Occasional Blood In Stool

• Blood In Stool No Pain
• Occasional Blood In Stool Ibs
• Occasional Blood In Stools
• Occasional Blood In Stool Cats

The blood may occur as red color in the stool (melena), in which case, it is mostly indicative of an infection of the intestine. But if the stool appears black, then it means that the infection is of the upper gastrointestinal tract, as the hemoglobin in the blood has turned black due to oxidation, which can only occur when the blood originates. Bloating or fullness, Blood on stool surface, Bloody or red colored stools and Change in stools. WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms bloating or fullness, blood on stool surface, bloody or red colored stools and change in stools including Dietary changes, Gastrointestinal bleeding, and Hemophilia. 20 causes of blood in the stool are 1. Hemorrhoids represent swollen and inflamed veins in the anus and lower rectum. They can be caused by a variety of factors including straining during bowel movements, obesity, pregnancy, prolonged sitting, chronic constipation, and a low-fiber diet. Seeing blood on toilet paper can be a little alarming. You may have heard that rectal bleeding is a sign of cancer, but more often, bleeding is a symptom of a less serious cause.

A small amount of one-off bleeding from the bottom is not usually a serious problem. But a GP can check.

Check if you're bleeding from the bottom

You might be bleeding from the bottom if you have:

• blood on your toilet paper
• red streaks on the outside of your poo
• pink water in the toilet bowl
• blood in your poo or bloody diarrhoea
• very dark, smelly poo (this can be blood mixed in poo)

A small amount of one-off bleeding can often go away on its own without needing treatment.

• your child has blood in their poo
• you've had blood in your poo for 3 weeks
• your poo has been softer, thinner or longer than normal for 3 weeks
• you're in a lot of pain around the bottom
• you have a pain or lump in your tummy
• you've been more tired than usual
• you've lost weight for no reason

Coronavirus update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

• visit their website
• use the NHS App
• call them

• your poo is black or dark red
• you have bloody diarrhoea for no obvious reason

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

Get an urgent GP appointment

A GP may be able to treat you.

Ask your GP practice for an urgent appointment.

• you're bleeding non-stop
• there's a lot of blood – for example, you see large blood clots in the toilet

What happens at the GP appointment

The GP will check what's causing your symptoms.

They might:

• check your bottom (rectum) with a gloved finger
• ask for a sample of poo for testing
• refer you to a specialist for tests

Bowel cancer risk

Bleeding from the bottom is sometimes a sign of bowel cancer.

This is easier to treat if it's found early, so it's important to get it checked.

Common causes of bleeding from the bottom

If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause.

Blood In Stool No Pain

Do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you're worried.

Poo can look like it's mixed with blood if you've eaten a lot of red or purple foods like tomatoes and beetroot.

But it's sometimes a sign of something else. A GP can check if you're worried.

Poo can look very dark or black if you:

• take iron tablets
• eat a lot of dark foods like liquorice and blueberries

But it's sometimes a sign of something else. A GP can do a test to check this if you're worried.

Occasional Blood In Stool Ibs

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Page last reviewed: 24 April 2020
Next review due: 24 April 2023