Bleeding: symptoms and first aid

Gastric bleeding (symptoms and first aid will be described later) can cause panic, because most people simply don’t know what to do with the patient in this case. However, giving in to emotions is not worth it. In our article, you will learn about the symptoms of bleeding in women and men, and also learn how to provide first aid in violation of the integrity of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of the symptom

This condition in most cases occurs in patients who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. According to medical statistics, only 8 to 9 percent of patients go to the hospital with similar complaints that were caused by another reason, for example, mechanical damage to the walls of internal organs after swallowing a sharp object. In the following list, you will find the most common causes and symptoms of bleeding in the stomach and intestines.

1. Gastrointestinal ulcerative lesions (most common). This category includes direct peptic ulcer of the duodenum or stomach, an ulcer against the background of chronic gastritis, destruction of the mucous membrane as a result of taking certain drugs, as well as erosive gastritis. The main symptoms are pain in the stomach and a taste of bitterness in the mouth.
2. Digestive system diseases not related to ulcers. This category includes various anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diseases of the gallbladder and liver, tumors of internal organs (malignant and benign), as well as varicose veins. Symptoms can be very different, but all diseases have something in common - the allocation of blood through the anus.
3. Problems with the cardiovascular system. Sometimes gastric bleeding is just a symptom of a disease in another organ. The main ailments that should be paid attention in the first place are: heart failure, atherosclerosis and blockage of veins, systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as hypertension. Symptoms of intestinal bleeding are usually accompanied by periodic pain in the heart.

Well, do not forget about various blood diseases: leukemia, hemophilia, thrombocytopenic purpura, aplastic anemia and many other disorders that can only be diagnosed in a clinic when passing certain tests. So if you are experiencing stomach bleeding (symptoms and help will be described in the following sections), then you should seek help at the hospital. Moreover, you need to do this as quickly as possible, otherwise the ailment will develop into a chronic stage.

Minor risk factors

In the previous section, you learned about the main causes and symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding. We will also analyze many diseases in more detail, but we can not ignore the fact that in some cases such a disorder can be caused by secondary factors:

• vitamin deficiency (special attention should be paid to a lack of vitamin K);
• a large number of chronic diseases in an elderly person;
• tachycardia in combination with low blood pressure;
• severe head injuries and concussions;
• shock condition and mental disorders;
• esophageal hernia of varying severity;
• blood poisoning.

As a rule, gastric bleeding occurs only if there are several factors listed on the list. However, do not exclude the possibility that a symptom cannot be caused by only one of these factors. Of course, the risk is quite small, but still there.

Types of gastrointestinal bleeding

Symptoms of various diseases will help to easily determine one or another ailment to which the patient was subjected. However, if a person knows about the types of bleeding, then the diagnosis will be much more accurate. In the following list you will find more detailed information.

1. Explicit or hidden. Abdominal bleeding, the symptoms of which can cause a lot of inconvenience, can be pronounced or almost never occur. In the first case, the patient will notice discharge when going to the toilet or when vomit is released. In the second, a person may not be aware for several months how serious the disorder is (the symptomatology is limited to pain in the stomach and heartburn).
2. Acute or chronic. The first variety develops rapidly and suddenly, as a result of which a person loses a huge amount of scarlet liquid in a relatively short period of time, and his condition noticeably worsens. Chronic bleeding can last for several weeks, however, discharge may not be as profuse. Over time, the patient develops iron deficiency anemia.
3. Single or recurrent. Everything here is clear from the name. The first category includes diseases, as a result of which a certain amount of fluid is released from the gastrointestinal tract, but only once every few months or even years. Recurrent bleeding is accompanied by certain periods of "attenuation" of the symptom, but resumes with a certain frequency.

Whatever variety you have, it is important to remember one thing - internal bleeding is very dangerous for the body. Even if it does not cause inconvenience at the moment, this does not mean that this will continue forever.

General symptoms

Now we should talk about the symptoms of intestinal bleeding (or gastric) in more detail. There is a rather large list of common signs by which this ailment can be recognized. However, do not forget that these symptoms may be characteristic of other disorders. The final diagnosis can only be made by an experienced doctor, based on the results of tests and a comprehensive diagnosis of internal organs.

1. The dark color of feces (we can say that it is almost black). Even when it comes to gastric bleeding, blood in the intestines can be partially digested, as a result of which it acquires such a hue.
2. Weakness, fatigue, nausea, chills. These symptoms also cause the loss of a large amount of blood. Even if a person does not notice scarlet discharge when visiting the toilet, such symptoms do occur.
3. Decrease in heart rate. It is easy to guess that blood loss also affects the functioning of the circulatory system. Pulse can decrease by 10 or even 20 beats per minute.
4. Tinnitus and darkening in the eyes. In some cases, blood loss is also accompanied by such symptoms. Here you can add dizziness and migraine.
5. Vomiting with scarlet liquid. In appearance, the blood will strongly resemble coffee grounds, since it coagulates under the influence of gastric juice.

It is also worth noting that such a condition does not have to be accompanied by pain. In some cases, even bleeding with an ulcer (the symptoms of the disease have been described previously) does not bring any discomfort. In the stomach or intestines, a vessel may be damaged, next to which there is not a large number of nerve endings. Therefore, pain can occur only with a certain periodicity or be absent altogether.

