Intestinal bleeding is a serious symptom of gastrointestinal disease. It can present as vomiting blood related to a bleeding ulcer, black and tarry stool related to a bleeding ulcer, or bright red blood from the rectum related to an ulcer, colitis or hemorrhoids. Bleeding can also be microscopic so that it cannot be seen, but can be detected through chemical analysis.

if someone is anemic or notices bloodless stool bleeding from the intestinal tract may be present.  The most accurate way of determining where and what is believed is by doing an upper endoscopy or colonoscopy depending upon where the doctor thinks the bleeding is coming from.  In addition, there are many feet of small intestine in between the stomach and the colon.  This area can be examined either by an upper GI series in which the barium, which is what the patient drinks, is followed through the small intestinal tract.  Alternatively there is a newer examination where the patient swallows a capsule and wears a vast that has a receiver on it.  The capsule transmits an image every one half second to the receiver.  We then get a six or seven hours video of the capsule passing through the intestines.  We review this and often can identify what's bleeding.  As well, there is a tiny endoscope that can be passed to the small intestines.  This is a fairly specialized procedure and often one has to go to university center to have this done.