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: Inflamed or infected pouches in the colon (diverticulitis) or bleeding from diverticula.
• Inflammatory bowel disease: Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease may cause bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain.
• Colorectal polyps or cancer: Precancerous growths or malignancy can cause bleeding without pain.
• Infections: Bacterial infections (such as Campylobacter or Salmonella) or parasites.

Evaluation

• Discussing your symptoms, including the amount of blood and characteristics of your stool.
• Physical examination, including a digital rectal exam to look for hemorrhoids or fissures.
• Fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) to detect hidden blood in the stool.
• Anoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to inspect the lower rectum.
• Colonoscopy to evaluate the entire colon and remove polyps.
• Laboratory tests to check for anemia or infection.

Treatment

• 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.
• Polyps found during colonoscopy are removed to prevent progression to cancer.
• Infections are treated with targeted antibiotics or antiparasitic medications.

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