OH
A 21-year-old female asked:
i've been having blood on the toilet paper for 3 days after i have a bowel movement. it's bright red. what are some possible causes? i'm scared
3 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Charles Cattano answered
Gastroenterology 39 years experience
Possibilities...: Blood in stool is a warning sign. Causes of bleeding may be predictable (e.G rectal trauma, fissure, hemorrhoids with straining), but evaluation is always appropriate. A rule of thumb (but not absolute): black stool means bleeding comes from upper GI tract; grape jelly stool from small bowel; silver stool from biliary tree; burgundy stool from right colon; red blood from left colon to anus.
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Dr. Jack Rubin answered
Nephrology and Dialysis 48 years experience
Blood on paper: You have a source of blood loss, most commonly from hemorrhoids (h). You should be seen by a gastroenterologist to make sure you have h and not something else. If there are no h you will likely need a colonoscopy to rule out lesions in your colon. Good luck.
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Dr. Ed Friedlander answered
Pathology 44 years experience
Hard bowel movement: In contrast to illnesses in which the stool itself is bloody, bright red blood on the toilet paper following a difficult bowel movement by moments to days is almost always the result of mechanical injury to the tissues around the anus. It's not a cause for concern. If this becomes a lasting problem, advice about diet or a stool softener may be a big help.
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Last updated Oct 13, 2018
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