You might be concerned after seeing some blood on the toilet paper or your toilet bowl right after defecating. This digestive-tract problem known as rectal bleeding may indicate a series of digestive problems that it needs to be taken into account immediately. Do not ignore the presence of blood from the anus, especially if you are experiencing this more than once or worse, frequently.

What to do when bleeding from anus

Your stool can give you a clue on how healthy your digestive tract is, so can the presence of blood from your anus after a bowel movement. There are various possible causes of bleeding from the anus, such as hemorrhoids, anal fissure, gastrointestinal bleeding, or bowel cancer. Seeing these possibilities, it becomes really important to observe your digestive tract health through your experienced rectal bleeding. There are some things to do when spotting some blood on the toilet paper or bowl before finding out the main cause and what is wrong with your digestion.

• Do not panic

Blood makes almost everyone panic. Despite this, pull yourself together even after noticing some blood from your anus. This is important, so that you can think clearly to be able to find out the most possible cause of the bleeding.

• Wipe the blood off thoroughly

It is important to keep your anus region clean after defecating. Even if you notice some blood drips, wipe it off thoroughly from the anus. It is also beneficial in order to observe how much blood you have.

• Pay attention to the shades of blood from the anus

Color of blood coming from the anus has an important role in determining its underlying cause.

• Bright-colored blood indicates bleeding in lower gastrointestinal tract. It may affect your rectum or colon.
• Dark red-colored blood may refer to bleeding in the colon or the small intestines.
• Black-colored blood indicates bleeding on the upper part of the small intestines.

• Try recalling what you have eaten the last three days

The foods we eat will be completely digested by the body within three days. After that, indigested substances are kept in the intestines and got rid of the body in the form of feces. If you notice blood in the stool, dripping into the toilet bowl, or spotting the toilet paper, it is useful to try recalling your foods the last three days, as some foods may cause blood-like substances in your stool. The blood-like substance might not be blood, but the excess colored-substances from tomatoes, berries, or bits you have eaten.

• Observe other symptoms

You might notice pain, burning, or itching sensation occurring prior to the rectal bleeding or during the bowel movement. This can be a good clue in determining the possible cause for the bleeding. You also need to pay attention to the texture of your stool in order to find out the problem.

• Rectal bleeding can be caused by mild or more severe digestive problem. Mild problems usually vanish within days without any specific medical treatments, while more serious ones might require proper treatments and medications.
• Passing hard, large, and dry stool resulted from constipation is usually the most common cause of rectal bleeding that comes from anal fissure.
• Other symptoms of rectal bleeding may include dizziness, rectal pain, and fainting, although vomiting and nausea may also present.
• Severe symptoms that include a large amount of blood and frequent bleeding may indicate serious digestive tract problem, such as inflammatory bowel disease, salmonella-triggered infection, and even colon cancer.

• See the doctor

Rectal bleeding caused by mild digestive tract infection or bleeding can be taken care at home. Some ointments are made for hemorrhoids and can be bought without any doctor prescription. If you are experiencing mild bleeding without any other complicated symptoms, self-care at home may be performed. However, more severe symptoms followed by excruciating pain and discomfort may require further medical assessment. Despite the embarrassment you might encounter, skipping an appointment with a doctor after severe rectal bleeding will be dangerous. Thus, it is important to tell the doctor all the points about your rectal problem in order to be able to find out the exact cause.