Diseases and symptoms

Remember that the final diagnosis can only be made by a qualified general practitioner. But if you want to be aware of what can happen inside your body, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the information from the following list.

1. Peptic ulcer (the main cause of most gastric hemorrhages). As a rule, with this disease in the vomit there are impurities of the blood, which practically did not change color. If we are talking about damage to the duodenum, then the stool is usually painted black. The pain usually subsides at the time of opening of the bleeding.
2. Cancers of the esophagus, stomach, intestines (about 10% of cases). The oncological process usually proceeds without pronounced symptoms to the terminal stage. Blood is present in vomit in unchanged color. Cancer is also accompanied by a general decrease in appetite, as well as a sharp loss in body weight.
3. Expansion of the esophagus (up to 5% of cases). Such a disease can occur against the background of cirrhosis, when the internal organ grows so much that it presses on the hepatic vein. This condition develops quite quickly, especially if a person performs a lot of physical activity. A high probability of large blood loss in a few hours.
4. Rectal fissure or hemorrhoids. In this case, the blood will not mix with feces, and its color will remain bright red. As a rule, the liquid is released after emptying, and in the anus there are unpleasant sensations (itching and burning). The degree of these diseases can be very different.
5. Ulcerative colitis. With this disorder, bleeding is frequent and chronic. In rare cases, in the feces, you can notice the presence of black mucus, which is formed as a result of the digestion of blood. Against the background of this condition, anemia develops very quickly, so you should not neglect consultation with a specialist.

Signs of bleeding and symptoms will help with a high degree of probability to determine the degree of a disease. However, do not forget that only a blood test and a study of the abdominal organs will allow you to make more accurate conclusions.

First aid for bleeding

Symptoms of common diseases are far from all the information that a person suffering from this type of disorder should know. If you do not want your body condition to deteriorate sharply, you need to be able to correctly provide yourself first aid so that you have time before the doctors arrive. The following list contains the basic rules that must be followed without fail if there is suspicion of abdominal bleeding.

1. Provide general peace. When the first signs of bleeding or worsening of health appear, it is best to immediately take a lying position. In the case of vomit should turn on its side so as not to choke.
2. Never eat or drink. Otherwise, it can lead to increased blood loss. But sucking ice is a very wise decision, because it will cause a vasospasm.
3. Do not take medicine until the ambulance arrives. It’s even a regular pain medication and a means to improve blood coagulation. Remember that medications can sometimes make the condition worse.

Well and most importantly - try to move as little as possible. With internal bleeding, the probability of losing consciousness is quite high. If you stay on your feet all this time, you can simply faint and hit your head on some sharp object. So take a lying position and do not get up, even if you feel that you noticeably feel better. It is best to wait for the doctors to arrive, lying on the bed.

Diagnostics

As a rule, with moderate, and sometimes with a slight degree of bleeding, hospitalization may be recommended to the patient. In case of refusal, treatment will be performed on an outpatient basis. A gastroenterologist usually examines the patient. The most severe condition can stop the surgeon. If the pain was diagnosed in the area of ​​the duodenum 12, then a proctologist can take up further treatment of the patient. In extreme cases, an oncologist consultation will be required.

What are the usual tests and procedures for a patient who has been diagnosed with abdominal bleeding? Firstly, you have to pass a general blood test and feces. In almost all cases, FGDS is prescribed (sometimes adrenaline is injected into the bloodstream to prevent blood loss. Also, in some cases, an X-ray of the stomach and intestines may be required. Well, very rarely, a small amount of vomit is taken from a patient for analysis.

Treatment

It is not difficult to guess that this procedure will depend entirely on the diagnosis. In addition, only a specialist doctor can prescribe this or that drug, since many drugs have side effects and contraindications. However, if we are talking about stationary methods of treatment, then the following procedures are usually preferred:

• endoscopic operations (doping, stitching, cauterization);
• surgical ligation of blood vessels;
• proton pump inhibitors.

As for drugs, the doctor may prescribe drugs to increase blood coagulation. In addition, if the patient has lost too much fluid, then medicines are prescribed that enhance the production of lymph. Also, one should not forget about individual procedures and even traditional medicine, which some experts recommend.

Complications and consequences

Every patient who suffers from abdominal bleeding should be well aware that this symptom can lead not only to painful sensations, but even death. In addition, the loss of large volumes of lymph often leads to the development of anemia. If the patient does not pay attention to treatment on time, then the disease can develop into a chronic stage. In some cases, after this, the ailment cannot be eliminated even surgically (for example, with cancer).

The first thing to do when signs of internal bleeding appear is to consult an experienced specialist. Most diseases that are characterized by a similar symptom are especially dangerous in that it is very difficult for the patient to independently assess the severity of a particular ailment. Some people neglect going to the clinic, as a result of which they have various kinds of complications.

Needless to say, the presence of abdominal bleeding will also adversely affect a person’s life. The patient may begin to experience nausea or dizziness at the most inopportune moment. As a result, you will have to postpone the performance of important duties all the time or completely abandon some hobbies. Therefore, abdominal bleeding can and should be treated in a hospital.

Conclusion

We hope that now you can understand what symptoms of internal bleeding should be paid attention to in order to diagnose the disease. Of course, only a doctor can make a final verdict, however, if you are well versed in the characteristics of your body and know the “sores” that are characteristic of it, you can give yourself first aid in case of unpleasant symptoms that will plunge other people into a panic.