Why Seeing Blood Matters

Noticing blood in your stool or on toilet paper can be alarming. While minor bleeding may result from benign conditions like hemorrhoids or anal fissures, it can also signal more serious problems such as colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. Prompt evaluation helps determine the cause and ensures appropriate treatment.

Possible Causes

• Hemorrhoids: Swollen veins in the rectum or anus that can bleed during bowel movements.
• Anal fissures: Small tears in the lining of the anus causing pain and bleeding.
• Diverticular disease: outpouchings of the colon called diverticula are common and sometimes can cause bleeding.
• Inflammatory bowel disease: Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease can cause bloody stool, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain.
• Colorectal polyps or cancer: Precancerous growths or malignancy can cause bleeding without pain.

Evaluation

• Discussing your symptoms, including the amount of blood and characteristics of your stool.
• Colonoscopy to evaluate the entire colon for more concerning potential underlying causes of bleeding such as colorectal cancer, precancerous polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Hemorrhoids can be evaluated on physical exam, colonoscopy, or anoscopy

Treatment

• Precancerous polyps found during colonoscopy are removed to prevent progression to cancer.
• Hemorrhoids may be managed with dietary fiber, increased fluid intake, stool softeners, or office procedures like rubber‑band ligation.
• Anal fissures often heal with stool softeners, topical medications, and warm sitz baths.
• Inflammatory bowel disease requires medical therapy under a gastroenterologist’s care.

If you notice blood in your stool, don’t wait—contact our office for a thorough evaluation and peace of mind.