Bleeding from the Bottom

A small amount of one-off bleeding from the bottom isn't usually a serious problem. But never ignore it.

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.

See your doctor if:

·       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

Go to hospital immediately if

·       your poo is black or dark red

·       you have bloody diarrhoea for no obvious reason

There's a lot of blood – for example, the toilet water turns red or you see large blood clots

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.

Symptoms -------- Possible causes

Bright red blood and pain when pooing, itchy bottom, lumps piles (haemorrhoids)

Bright red blood and pain when pooing – often after constipation a small tear in your anus (anal fissure)

Bleeding with or without lumps, itching or pain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like genital warts.

Bright red blood without pain side effect of blood-thinning medication like warfarin or aspirin, broken blood vessels in the gut (angiodysplasia)

SymptomsPossible causes

1.Blood and yellow slime when pooing, irritated anus, non-stop bottom painanal fistula

2.Bloody diarrhoea with clear slime, feeling and being sicktummy bug (gastroenteritis)

3.Bloody diarrhoea, tummy cramps and pain, feeling bloatedan inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease

4.Blood in poo bleeding in the anus, bowel or lower gut (gastrointestinal tract) from injury or another problem

5.Blood in poo, change in pooing habits (like looser poo, diarrhoea or constipation), slime with poo bowel polyps, early signs of bowel cancer

Poo can look very dark or black if you:

take iron tablets

eat a lot of dark foods like licorice and blueberries

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

Symptoms -------------Possible causes

1.Dark or black poo----- bleeding in the stomach or gut (gastrointestinal tract) – can be from injury or a side effect of blood-thinning medication like warfarin or aspirin

2.Dark blood or poo with tummy pain or cramps------ stomach ulcer, diverticular disease and diverticulitis

3.Dark blood without pain blood-thinning medication like warfarin or aspirin, angiodysplasia (broken blood vessels in the gut)