Symptom 6: Dizziness or Fainting
Dizziness can be quite unsettling. One moment you’re up and active, and the next, the world seems to tilt on its axis. While many reasons can lead to this sensation, in the context of melena, dizziness, especially if accompanied by fainting, can be a serious warning sign. These symptoms are often linked to a reduced blood volume caused by ongoing internal bleeding.
Feeling dizzy is essentially a compromised sense of balance and spatial orientation. The causes can range from benign to severe. With melena, the chronic loss of blood can lead to decreased blood flow to the brain, causing dizziness or even fainting spells.
The fainting, medically termed syncope, is a brief loss of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain. It’s not just a simple “passing out” episode but can be a signal of an underlying health issue, especially when paired with other signs on this list. (6)
