10 Key Symptoms of Duodenitis: What You Need to Know

10. Dark Stools: An Alarming Sign of Duodenitis

Stool analysis might not be everyone’s preferred topic of conversation, but it offers a wealth of information about our health. In duodenitis, one alarming sign can be dark or tar-colored stools, medically referred to as melena.

This change in stool color is due to the presence of digested blood. Blood, when digested, takes on a dark, almost black hue. But what causes this bleeding? The inflamed duodenum can sometimes develop ulcers or erosions, which bleed. This blood, when passed through the digestive system, results in melena. (10)