Noticing blood in your stool can be a cause for concern. While there are various minor factors that can contribute to this, it can also indicate the presence of a gastrointestinal (GI) ailment. It’s important to note that in some rare instances, it may be indicative of cancer.
This article will help you understand :
- When to seek urgent care
- The signs of blood in your poo
- The causes
- How we diagnose the cause
- Treatment options
If you notice any blood in your stool, it’s recommended to consult with your doctor. In cases where there are no accompanying symptoms, it may not necessarily be an urgent matter, but it’s still advisable to seek medical attention for further investigation.
Related Symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and vomiting
When to seek urgent care
Although the presence of blood in your stool usually doesn’t necessitate immediate medical attention, there are some situations where seeking urgent care is warranted.
Signs to seek urgent care:
- Have a fever
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Sudden bloody diarrhoea
- High volumes of blood lost
- Feeling lightheaded/ weak
- Severe abdominal pain or cramping
What does blood in your poo look like?
The presence of blood in your stool indicates bleeding in some part of your digestive system. This condition is commonly known as rectal bleeding, which refers to bleeding from the rectum or anus.
You might experience:
- Blood on your toilet paper
- Red streaks on your poo (stool)
- Pink toilet water (blood in the toilet bowl)
- Bloody diarrhoea or blood in your poo
- Black, tarry poo
Symptoms associated with blood in your poo :
- Fainting
- Confusion
- Tar-like poo
- Rectal pain or pressure
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
The colour of the blood in your poo signals where the blood is coming from in your digestive tract. It could be bright red, dark red, or black and tarry. The colour of your poo may also change due to harmless reasons, such as the food you ate. High quantities of beetroot, for example, may turn your poo red.
Bright red
If the blood in your poo is bright red, it has likely come from low in your colon or rectum. The rectum is the last part of your colon/large intestine.
During pregnancy or postpartum, it’s possible to develop hemorrhoids or an anal fissure due to elevated pressure on blood vessels in the lower abdomen. These conditions are typical during and following pregnancy.
Causes of bright red blood in your poo include :
- Diverticular disease (may also cause dark red or black blood)
- Anal fissure (a small tear in the lining of your bottom)
- Broken blood vessels in the gut
- A side effect of medication
- Haemorrhoids (piles)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Severe gastroenteritis (usually caused by food poisoning
- Bowel cancer
Dark red/maroon
If the blood in your stool is dark red or maroon in color, it suggests that the bleeding is occurring further up in the colon or small intestine. There is also a possibility that it is originating from the stomach.
Causes of dark red blood in your poo include :
- Diverticular disease – may also cause bright red blood
- Bleeding in your stomach or gut
- Bowel cancer (less common)
- Stomach ulcer
Black and tarry
Very dark red and black poo suggests the bleeding is coming from your upper digestive tract. This can range from your mouth and food pipe (oesophagus) to your stomach and upper small intestine (duodenum).
Generally, the darker the blood, the higher the source of the bleed. If you are bleeding from your stomach, your poo may appear plum or black and tarry. Your blood might also look sticky.
Iron tablets can cause black poo, as can eating a lot of dark foods. If you are taking iron tablets, speak to your doctor about the possible side effects.
Occult (hidden) blood
For some people, we can only identify the presence of blood in their poo using a stool test. This is a test of your poo to look for microscopic traces of blood. If the blood is present but not visible, we call this occult.
We may perform stool tests if you are experiencing symptoms of a GI condition. Such as a change in your bowel habits or abdominal pain.
Causes of occult blood include :
- Ulcers
- Bowel cancer
- Haemorrhoids
- Diverticular disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Polyps on your colon lining or rectum
Polyps and Bowel Cancer
Blood in your poo is rarely caused by bowel cancer or polyps (abnormal growths). It’s still important to be aware of the signs.
Polyps and Bowel Cancer
- Losing weight
- Pain in your abdomen
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Breathing problems
- Frequently feeling as if you need to poo
- Looser bowel movements or constipation
- Change in bowel habits, such as more frequent bowel movements
Diagnosis
If we believe your symptoms are due to a GI condition, we may perform the following tests.
- Stool test
- Abdominal scan
- Complete blood count
- Digital rectal examination
- Endoscopy – commonly a colonoscopy, though you may need a sigmoidoscopy or gastroscopy
Whether we perform an endoscopy will depend on your symptoms.
Treatment
How we treat blood in the poo depends on what is causing it.
Possible Treatments :
- Lifestyle changes
- Medication
- Endoscopic treatment
- Surgery
If you are experiencing an anal fissure or haemorrhoids, we may recommend a high-fibre diet and other lifestyle changes. If we find signs of an infection, we may prescribe antibiotics.
Endoscopic treatment may be appropriate if the bleed does not stop. This could involve injecting medicine, cauterising the site of the bleed, or closing off a blood vessel.
If your colon has been damaged by diverticula, IBD, or cancer, we may recommend surgery to treat this.
