Painless bright red blood in stool

Overview

Seeing blood in the toilet after you have had a bowel movement is more common than you might guess. There are multiple potential causes, ranging from from hemorrhoids to colon cancer.

While rectal bleeding is more common in older patients, young people experience it as well.

When to worry about blood in stool

Regardless of age, it’s important to get it checked out promptly, says Hamita Sachar, MD, a Yale Medicine gastroenterologist. “Rectal bleeding is an alarm symptom that might signal a more serious underlying condition. Don’t put off seeing a doctor for it," she says.

What causes rectal bleeding?

Rectal bleeding usually appears as blood of varying colors (including bright red, maroon or black) in the stool.

Rectal bleeding can be a symptom for a wide range of conditions, some more serious than others

Common causes of rectal bleeding include:

• Hemorrhoids:  These are pillow-like blood vessels located inside and outside the rectum, that can become swollen and start bleeding.

  Common during pregnancy, after childbirth and in people who suffer constipation, hemorrhoids a

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