Anal bleeding

Bleeding from the back passage is something that you should always see your doctor about, even if you are convinced it is piles or an anal fissure. The reason you need to be checked is that bleeding from the back passage can be a symptom of bowel (colon or rectum) cancer. If you are worried about being examined in that area, look at the section on seeing your doctor about an anal problem.

 

In general, if the bleeding is bright red and you have anal pain, especially when you pass a stool, it is probably a non-serious condition such as anal fissure or piles – but your doctor needs to make sure.

 

A survey by BUPA, a private healthcare organization in the UK, showed that people do not know much about bowel cancer. When prompted with a list of eight possible symptoms, only 57% of men and 70% of women in the UK named rectal bleeding as one of the main symptoms of bowel cancer. 

 

The UK Government is spending millions of pounds sending home-testing kits for blood in the faeces to people aged 60–69 years (between 50 and 74 in Scotland). This is part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme which is being introduced gradually across the UK. The aim is to detect bowel cancer early. So if you receive a kit, use it and return according to the instructions. For more information, see link to Cancerbackup and Macmillan Cancer Support in Useful contacts.

 

For more information see Dr Phil Hammond's Expert guide to bowel cancer.
 

Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated: Thursday, June 10th 2010

Useful contacts for anal bleeding

Click to see all the contacts that you may find useful in relation to anal bleeding

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Comments on this article

Posted by rick on 24/07/2010 at 11:58:17 am

My girlfriend got kinky one night and stuck a pen casing up my rectum and when she pulled it out there was blood on it, now everytime i take a dump i'm in alot of pain, i'm almost convinced there is a hole in my hole and i don't know what to do plz help!

Posted by Optional on 15/07/2010 at 02:27:09 pm

i have a spot on my bum whole and it wont stop bleeding and it is very painful when i sit down and stand plz someone help me????

Posted by Henry SJ on 11/07/2010 at 12:14:41 pm

Sometimes when I use the bathroom, not always just somtimes I'll bleed red out of my anal and it is sometimes painful. I dont know what to do? should i go see a doctor. or just wait around too see if it gets worse, because it only happens somtimes not always! And i am scared it could be cancer.

Posted by annmarie on 05/07/2010 at 08:06:01 am

i havnt been able to eat a in alot of pain i finished my period yesurday morning last night felt really dizzy this morning woke up went to the toilet and didnt do a number 2 but instead blood came out now everytime a pass wind im bleeding and having this dark yellow gunge i dont want to bother the doctors or nurses as there is people out there worse of than me i tried to drink this morning couldnt drink it havnt drank anythink today now everytime i go to the toliet it bleeds and when i wipe myself it stings there is no blood in nickers only wheni wipe myself

Posted by chris on 30/06/2010 at 03:12:19 pm

I sometimes feel very bloated after eating or drinking, i also sometimes pass blood while passing a stool.

Posted by Optional on 22/06/2010 at 06:50:39 am

had that when i was a very heavy drinker in 80s/90s but when i stopped drinking spirits it stopped.

Posted by Optional on 12/06/2010 at 10:19:26 pm

i've got blood coming out my ass when i go to the toilet, but it doesn't hurt could i have bowel cancer?? please help

Posted by anita on 10/06/2010 at 10:27:08 pm

what could be the reason for having black colour rectum.n no bleeding..?

Posted by Optional on 09/06/2010 at 02:25:00 pm

tried going to tiolet today t was hard passig a stool whe passed d wiped myslf thr was blood on the paper now i am sore what is it

Posted by Optional on 06/06/2010 at 12:39:05 pm

for about 2 month i noticed some blood when i opened my bowel but in last two weeks it has been happening nearly every other day.the blood is bright red,lots of spotting. is it only piles or something more serious?

Posted by Optional on 23/05/2010 at 03:50:55 pm

i am 15 years old, and my anus bleeds when i use the bathroom but only when its a big (dump) what is it? and is it dangerous?

