How Do You Identify Blood In The Stool?
Hidden blood in your stool may be the only early sign for detecting colon cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends that people over 50 years of age test for fecal occult blood every one to two years. There are three methods available to test for fecal occult blood: two that the laboratory performs and an at-home method using disposable pads available at pharmacies without prescription. Step 1 Purchase a fecal blood pad kit from any local pharmacy. EZ-Detect and ColoCARE are examples of brands you might use. The kit consists of three flushable pads, instructions and a result card. Step 2 Read the kit instructions carefully. There should be a list for instructions on how to prepare for the test. You are generally advised to avoid dental procedures for up to three days before testing because gum bleeding may cause your fecal blood test to read positive. Some foods like red meat, broccoli and citrus fruits as well as some drugs like aspirin and colchicine may also falsely affect th
