A small amount of one-off bleeding from the bottom is not usually a serious problem. But a GP can check.
Check if you're bleeding from the bottom
You might be bleeding from the bottom if you have:
- blood on your toilet paper
- red streaks on the outside of your poo
- pink water in the toilet bowl
- blood in your poo or bloody diarrhoea
- very dark, smelly poo (this can be blood mixed in poo)
A small amount of one-off bleeding can often go away on its own without needing treatment.
See a GP if:
- your child has blood in their poo
- you have had blood in your poo for 3 weeks
- your poo has been softer, thinner or longer than normal for 3 weeks
- you're in a lot of pain around the bottom
- you have a pain or lump in your tummy
- you have been more tired than usual
- you have lost weight for no reason
Get an urgent appointment or call 111 if:
- your poo is black or dark red
- you have bloody diarrhoea for no obvious reason
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to A&E or call 999 if:
- you're bleeding non-stop
- there's a lot of blood - for example, the toilet water turns red or you see large blood clots
What happens at your GP appointment
The GP will check what's causing your symptoms.
They might:
- check your bottom (rectum) with a gloved finger
- ask for a sample of poo for testing
- refer you to a specialist for tests
Important
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.