6 Possible Causes of Rectal Bleeding: When to See an Expert

Blood is one of those things that we can’t live without, but we’d rather it did its job inside our bodies and not make an appearance outside. Unfortunately, blood routinely finds its way outside, sometimes as rectal bleeding.

There are dozens of different drivers of rectal bleeding — many are perfectly benign, while others signal something more serious. At our practice, Dr. Sam Weissman is a specialist in gastroenterology, which means we’ve seen our fair share of rectal bleeding.

Here’s a look at 6 of the more common causes of rectal bleeding and when you should seek our help for this condition.

1. Hemorrhoids

Rectal bleeding is a common complaint among those who develop hemorrhoids. And about 1 in 20 people in the United States, including half of people over the age of 50, develop them.

If you have an internal hemorrhoid, you may notice bright red blood with your stool.

2. Colorectal cancers

Now let’s take a look at a cause of rectal bleeding that’s far more serious — colorectal cancer. While colorectal cancers will be diagnosed in an estimated 150,000 people in the US in 2023, we want you to know that only 3.4% of cases of rectal bleeding are due to colon cancer.

3. Anal fissures

If you have a tear in your anal canal, which is called a fissure, you may develop rectal bleeding. This blood is usually bright red and appears when you have a bowel movement.

4. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

About 3 million adults in the US have been diagnosed with IBD, which is characterized by inflammation in the linings of your bowels. This inflammation can lead to rectal bleeding, especially when you’re having a flare-up of IBD.

5. Diverticulitis

With this condition, tiny pockets called diverticula develop in your colon that become infected and inflamed. These diseased pouches can affect surrounding blood vessels and lead to rectal bleeding.

6. Constipation and hard stool

If you have constipation and finally pass a hard stool, this passage may not go smoothly, and the compacted and large stool can tear tissues on its way out, causing acute rectal bleeding.

When to seek help for rectal bleeding

There are some general rules of thumb when it comes to seeking our help for rectal bleeding. We recommend that you see us if:

The bleeding isn’t just a one-off, but shows up routinely
The bleeding is accompanied by other symptoms, such as constipation, diarrhea, or pain
There’s a good deal of blood, not just a few drops

Blood in your stool also comes in two different forms. On the one hand, you may notice bright red streaks on the surface of the stool or on the toilet paper. This points to a problem in your colon, rectum, or anus. If your stool is dark red, then the blood has mixed in with your stool from higher up in your digestive tract.

In either case, you’ve come to the right place for figuring out what’s causing your rectal bleeding. To get started, please call our Brighton Beach area office in Brooklyn, New York, at 609-793-9375 or request a consultation through this website.