BLACK STOOL/STOMACH ULCER BLEEDING.

A patient feeling weak,sweating,pain in the upper abdomen and complaining of passage of black tarry stool, the common diagnosis comes to mind is bleeding from a pre-existing or a fresh stomach ulcer.Now-a-days the terminology used for the peptic ulcer is "Acid peptic disease".Due to various reasons one may get the inner line of stomach and/or duodenum breached/damaged leading to ulceration.Most common causes being stress of life,spicy chilly foods,perfectionist personality,intake of analgesics ,smoking,C.Pylori infection and severe trauma etc.. There occurs ulcerations which may bleed at times to a larger extent.This blood goes down to the lower intestine and the haemoglobin, an iron containing protein gets converted to acid haematin making stool appear black, tarry and sticking to the pan. If excessive bleeding is there the patient may feel weakness to fainting attacks.
Treatment commences with conservative measures after a stool sample test for occult blood and usually successful.Sometimes blood transfusion and surgery may save the life of the patient.
Taking green leafy vegetables and iron containing capsules may impart a black color to stool.
AVOIDING THE FOODS MENTIONED AND AVOIDING STRESS WILL PREVENT IT TO A LARGER EXTENT.