Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRed FoodHemorrhoidsAnal IssuesConstipationDiverticular BleedingInflammatory Bowel DiseaseColon Polyps or CancerMedicationsWhen to See a ProviderDiagnosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Red Food
Hemorrhoids
Anal Issues
Constipation
Diverticular Bleeding
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Colon Polyps or Cancer
Medications
When to See a Provider
Diagnosis
Havingred stool(poop) is not always a reason to worry. Sometimes, your poop is red because you’ve had red or orange foods. However, if you can’t trace the color back to something you’ve eaten, don’t ignore it. It may be bloody stool, known ashematochezia.
If a more serious condition like colon cancer is the cause of red poop, the other symptoms can include rectal pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, unexplained weight loss, andanemia.
This article covers the reasons why your poop might be red and when you should see a provider for red-colored stool.
Verywell / JR Bee
Red Foods
If your stool is red because of some food that you recently ate, you may just notice the color with no other symptoms. In this case, you do not have blood in your stool. Your stool is red because of the dye or natural color of the food you ate.
Check food labels carefully because even foods that don’t look red may have artificial dyes in them that could color your stool.
One way to tell the difference between blood in your stool and red coloring from food is that you’ll notice the color change after eating or drinking something specific, and it won’t last long. You also won’t see it at other times when you haven’t had anything red to eat or drink.
Some of the foods that can cause red poop include:
If your stool is discolored from a food’s natural color or an artificial dye, you probably won’t have any other symptoms that could suggest a GI problem, like abdominal pain or fever. However, if you have these symptoms along with red-colored stool, they could be signs of something more serious going on with your gut.
If you havenoteaten red or other brightly-colored foods recently and have red stools, contact a healthcare provider right away to get it checked out. This is especially true when you’ve had more than one red stool but you’ve had nothing red in your diet.
Hemorrhoidsare a common cause of bright red blood in the stool or on toilet paper. A hemorrhoid is a form ofvaricose vein. You may have rectal pain, especially during or after going to the bathroom. You may also notice anal lumps, swelling, and constipation. You may just see some red blood on the toilet paper after wiping if you have hemorrhoids.
Anal Injuries or Conditions
There are some conditions or injuries that can affect the anus and may lead to bleeding.
With these conditions, you will likely have pain in and around the anus. You may see blood on the toilet paper when you wipe as well as drops of blood in the toilet. If you have an infection, you may also have a discharge (pus) from your anus.
Straining from constipation can lead to hemorrhoids and torn tissue that may bleed. If you have chronic constipation, the stress of consistently passing hard stools can irritate the rectum and anus. You may notice blood when you wipe or in the toilet after you’ve had a bowel movement, particularly if it was difficult to pass.
Adiverticulumis a small pouch in the colon that bulges out of a weak spot in the colon wall. Havingdiverticulain the colonis called diverticulosis. It’s not understood what causes the condition, but researchers think that age and genetics play a role.
You may not have symptoms of diverticulosis. It’s not common, but diverticulosis can cause bloody stools. However, the bleeding does not usually need treatment unless it’s continuous or severe.
If you have diverticulosis, you may have abdominal pain (usually on the left side) and a fever. This condition needs to be treated, often with medication to help with inflammation or infection, and a special diet (often a liquid diet) to let your GI tract rest. If it’s severe, diverticulosis may require a hospital stay.
Ulcerative colitisandCrohn’s diseaseare incurable chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Together, they are known asinflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD has active periods (“flares”) that can cause hematochezia.
It’s not known what causes IBD, but it’s thought to be linked to an overactive and problematic immune system response. Genetics also appear to play a role in these conditions.
A less common cause of blood in the stool is acolon polyp.Sometimes, a polyp can bleed and lead to blood in the stool. Although rare,colon cancerscan develop from polyps.
If a colon polyp or cancer is the cause of hematochezia, the growth will need to be removed during a colonoscopy or other surgery.
Certain medications may make you more likely to have bleeding issues which could show up in your stool, depending on where the bleeding is.
For example,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)increase the risk of stomach ulcers that can cause stomach bleeding that leads to hematochezia.Corticosteroidshave also been linked with an increased risk of stomach bleeding that may show up as hematochezia.
These side effects are more common in those over the age of 60, especially when the medications are used for 14 days or more.
Never stop taking a medication your provider has prescribed for you without talking to them first. If you think you’re constipated from one of your medications, tell your provider. They might have you try reducing your dose or suggest switching to a different drug.
Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Bleeding
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Seek immediate medical attention if you have bloody stool along with fatigue, fever, and/or vomiting. You also should not wait to get care if you have frequent and/or excessive amounts of blood in your stool.
Before your healthcare provider can make a diagnosis and offer treatment, they will need to figure out the location and cause of the bleeding.They will first ask you questions about your symptoms and medical history.
First, they’ll ask you questions about your symptoms and medical history. For example, if you’ve had changes in bowel habits (like constipation or diarrhea). They will also want to know the location of any pain you’ve been having.
Next, your provider will do arectal exam. During the exam, they will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the anus. It’s a useful test that’s over quickly and won’t hurt.
Your provider may recommend/perform one of these tests to figure out why you have bloody stool:
Summary
Blood in the stool is never normal, but it’s not always a sign of something serious. You should see your provider if you are noticing red stools and are not sure what’s causing it. If you have severe pain, a lot of bleeding, or vomiting along with the blood in your stool, get medical attention right away.
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21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ghassemi KA, Jensen DM.Lower GI bleeding: epidemiology and management.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2013;15(7):333. doi:10.1007/s11894-013-0333-5John Hopkins Medicine.Colon cancer symptoms.University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.Stools with blood.The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definitions and facts of hemorrhoids.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Anal fissure.NIDKK.Proctitis.Penn Medicine.Anorectal abscess.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Abscess and fistula.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.MedlinePlus.Constipation.Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.Cooper University Health Care.Diverticular disease: understanding diverticulosis and diverticulitis.Veterans Affairs.Diverticulosis and diverticulitis.Camilleri M, Sandler RS, Peery AF.Etiopathogenetic mechanisms in diverticular disease of the colon.Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;9(1):15-32. doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.07.007MedlinePlus.Diverticulosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?.Chi TY, Zhu HM, Zhang M.Risk factors associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastrointestinal bleeding resulting on people over 60 years old in Beijing.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(18):e0665. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010665Narum S, Westergren T, Klemp M.Corticosteroids and risk of gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open. 2014;4(5):e004587. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004587Harvard Medical School.What to do when medication makes you constipated.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ghassemi KA, Jensen DM.Lower GI bleeding: epidemiology and management.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2013;15(7):333. doi:10.1007/s11894-013-0333-5John Hopkins Medicine.Colon cancer symptoms.University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.Stools with blood.The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definitions and facts of hemorrhoids.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Anal fissure.NIDKK.Proctitis.Penn Medicine.Anorectal abscess.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Abscess and fistula.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.MedlinePlus.Constipation.Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.Cooper University Health Care.Diverticular disease: understanding diverticulosis and diverticulitis.Veterans Affairs.Diverticulosis and diverticulitis.Camilleri M, Sandler RS, Peery AF.Etiopathogenetic mechanisms in diverticular disease of the colon.Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;9(1):15-32. doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.07.007MedlinePlus.Diverticulosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?.Chi TY, Zhu HM, Zhang M.Risk factors associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastrointestinal bleeding resulting on people over 60 years old in Beijing.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(18):e0665. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010665Narum S, Westergren T, Klemp M.Corticosteroids and risk of gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open. 2014;4(5):e004587. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004587Harvard Medical School.What to do when medication makes you constipated.
Ghassemi KA, Jensen DM.Lower GI bleeding: epidemiology and management.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2013;15(7):333. doi:10.1007/s11894-013-0333-5
John Hopkins Medicine.Colon cancer symptoms.
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.Stools with blood.
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definitions and facts of hemorrhoids.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment of hemorrhoids.
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Anal fissure.
NIDKK.Proctitis.
Penn Medicine.Anorectal abscess.
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Abscess and fistula.
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding minor rectal bleeding.
MedlinePlus.Constipation.
Hussain ZH, Everhart K, Lacy BE.Treatment of chronic constipation: Prescription medications and surgical therapies.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(2):104-114.
Cooper University Health Care.Diverticular disease: understanding diverticulosis and diverticulitis.
Veterans Affairs.Diverticulosis and diverticulitis.
Camilleri M, Sandler RS, Peery AF.Etiopathogenetic mechanisms in diverticular disease of the colon.Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;9(1):15-32. doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.07.007
MedlinePlus.Diverticulosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?.
Chi TY, Zhu HM, Zhang M.Risk factors associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastrointestinal bleeding resulting on people over 60 years old in Beijing.Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(18):e0665. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010665
Narum S, Westergren T, Klemp M.Corticosteroids and risk of gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open. 2014;4(5):e004587. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004587
Harvard Medical School.What to do when medication makes you constipated.
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