Posted by Optional on 16/05/2010 at 12:02:08 am

I feel like its the piles. As have suffered the bleeding through the back passage before a few months ago. Anyway i have this back again its not an itching but the piles are a little out and its a scratchy sensation. this time each time i go to the toilet only a couple of little gunge and lot of bright red blood!

Posted by Optional on 12/05/2010 at 07:01:03 am

have had a few episodes of bright red blood after passing stools ,specifically in bowl,, very sore bottom , uncomfortable ,normal bowel movement ,, have had piles in past ,, they have returned , but this time more bleeding..should i see g.p creams have eased in past,,

Posted by janie on 09/05/2010 at 08:10:59 pm

i been having this for about 3or 4 months i've been bleeding like if i have my period but it comes out dark red and black like really black i went to my doctor and she said it could be a misscarage but it hasen't gone away i'm scare and staring this passed month on april i stared bleading "my period" but i also bleed sometime from my rectum my behind so i'm scare i think i'm too young to have colon cancer but please try to help on this one

Posted by michael on 08/05/2010 at 08:19:42 am

I pass bright red blood in my stools, plus a kind of slime/mucus at times. The problem dissapears for awhile, and then returns. My stools these days seem very small and soft, at times there is dicomfort on passing them. I eat normally, but at times I dont pass anything (stools) for a day or two.

Posted by Catriona on 05/05/2010 at 04:47:02 am

i am bleeding from back passage it hurts even when walking

Posted by Optional on 02/05/2010 at 10:11:35 pm

hi there i have been bleeding from my anel,i have only just noticed this in the last week it is not constant only when i go to the toilet what do i do?

Posted by Concerned on 08/04/2010 at 01:17:03 pm

Hi.For the past three days I have had bright red blood coming out when I go and take my stools but nothing when I go to pee.It's not painful.At first i thought that maybe it's because I am taking Tamoxifen for the past year.Should i be concerned? There's ni itching or anything

Posted by Optional on 01/04/2010 at 06:34:19 am

i have dark red blood (QUIT ALOT) from my back passage and saw stomach cramps

Posted by Optional on 31/03/2010 at 02:53:52 pm

everytime i go 4 a poo it cuts and bleeds, sometimes i have trouble going to the toilet

Posted by stephenie on 30/03/2010 at 12:52:23 pm

I just went to the loo and had a number 2 and i whiped my anal and there was blood on the tissue then i looked in the loo and there was blood in the loo. i haven't told my mum i m scared in case its something like cancer please help?

Posted by prateek on 28/03/2010 at 03:24:22 am

dear sir or mam, i am 21 yrs young boy and studying in a college.And i have anal fissure since 1yrs for that i get stress for my future i have consult with doctor he is surgeon also he prescribe some medicine and cream.They effective but not give cure satisfaction when stop taking it.they will be raise it now in that have itching also .so, suggestion me but i do and i have drink alcohol they may be cause in it.

Posted by chloe on 19/03/2010 at 06:28:32 am

I have had blood coming out of my back passage for a couple of weeks now it usually happens when I go to the toilet. My stools are really hard and abit painful when passing. Should I be concerned and see my doctor or could this be just piles as it is bright red colour?

Posted by Optional on 17/03/2010 at 08:04:00 am

I'm suffering through anal bleeding and as well as from my mouth . My mouth bleed while I'm sleeping but anal bleeding is constant day and night. There's no pain at all. The color is darker than wht our usall blood color is. Sumtimes my mouth bleed in clots. My anal bleeding is just liquid vry fast sumtimes. When I was in India they said I was suffering through ulser which is from just spices. But I have been going 2 d doctors here but they are not really able to find wht it is I did my blood test but all my reports are good. I have been takin some medications but nothing is really happening.

