Rectal Bleeding

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Medical Author:

Dedra R Tolson, MD

Medical Editor:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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• Rectal Bleeding Overview
• Rectal Bleeding Causes
• Rectal Bleeding, Anorectal Disorders
• Rectal Bleeding, Tumors, Polyps, and Other Causes
• Rectal Bleeding Symptoms
• Rectal Bleeding in Children
• Rectal Bleeding During Pregnancy
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Rectal Bleeding Diagnosis
• Rectal Bleeding Treatment
• Rectal Bleeding Self-Care at Home
• Rectal Bleeding Medical Treatment
• Rectal Bleeding Follow-up
• Rectal Bleeding Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Rectal Bleeding from Healthwise

The rectum is the last portion of the large bowel that ends just before the anus. Bleeding from this area can be mild or serious, even life-threatening. The presence of rectal bleeding must be carefully checked because it indicates something is wrong.

• Rectal bleeding is frequently noticed as maroon stools, bright red blood on or in the stool, blood on the toilet tissue, or blood staining the toilet bowl water red. Bleeding from further up in the gastrointestinal tract results in black, tarry stools.
• Rectal bleeding is commonly associated with other potentially dangerous abdominal disorders. Most cases of rectal bleeding warrant a visit to a physician for evaluation.
• Depending on the source of bleeding (which may be from any part of the gastrointestinal tract), treatment can range from relief of symptoms to antibiotics, blood transfusion, or surgery. It is important to locate the source of rectal bleeding so that appropriate treatment can be started and fix the cause of the problem.

There are a variety of causes of rectal bleeding. Common causes include hemorrhoids, anal fissure, diverticulosis, infection, inflammation (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), angiodysplasia. Other causes of rectal bleeding include polyps, tumors, trauma, an upper gastrointestinal source, and Meckel diverticulum (a rare condition that occurs in less than 2% of the population.)

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