Seeing blood in your stool or vomit may be a sign of many possible conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, polyps in the bowel, sexually transmitted infections, diverticula, cancer, or gastroenteritis. No matter what condition is causing these uncomfortable symptoms, it’s important to go to a physician for the proper assessment and treatment. Three common gastroenterology issues that cause blood in the stool include: Gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis is the medical term used for the stomach flu. This infection causes inflammation of the stomach and intestine. Both norovirus and rotavirus can cause symptoms including bloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headache, and muscle weakness. Crohn's Disease One of the most common diseases in the large intestine is called Crohn’s disease. When you have Crohn’s disease, your colon becomes inflamed and you may develop hemorrhoids or anal fissures. These irritated blood vessels and tears in the anus can cause small amounts of blood to be present in the stool. Colon Cancer Colorectal cancer causes tarry, maroon colored stool. If you have colon cancer, you may begin to bleed in the digestive tract which makes the stool look darker than normal. If you suspect your symptoms could be a sign of colon cancer, come to Diamond Gastroenterology for our cancer screening options.