What does a positive Hemoccult test indicate?

A positive result means that occult blood has been detected in your stool. It doesn’t mean that you have colorectal cancer. If the results of your hemoccult test come back positive, then you’ll need to have a colonoscopy to determine the source of the blood.

What is occult blood in baby stool?

The test detects hidden (occult) blood in the stool — blood that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Blood may come from any part of the digestive tract, from the esophagus to the anal area. Sometimes, blood detected in the stool can come from swallowed blood if the child has had bleeding from the mouth, throat or nose.

What if stool occult blood is positive?

A positive fecal occult blood test means that blood has been found in the stool. Your doctor will have to determine the source of the bleeding, either by doing a colonoscopy or by doing an examination to determine if the bleeding is coming from the stomach or small intestine.

What other conditions may cause blood in the stool and a positive result?

Other conditions that may cause blood in your stool include ulcers, hemorrhoids, polyps, and benign (not cancer) tumors. If you have blood in your stool, your provider will likely recommend more tests to figure out the exact location and cause of your bleeding. The most common follow-up test is a colonoscopy.

What does a positive stool sample indicate?

An abnormal or positive FIT result means that there was blood in your stool at the time of the test. A colon polyp, a pre-cancerous polyp, or cancer can cause a positive stool test. With a positive test, there is a small chance that you have early-stage colorectal cancer.

What causes blood and mucus in infant stool?

A baby may have blood and mucus in their stool. If the stool is very hard, this could mean that the baby is constipated. The blood and mucus could come from tiny tears in the baby’s anus. Ensuring that the baby consumes plenty of fluids may help.

Is occult blood in stool serious?

Occult blood in the stool may indicate colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum — though not all cancers or polyps bleed. Typically, occult blood is passed in such small amounts that it can be detected only through the chemicals used in a fecal occult blood test.

Is occult blood in stool curable?

Treatment of occult blood in the stool depends on the underlying cause. Blood in the stool indicates bleeding in the digestive tract, which could be an indication of polyps, tumors, or cancer in the colon or rectum.

Can a bacterial infection cause blood in stool?

Loose, watery stool with bleeding can be a symptom of a serious condition like ulcerative colitis or a bacterial infection. No matter what the cause is, your doctor has treatments that can help, so call them right away. Don’t try to treat it on your own with anti-diarrheal meds.