Rectal Bleeding Specialist

Serving The Woodlands and Conroe, TX, and the surrounding areas

Rectal Bleeding services offered in The Woodlands, Willis, Conroe, TX, and the surrounding areas

Rectal bleeding can be a sign of intestinal issues, hemorrhoids, or other problems that need treatment. At Texas Digestive Disease Consultants in The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, and Willis, Texas, caring gastroenterologist Ilyas Memon, MD, can expertly analyze rectal bleeding and uncover its root causes. Dr. Memon uses holistic care and medical management to help you live a healthier life the easy way. Book your appointment online or call the office nearest to you now.

What qualifies as rectal bleeding?

Rectal bleeding doesn’t mean a gush of blood from your anus. It can appear as streaks of blood on toilet paper, discolored toilet water, spots of blood in your stool, or even black stool. The color of blood can be bright, dark, or anywhere in between.

While rectal bleeding can vary greatly, it all has one thing in common: It’s not normal and requires an exam at Texas Digestive Disease Consultants as soon as possible.

What causes rectal bleeding?

Rectal bleeding can happen for many reasons, including:

Hemorrhoids: Swollen veins in the rectum or anus
Diverticulitis: Inflamed and infected pouches in the colon
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Colon polyps: Precancerous growths in the colon
Colon or rectal cancer, which usually starts as polyps
Anal fissures: Tears in the anal lining
Digestive tract ulcers, like peptic ulcers

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which features either frequent constipation or diarrhea, isn’t the direct cause of rectal bleeding. However, it can cause problems that lead to it. For example, if you have IBS-C (IBS with constipation), hard and dry stools can cause anal fissures that then lead to anal bleeding.

How is rectal bleeding diagnosed?

You might not be bleeding at the exact time of your exam at Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, but Dr. Memon can perform diagnostic testing to get a complete picture of the problem.

Dr. Memon generally performs a physical exam and reviews your medical history in full before determining which tests you need.

Common tests to narrow down the cause of rectal bleeding include blood and stool tests. You may need an endoscopy, such as a colonoscopy or a flexible sigmoidoscopy, to diagnose the root cause of your issues as well.

During an endoscopy, Dr. Memon can also treat some problems that cause rectal bleeding. For example, if you’re bleeding because of colon polyps, Dr. Memon can remove those at the same time he examines your colon.

How is rectal bleeding treated?

Rectal bleeding treatment happens on a case-by-case basis because the causes of this issue vary so widely. Dr. Memon specializes in both holistic natural approaches and medical management with the latest technology, so he can personalize a plan that works for your lifestyle and health needs.

Click on the online scheduler or call the nearest Texas Digestive Disease Consultants office to get compassionate help for rectal bleeding now.