Differentiation of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding

The human digestive system is a very large system, which mainly occupies the upper body, so the digestive system is also divided into upper and lower digestive tracts in medicine. However, no matter which part of the digestive tract is, it cannot withstand stimulation from external objects. Once stimulated, it is easy to cause disease problems and cause digestive tract bleeding. If gastrointestinal bleeding occurs, how should we distinguish between upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding?

The sites and causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and lower gastrointestinal bleeding are different. The sites of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, upper jejunum, pancreatic duct, bile duct and other organs. The site of lower gastrointestinal bleeding is the intestine below the suspensory ligament of the duodenum. Generally speaking, upper gastrointestinal bleeding is caused by diseases such as ulcer disease, gastritis, and liver disease. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding generally has no history of such diseases. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding is usually caused by anorectal disease.

The clinical symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and lower gastrointestinal bleeding are also different. If the patient vomits blood and has blood in the stool, it indicates upper gastrointestinal bleeding. If there is simple blood in the stool, it is lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding may cause black stools, tarry stools, and occult blood in the stools. Bright red blood appears in the lower digestive tract. The stool of upper gastrointestinal bleeding has a large amount of blood, little stool, and the blood and stool are evenly mixed. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding may cause symptoms such as blood in the stool. The main symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are upper abdominal pain, heartburn, and acid reflux. The main symptoms of lower gastrointestinal bleeding are lower abdominal pain, periumbilical pain, and bloody stools.

The above is the difference between upper gastrointestinal bleeding and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. I believe that through the author’s introduction, everyone should have a good distinction between these two types of gastrointestinal bleeding. Both upper gastrointestinal bleeding and lower gastrointestinal bleeding are very serious gastrointestinal diseases. If gastrointestinal bleeding occurs, the patient must first make a self-diagnosis. A clear diagnosis must be made before treatment can be given. Otherwise, it will not only be ineffective, but may also aggravate the condition.