Black Stools

Black stools are mostly due to consuming dark-colored food. But sometimes, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract due to ulcers, cancer, or injury, can result in black stools. The other cause includes bowel ischemia, varices, and vascular malformation. Hemorrhoids or IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) can also result in black or bloody stools.

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All the answers published in this website are written by verified medical doctors, therapists and health experts. The Content has been moderated by iCliniq medical review team before publication. Post your medical clarifications on iCliniq by choosing the right specialty and get them answered. Your medical queries will be answered 24/7 by top doctors from iCliniq.

Gastritis Cause Black Stools

Query: Hi doctor, I have acid reflux problem for the last 5 years. Pain in my throat also happens because of it. For the last eight months, I feel dizzy, vertigo after eating food and sometimes even after drinking water. I have started taking herbal medicines for psoriatic arthritis before six months. Whe...  Read Full »


Dr. Anshul Varshney

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. We are here to help you. Most likely you are being given steroids or painkillers in the form of herbal supplements, and they have the side effect of gastritis that can cause black stools.Black stools can also be caused by multivitamins. In such case scenario, my strong re...  Read Full »

I have a sore throat, fever, runny nose, with black stool. Is there anything serious?

Query: Hi doctor, I have a sore throat, fever, runny nose, and black stool. Is there anything serious?  Read Full »


Dr. Penchilaprasad Kandikattu

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. You are suffering from probably acute viral rhinopharyngitis with black stools. Black stools may be due to GI bleeding or Iron tablets consumption or infection, etc. Until examination is done it is difficult to say what it is. Use water vapor inhalation and salt wate...  Read Full »

Is my lymph node enlarged due to cancer?

Query: Hi doctor, I have left supraclavicular lymph node enlargement of around 0.39 inches in size over four months. I have body pain and occasional low back pain. I have pain in areas such as my shoulder, right groin, and hand under the elbow and sometimes feel difficulties in my chest. Only one lymph nod...  Read Full »


Dr. Prakash H. M

Answer: Hi,Welcome to icliniq.com.Based on your queries, my opinion is as follows:Lymph nodes in supraclavicular areas are usually due to infection from surrounding areas. The possibility for cancer is if it is enlarging or very hard or if there is another cancer in the body.Usually increasing size in the a...  Read Full »

Can having soy milk result in black-colored stools?

Query: Hello doctor, My kid is 19 months old and she has asthma. We are giving her 6 to 7 fluid ounces of fortified soy milk twice a day as she is not interested in drinking regular milk. She has dark stools when she drinks soy milk. Is it safe to give soy milk to kids?  Read Full »


Dr. Faisal Abdul Karim Malim

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Yes, it is safe to give soy milk to the child as long as she is not known to have any soy-protein allergy. Please check for the iron content of the soy-milk product that you are giving. It most probably must be because of the iron-content of the soy-milk product that ...  Read Full »

I have a runny stomach and black stools after the flu. Why?

Query: Hello doctor, I had the flu for two days. That included a fever, sore throat, and runny nose with a dry cough. The flu went away and now I just have a cough, but I have developed a rash behind my ears and a runny stomach in which my stool is black.  Read Full »


Dr. Settipalli Saravan Pramod

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. It seems like a hemorrhagic fever such as dengue in which the patient presents with a bleeding manifestation of melena (black-colored stools), bleeding gums, any hemorrhagic rashes, or hematuria, etc.Black-colored stools indicate that blood is leaking from somewhere in...  Read Full »

I passed a lot of bright blood with stool today. Should I be worried?

Query: Hello doctor, I was constipated yesterday full day. When I went to the toilet today, there was quite a lot of bright red blood. I went again and sat on the toilet without actually doing anything, and there was more blood. I have had cramps as well. Should I be worried right now? I have had bowel pro...  Read Full »


Dr. Murad Haider

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. There are many causes for blood in the stools. The severity can vary from mild bleeding (common) to a severe life-threatening bleeding (uncommon).If the bleeding is heavy or if you have black stools, that is older blood due to a bleed from high up in the gut, then see ...  Read Full »

I have nausea, black stools, belly pain and gas. What could it be?

Query: Hello doctor,I am a female, 58, 5'10", 239lbs. I am having nausea every morning. It comes and goes during the day. I also have black stools, belly pain, and gas. I am on Lexapro 10 mg, Pramipexole 3 mg, Lamotrigine 25 mg twice daily and 200 mg once, Meloxicam 15 mg, Metformin 500 mg, Gabapentin 300 ...  Read Full »


Dr. Anantha Narayanan Naganathan

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Your symptoms are suggestive of upper gastrointestinal intestinal bleed. Please stop Meloxicam 15 mg tablet immediately. I suggest you take proton pump inhibitor medication like Omeprazole 40 mg tablet straightaway and take preferably cold water. Please check with an a...  Read Full »

I have been suffering from iron deficiency anemia for three months and have noticed that my stools still appear black despite not taking iron supplements. Why?

Query: Hello doctor, I have had iron deficiency anemia for three months. In short, my third CBC doctor said everything is going fine, and my hemoglobin level is increasing. I have also done another blood test, even if I have not used iron supplements for two days. My blood levels were still increasing; I a...  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. If you have significant gastrointestinal bleeding, it is reflected in CBC (complete blood count) in the form of decreased hemoglobin level and increased platelet count. However, the minor bleeding will not be reflected in CBC. Iron medicine can remain in circulation...  Read Full »

My poop is black in color for the past five days. What could be the cause?

Query: Hi doctor, I have headache on the sides of my head, lower neck stiffness, mild chest tightness, difficulty in swallowing, mild burning sensation on the scalp and face, which spreads to hands and legs at times.The main concern is that my fecal matter has been black for the past five days. I am not ta...  Read Full »


Dr. Basuki Nath Bhagat

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have read your query, and I understand your concern. Black stool needs investigation unless you eat foods that can turn your stool black in color like dark chocolate, cookies or biscuits, blueberries, or taking iron supplements or bismuth-containing indigestion med...  Read Full »

Does black stools suggest liver failure in alcoholic cirrhosis?

Query: Hello doctor, I am 59 years old. I was diagnosed with hepatitis C alcoholic cirrhosis, acute pancreatitis and that was almost two years. I am currently taking Levothyroxine 50 mg once daily, Labetalol Hydrochloride 100 mg once daily, Lisinopril 20 mg once daily. I was in the hospital at first to st...  Read Full »


Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Black stools are indicative of acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Melena or black stools can also turn into a medical emergency if a lot of blood is lost and hence my sincere advice to you would be to go see a doctor as soon as possible. This does not signify liver f...  Read Full »

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