prompt medical care. There are several factors to consider and important tests and treatments that may apply; see below for the complete answer and next steps.

Nighttime diarrhea that wakes you from sleep is an alarm feature because intestinal activity should slow during sleep, so it often signals an organic cause like inflammatory bowel disease, infection, celiac disease, microscopic colitis, endocrine problems, medication effects, or malabsorption, and it typically prompts targeted testing rather than assuming IBS. There are several factors to consider, including red flags that need urgent care and which tests and treatments fit different causes. See the complete details below to understand what to watch for and which next steps may be right for you.

There are several factors to consider. Irritation usually means sharp or burning pain at the anal margin with bright red blood on tissue, itching, or tender lumps after straining or sitting; infection more often causes deep, throbbing pain with rectal discharge, fever, tenesmus, or genital sores after sexual exposure; inflammatory disease tends to cause persistent pain with bloody mucus diarrhea, urgency including at night, weight loss or fatigue, and in cirrhosis, possible painless bleeding from rectal varices. See below for the full symptom checklist, urgent red flags, risk factors, and the key tests and first treatments that could change your next steps in care.

People often ignore early signs like mild rectal bleeding, frequent urgent bowel movements, persistent diarrhea, cramping, unexplained fatigue, and gradual weight loss, sometimes along with joint, skin, or eye inflammation. There are several factors to consider, including red-flag symptoms such as escalating bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, fever, dehydration, or anemia that need urgent care. See below for full details, what to do next, and how to talk to your doctor.

Go to the ER now if you have heavy or frequent bleeding or clots, severe abdominal pain, fever of 101 F or higher, signs of dehydration, dizziness or fainting, confusion, a rapid heartbeat or low blood pressure, you are pregnant or immunocompromised, have major conditions like heart, kidney, or liver disease, or you have a sudden severe IBD flare. If symptoms are mild, with fewer than 3 bloody stools a day, no or low grade fever, and you can drink and urinate, you can monitor closely, hydrate, and see a doctor within 24 to 48 hours. There are several factors to consider, and key causes, red flags, safe home care, and what to expect in the ER are explained below.

Doctors take persistent diarrhea seriously when key red flags are present: blood or pus, high fever, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration, unintentional weight loss, symptoms lasting more than 48 hours, recent antibiotics or travel, older age, or immunocompromise; see below for the full list and what to do next. These signs may point to infections like C. difficile, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption, or dangerous complications such as severe dehydration or acute kidney injury, so seek urgent care if any occur. There are several factors to consider, and the detailed guidance below explains self-care, when to see a doctor, and the tests doctors use.

There are several factors to consider. Chronic diarrhea lasting 4 or more weeks can reflect true gut inflammation rather than a sensitive gut, often from inflammatory bowel disease, microscopic colitis, or bile acid malabsorption; see below for specifics that could change your next steps. Red flags and tests that help distinguish causes include blood in stool, weight loss, anemia or fever, fecal calprotectin or lactoferrin and, if elevated, colonoscopy with biopsies, with treatments that differ from IBS such as anti-inflammatory drugs, bile acid binders and targeted nutrition; find the full checklist and when to seek urgent care below.

When diarrhea lasts weeks, look beyond a virus: common causes include postinfectious IBS, inflammatory or microscopic colitis, malabsorption such as celiac, pancreatic insufficiency or bile acid diarrhea, chronic infections or parasites, medication effects including C. difficile, endocrine issues like hyperthyroidism or diabetic neuropathy, and liver disease; there are several factors to consider, and key nuances that can change your next steps are outlined below. Useful tests include blood work for anemia, inflammation, electrolytes, liver and thyroid function; stool studies for culture, ova and parasites, C. difficile, fecal calprotectin and fat or elastase; celiac antibodies and breath tests for lactose or SIBO; and, when indicated, colonoscopy with biopsies or imaging. Seek prompt care for red flags like bleeding, fever, severe pain, dehydration or weight loss, and see below for full details and step-by-step guidance.

Mucus in diarrhea usually signals irritation or inflammation of the colon lining, as goblet cells ramp up mucin to protect an inflamed gut; mucus with blood, fever, or severe abdominal pain is more suggestive of an inflammatory or invasive process than a simple viral upset. There are several factors to consider, and mucus can also occur in IBS without true inflammation; see below for key causes, red flags that warrant medical care, and the diagnostic and treatment options that could shape your next steps.

Fatigue with diarrhea often points to a gut cause, driven by inflammation, nutrient and fluid losses, or microbiome imbalance, with common culprits including IBD, bile acid diarrhea, infections, liver disease, and malabsorption issues like celiac disease or SIBO. There are several factors to consider, including urgent red flags, the tests doctors use, and proven treatments from medications and diet to supplements, probiotics, and self care; see below for the details that can shape your next steps.

A fecal calprotectin stool test can rapidly indicate whether gut symptoms are due to intestinal inflammation, helping tell IBD from IBS and sometimes sparing you an immediate colonoscopy. Low values make significant inflammation unlikely, while higher results point to active inflammation and the need for further evaluation. There are several factors to consider, including infections, medicines like NSAIDs, and how to act on borderline results. See complete details below, including result ranges, when to repeat testing, red flags that need urgent care, and how this test fits into your next steps.

Nighttime diarrhea usually points to an organic cause rather than typical daytime IBS; key suspects include infections, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption such as celiac or bile acid diarrhea, hormonal issues like hyperthyroidism, medication effects, and complications of advanced liver disease. There are several factors to consider, and red flags like blood in the stool, fever, weight loss, severe abdominal pain, dehydration, or jaundice need prompt care; see below for the full list of causes, alarm signs, and how doctors evaluate and treat this.

Where your lower abdominal pain sits with diarrhea is a key clue that narrows causes and directs testing, for example right-sided pain pointing toward appendicitis or Crohn's, left-sided toward diverticulitis or ulcerative colitis, and midline toward bladder, uterus, or small bowel issues. There are several factors to consider. See below for the full list of causes, red flags that require urgent care, how diarrhea changes the picture, and the tests and treatments that can guide your next steps.

There are several factors to consider. Diarrhea, urgency or tenesmus, cramping, mucus or pus, and systemic signs like fever, fatigue, or weight loss suggest inflammation, whereas small amounts of bright red blood on the paper or stool surface with sharp, well localized pain during or after a bowel movement, often after constipation, suggest an anal tear. See below for key red flags that need urgent care such as heavy bleeding, dizziness or fainting, black tarry stools, severe abdominal pain, or high fever, plus evaluation steps and treatments that can guide your next steps.

First-line diagnoses include acute appendicitis, infectious ileocolitis (Yersinia, Salmonella, Campylobacter, C. difficile, parasites), and Crohn’s disease of the terminal ileum. Depending on age and risk factors, clinicians also consider mesenteric adenitis, IBS, NSAID enteropathy, and less commonly Meckel’s diverticulitis, ileocecal tuberculosis, ischemia, or tumors; important red flags and next tests are outlined below.

Clinically, the sensation of incomplete evacuation is the feeling that stool remains after a bowel movement even when the rectum is empty, most often tied to functional anorectal disorders like dyssynergic defecation or IBS-C, though structural issues such as rectocele or rectal prolapse can also play a role. There are several factors to consider, and appropriate next steps often include a focused history and exam, possible anorectal testing, and first-line care with fiber, hydration, pelvic floor physical therapy, and cautious use of laxatives, with urgent evaluation for red flags like bleeding, weight loss, or severe pain. See below to understand more.