I’ve decided to start a new series of frequently asked questions for 2010, looking at some of the things that newbies to the IBS world need to know. This post, and all subsequent posts, comes with my “I’m not a doctor” disclaimer which basically says that anyone who relies on internet information without seeking help from a doctor is a bit of a pillock.
So, our first topic of 2010 is an easy one – does IBS cause blood in the stool? Answer: nope. IBS is a functional disorder, which means that something has gone wrong with the actual function of the intestines, but not their physical structure (or, at least, nothing is wrong with the physical structure that is obvious to the eye or colonoscopies etc).
Some gastrointestinal disorders do cause bleeding, so it’s very important that any bleeding is checked out by a doctor. It’s also possible to have bleeding with hemorrhoids that may be the result of IBS, but you won’t know either way unless you get yourself to a doctor.
There’s no way that IBS alone can result in bleeding though, it’s just not that type of condition. Bloodless, if you like.
