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A small amount of one-off bleeding from the bottom is not usually a serious problem. But a GP can check.
You might be bleeding from the bottom if you have:
A small amount of one-off bleeding can often go away on its own without needing treatment.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
If you have bleeding from your bottom, a GP will check what's causing it.
They might:
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.
If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause.
Do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.
| Symptoms | Possible causes |
|---|---|
|
Symptoms
Bright red blood and pain when pooing, itchy bottom, lumps |
Possible causes |
|
Symptoms
Bright red blood and pain when pooing – often after constipation |
Possible causes
A small tear in your anus (anal fissure) |
|
Symptoms
Bleeding with or without lumps, itching or pain |
Possible causes
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like genital warts, damage from anal sex |
|
Symptoms
Bright red blood without pain |
Possible causes
Side effect of medicine to help prevent blood clots like warfarin and apixaban (anticoagulants) or aspirin. Broken blood vessels in the gut (angiodysplasia) |
Poo can look like it's mixed with blood if you've eaten a lot of red or purple foods like tomatoes and beetroot.
But it's sometimes a sign of something else. A GP can check if you're worried.
| Symptoms | Possible causes |
|---|---|
|
Symptoms
Blood and yellow slime when pooing, irritated anus, non stop bottom pain |
Possible causes |
|
Symptoms
Bloody diarrhoea with clear slime, feeling and being sick |
Possible causes
Tummy bug (gastroenteritis) |
|
Symptoms
Bloody diarrhoea, tummy cramps and pain, feeling bloated |
Possible causes
An inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease |
|
Symptoms
Blood in poo |
Possible causes
Bleeding in the anus, bowel or lower gut from injury or another problem |
|
Symptoms
Blood in poo, change in pooing habits (like looser poo, diarrhoea or constipation), slime with poo |
Possible causes
Bowel polyps, early signs of bowel cancer |
Poo can look very dark or black if you:
But it's sometimes a sign of something else. A GP can do a test to check this if you're worried.
| Symptoms | Possible causes |
|---|---|
|
Symptoms
Dark or black poo |
Possible causes
Bleeding in the stomach or gut – can be from injury or a side effect of medicine to help prevent blood clots like warfarin and apixaban (anticoagulants) or aspirin |
|
Symptoms
Dark blood or poo with tummy pain or cramps |
Possible causes |
|
Symptoms
Dark blood without pain |
Possible causes
Side effect of medicine to help prevent blood clots like warfarin and apixaban (anticoagulants) or aspirin |
