Does fresh blood mixed with stool come from higher than the sigmoid colon? from what i understand a sigmoidoscopy is a pointless test.?

Well,...: Bright red Blood per your rectum (BRBPR) is never normal and signifies that most likely you have a bleed close to your anus. A sigmoid scope will only see the distal third of your colon, so most Doctors will opt to simply do a full colonoscopy to see the whole colon and assure that there is no bleeding coming from anywhere else too.

Usually lower.: Bright red blood mixed with an otherwise normal stool usually suggests a lower tract source - hemorrhoid, anal fissure, rectal polyp or cancer. These can be readily observed with just a physical examination and sigmoidoscopy. Not look at the whole colon, a colonoscopy is necessary, a point to which I think you're alluding.