Bleeding From The Bottom Rectal Bleeding

A small amount of one-off bleeding from the bottom is not usually a serious problem. But a GP can check.

Signs of 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 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've 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've been more tired than usual
you've lost weight for no reason

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

your poo is black or dark red
you have bloody diarrhoea

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

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

Find your nearest A&E

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

What happens at the GP appointment

If you have bleeding from your bottom, a GP will check what's causing it.

They might:

check your bottom (rectum) with a gloved finger (rectal examination)
ask for a sample of poo for testing
refer you to a specialist for tests

Bowel cancer risk

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.

Common causes of bleeding from the bottom

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.

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