Is Blood in a Bowel Movement an Emergency?

 Finding blood in a bowel movement or the toilet is alarming, but it's not always an emergency. Straining too hard to poop and hemorrhoids can both cause small amounts of blood in the stool.

However, rectal bleeding isn’t something you should ignore. You should seek an evaluation from Dr. Ilyas Memon at his Texas Digestive Disease Consultants practice.

Dr. Memon is an experienced gastroenterologist and hepatologist offering colon cancer screenings, endoscopy, and colonoscopy to check for possible causes of blood in the stool.

Causes of rectal bleeding

Rectal bleeding has many causes, some of which aren’t much to worry about. However, seeing blood in the toilet is scary, no matter what the cause. But rectal bleeding doesn’t always mean severe amounts of blood coming from your anus.

Rectal bleeding could be as small as noticing a pink tinge on the toilet paper or as severe as large amounts of bright red blood in the toilet. It can also appear as red or black stools.

Determining the cause of rectal bleeding is the only way to know if it's something to worry about. A few of the prevalent causes of rectal bleeding include:

• Hemorrhoids
• Constipation
• Anal fissure
• Diverticulitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Infectious colitis
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Colorectal cancer

Some causes aren’t serious, while others require a definitive diagnosis and treatment. Making an appointment is always a good idea to prevent complications if you notice blood in the stool.

Is rectal bleeding an emergency?

In many cases, rectal bleeding isn’t a life-threatening emergency, but it’s a good idea to seek treatment. There are other times that blood in the stool is a true emergency, and they include:

• Large amounts of blood in the toilet
• Dark black and tarry stools
• Blood clots in the stool or toilet
• Bloody stools that persist
• Rectal bleeding with pain
• Bleeding that lasts for more than a week
• You don't know why it's happening

If you have any of the above symptoms, seeking treatment is crucial. Don’t wait for an appointment; go to the emergency room for immediate care and diagnostic testing.

Rectal bleeding that produces other symptoms is also a cause for concern. If you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or have cold and clammy skin, you may be in shock, which is a true emergency. Other signs include nausea, confusion, and rapid or shallow breathing.

When to see a doctor for rectal bleeding

If you determine rectal bleeding isn’t an emergency, it’s still a good idea to have an evaluation with Dr. Memon. Getting to the root of the problem is crucial for preventing further episodes of rectal bleeding.

During the appointment, Dr. Memon will order blood work to check a complete blood count. This helps him determine how much bleeding has been occurring. He also performs a digital rectal exam and discusses other symptoms.

If further testing is necessary, he may perform an endoscopy or colonoscopy to evaluate the GI tract for signs of disease or cancer. These tests give him the information he needs to make a treatment plan to eliminate rectal bleeding.

To learn more about rectal bleeding and available treatments, call one of our conveniently located offices in Texas or request a consultation using our online booking feature.