What are the symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding?

Sep 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Huang Yuhong

Introduction

Under normal circumstances, the symptoms of gastric bleeding vary depending on the amount and speed of the bleeding. Common symptoms include hematemesis (vomiting blood), melena (black tarry stools), abdominal pain, dizziness, fatigue, and palpitations. Once symptoms of gastric bleeding appear, patients should immediately stop eating to avoid increasing the burden on the stomach, and should remain quiet and rest to avoid strenuous activity. Subsequent treatment should follow medical advice for targeted therapy.

Generally, the symptoms of gastric bleeding vary depending on the amount and speed of the bleeding. Common symptoms mainly include hematemesis (vomiting blood), black tarry stools, abdominal pain, dizziness and weakness, and palpitations. The specific symptoms are analyzed as follows:

1. Hematemesis: When there is a large amount of bleeding and the bleeding speed is fast, blood irritating the stomach can cause vomiting, resulting in hematemesis. The color of the vomited blood might be bright red, or it might appear coffee-colored after reacting with gastric acid if the blood remains in the stomach for a longer period. In some cases, the vomit may also contain blood clots.

2. Black Stools: This is one of the typical symptoms of gastric bleeding. Even with minimal bleeding, blood passing through the digestive tract becomes digested, causing the stool to turn black, tarry, sticky, and glossy. Some patients may also experience increased frequency of bowel movements or a frequent urge to defecate.

3. Abdominal Pain: Most patients with gastric bleeding experience abdominal pain, varying in intensity. The pain might be dull, distended, or burning in nature and usually occurs in the upper abdomen. If the bleeding is caused by gastric or duodenal ulcers, the pain may follow a certain pattern, such as worsening when the stomach is empty.

4. Dizziness and Weakness: When gastric bleeding leads to a reduction in blood volume, insufficient blood supply to the brain causes dizziness. At the same time, the body experiences weakness, fatigue, listlessness, and pallor due to insufficient energy supply from blood loss. In severe cases, symptoms such as unsteady standing and visual darkening may occur.

5. Palpitations: Blood loss causes the heart to beat faster compensatorily to maintain circulation, making patients feel palpitations and tachycardia (rapid heartbeat). Some patients may also experience chest tightness and shortness of breath. If the bleeding continues to increase, palpitations become more pronounced, and there may even be a risk of shock.

After the occurrence of gastric bleeding symptoms, patients should immediately stop eating to avoid increasing the burden on the stomach, while maintaining quiet rest and avoiding strenuous activity. Subsequent treatment should follow medical advice for targeted interventions. In daily diet, patients should gradually transition from liquid and semi-liquid foods to soft foods, avoiding spicy and hard foods to facilitate gastric recovery.

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What is the best way to treat gastrointestinal bleeding?

Under normal circumstances, gastric bleeding may be caused by factors such as alcohol consumption irritating the gastric mucosa, taking medications that damage the gastric mucosa, acute erosive gastritis, gastric ulcers, or rupture of esophageal and gastric varices. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through general treatment and medication under a doctor's guidance. In daily life, alcohol consumption should be avoided, medications that damage the gastric mucosa should be used cautiously, and a regular diet should be maintained.

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Why is there no symptom of gastrointestinal bleeding?

In general, cases of gastric bleeding without symptoms may be caused by minimal blood loss that does not produce discomfort, slow bleeding allowing the body to gradually adapt, chronic non-atrophic gastritis, early-stage gastric ulcer, or compensated cirrhosis. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and receive appropriate treatment under a doctor's guidance. In daily life, maintain a bland and easily digestible diet, and consume more foods such as porridge and soft noodles.

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What is gastric bleeding?

Under normal circumstances, gastric bleeding, medically known as upper gastrointestinal bleeding, is one of the common emergencies in gastroenterology. It refers to bleeding occurring from the esophagus to the duodenum. In daily life, one should maintain regular eating habits, avoid overeating, reduce consumption of spicy or excessively hot foods, and avoid excessive alcohol consumption and the misuse of medications that can damage the gastric mucosa. Symptoms such as hematemesis (vomiting blood) and melena (black stool) may occur.

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What Are the Three Types of Food Most Feared for Gastric Bleeding?

Generally speaking, there is no specific claim regarding "the three types of food most feared in gastrointestinal bleeding." Patients with gastrointestinal bleeding should avoid spicy and stimulating foods, hard or coarse foods, excessively hot foods, greasy and hard-to-digest foods, as well as alcoholic beverages. These types of food may worsen gastric mucosal damage, exacerbate bleeding, or impair recovery. During the recovery phase of gastrointestinal bleeding, the diet should primarily consist of cool, soft, and easily digestible foods.