Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
This article breaks down possible causes and symptoms of bleeding in the esophagus. It also covers the diagnosis and treatment of GI bleeding.
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Symptoms of Bleeding in the Esophagus
Chronic GI bleeding, meaning the bleeding is slow, persistent or keeps recurring, tends to have less obvious symptoms, since it may come out in vomit or stool in microscopic amounts.However, chronic bleeding can lead to anemia, which is when you have fewer red blood cells than you should. Symptoms ofanemiainclude:
If you do see blood in your vomit or stool, notice black, tarrystools, or vomit what looks like coffee grounds, you should see your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Acute GI bleeding is severe and possibly sudden. If you have these symptoms, you need to seek emergency medical care:
Acute bleeding can send you into shock.Symptoms ofshockinclude:
Causes of Bleeding in the Esophagus
There are different causes of bleeding in theesophagus, depending on whether your bleeding is chronic or acute.
Causes of chronic bleeding include:
Causes ofacute bleedinginclude:
Diagnosing Bleeding in the Esophagus
To diagnose bleeding in the esophagus, your healthcare provider may:
Treating Bleeding in the Esophagus
When your bleeding has been stopped, medication or other therapies will be prescribed to treat the underlying cause (esophagitis, ulcers, tears, etc.) and prevent a recurrence.
Endoscopic treatments don’t control bleeding in every case. Surgery may be needed to stop severe or recurrent bleeding when an endoscopic chemical injection or cautery has not worked.
Summary
Bleeding in the esophagus can have multiple causes and may be serious or even fatal. Symptoms ofupper GI bleedingcan include signs of anemia, blood in vomit or stool, rapid heart rate, and low/absent urine production. Diagnosis centers around a physical exam, lab testing, and scoping or upper GI X-raying. Treatment depends on the cause of the bleeding but medication is often prescribed and surgery may be necessary in serious cases.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: a practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Anemia Symptoms.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Esophagitis.Kalva NR, Tokala MR, Dhillon S, et al.An unusual cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: acute esophageal necrosis.Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2016;2016:6584363. doi:10.1155/2016/6584363Kapoor A, Dharel N, Sanyal AJ.Endoscopic Diagnosis and Therapy in Gastroesophageal Variceal Bleeding.Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2015;25(3):491-507. doi:10.1016/j.giec.2015.03.004Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastrointestinal Bleeding or Blood in the Stool.Additional ReadingMayo Clinic Staff.Esophageal Varices.Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophagitis. Mayo Clinic.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of GI Bleeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: a practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Anemia Symptoms.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Esophagitis.Kalva NR, Tokala MR, Dhillon S, et al.An unusual cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: acute esophageal necrosis.Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2016;2016:6584363. doi:10.1155/2016/6584363Kapoor A, Dharel N, Sanyal AJ.Endoscopic Diagnosis and Therapy in Gastroesophageal Variceal Bleeding.Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2015;25(3):491-507. doi:10.1016/j.giec.2015.03.004Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastrointestinal Bleeding or Blood in the Stool.Additional ReadingMayo Clinic Staff.Esophageal Varices.Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophagitis. Mayo Clinic.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of GI Bleeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: a practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Anemia Symptoms.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Esophagitis.Kalva NR, Tokala MR, Dhillon S, et al.An unusual cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: acute esophageal necrosis.Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2016;2016:6584363. doi:10.1155/2016/6584363Kapoor A, Dharel N, Sanyal AJ.Endoscopic Diagnosis and Therapy in Gastroesophageal Variceal Bleeding.Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2015;25(3):491-507. doi:10.1016/j.giec.2015.03.004Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastrointestinal Bleeding or Blood in the Stool.
Kim BS, Li BT, Engel A, et al.Diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding: a practical guide for clinicians.World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2014;5(4):467-78. doi:10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.467
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Anemia Symptoms.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Esophagitis.
Kalva NR, Tokala MR, Dhillon S, et al.An unusual cause of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: acute esophageal necrosis.Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2016;2016:6584363. doi:10.1155/2016/6584363
Kapoor A, Dharel N, Sanyal AJ.Endoscopic Diagnosis and Therapy in Gastroesophageal Variceal Bleeding.Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2015;25(3):491-507. doi:10.1016/j.giec.2015.03.004
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastrointestinal Bleeding or Blood in the Stool.
Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophageal Varices.Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophagitis. Mayo Clinic.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of GI Bleeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophageal Varices.
Mayo Clinic Staff.Esophagitis. Mayo Clinic.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and Causes of GI Bleeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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