Posted by angela on 15/03/2010 at 04:51:46 am

i have piles i dont bleed all the time but have been the last week only when going to the loo its red blood is that bad

Posted by ANON on 15/03/2010 at 12:19:23 am

Dark red clot tummy bug 2 days ago

Posted by Optional on 11/03/2010 at 07:11:17 am

i have been bleeding from my back passage the last month. its is not pain full but i am getting increased stomach pains should i be worried. please help

Posted by scared on 08/03/2010 at 09:23:50 am

when i wipe i find blood on the tissue 9 out of 10 times, its been happening for about a year and today was especially bad. should i see a doctor? its hard for a man to have someone check back there

Posted by na on 05/03/2010 at 09:55:13 am

my bf is having a problem with my tummy when i go to pass no2 nothing comes out, except blood, and water i have tummy craps and not sure what to do, i have taken freshen to make things easy for my tummy but nothing is helping':-(

Posted by Optional on 03/03/2010 at 10:56:28 am

i have bleeding most of the times like im on a heavy period but from my back passage i have no pian in that area but now im having very painful stomach problems im too emmbarressed to go to my doctors but im so worried cos my stomach pain is getting more intense what do i do '?

Posted by Optional on 01/03/2010 at 03:15:52 pm

my wife is bleeding and know she said it is clotting please help me

Posted by Sonia on 01/03/2010 at 07:54:58 am

I am looking for a cure or what is the cure if someone is bleeding in the back passage when they open their bowels and its been like this for two weeks now. Been to the gp and will be going to see the consultant but is there a cure?

Posted by anonymous on 25/02/2010 at 10:58:36 am

i have had anus bleeding 3 times now, i had it early last year and it was only a little bit and it happened just that once, and it was bright red watery blood but not painful, then i had it again later when i was fasting, but again it was painless and not alot, then i had it again this year and was just the same, but it was a little bit more than the last two time but it was red and watery again and i found it quite hard to get the stool out each time and it was quite painful, not alot just a little bit, and that happened for two days and then it went again like it does every other time, but i never went to the dr's everytime that happened and my mum would nag me to go but i just was too embarrased and i promised her if it happened again i would definatly go. I also wanted to say does not drinking water have anything to do with it? i was just wondering because i dont really drink water at all, but since the last time i had the bleeding i have tried to drink atleast 2 glasses of water, i know its stupid that i dont drink it but i just cant get my self to lol,but all in all i havnt noticed any more bleeding. should i be worried? and does not drinking water have anything to do with it? what can i do to prevent it from happening next time? i no i asked alot of questions lol but any answers are aprecciated and thank you in advance! xxx

Posted by nyla on 24/02/2010 at 07:05:19 pm

i have crohns disease in which if you dont know what it is...Crohn’s disease is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn’s disease can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea. so hence hemmoroids in which cause fissulas and blood in my stool and clots so get checked for hemmeroids or bowel cancer if you have diarreah alot get checked for crohns just a thought

Posted by lorraine on 11/02/2010 at 06:54:00 pm

my sister is bleeding from her anus for the last three days,quite a lot of blood,she went to her gp and he said there is nothing to worry about,he gave her a small examanation,and said she is ok,i dont think thats right,he is just a gp im am really concerned for her,what can i do,please help,thanks.

Posted by parth on 02/02/2010 at 06:39:00 pm

i have anal fissure ,i am going through a lot of pain,what type of doctor should i consult? i mean what type of specialist doctor? please help

Posted by Kim on 02/02/2010 at 05:34:00 pm

During a bathroom visit my bowel movement was not very successful. My rectum/anus was not large enough to pass a large, hard bowel movement. In the process I believe I ripped, tore, scratched my rectum/anus, and I was bleeding briefly. It looked like I started my period, and when I checked it was not. After wiping the first time it looked like a period from my behind, however, the second time I wiped, and since then no bleeding persists. The pain I felt at the time made it apparent that the bleeding was from my rectal region. It was a painful experience at the time, and a few days later it persists. What can I do to relieve the discomfort? It hurts. I am afraid to poop again anytime soon.

Posted by JohnJnn on 20/01/2010 at 01:17:00 pm

Wel just found interesting thing, nut sure can this be related with this but hope it can help some of the posters here. http://www.medicinenet.com/rectal_bleeding/page2.htm