Results

Cause of your symptoms

The bleeding is probably from piles and your change in bowel habit and abdominal pain could be the after-effects of a mild gut infection.

Advice

Try the simple treatments outlined below for four weeks.

Treatments

Eat less roughage and if necessary take bowel sedatives to reduce the number of times you go to the toilet. Try an antispasmodic tablet for your abdominal pain. Try careful cleaning around your bottom for your pile symptoms and if necessary use creams and suppositories. A pharmacist could advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

If you get better nothing else needs to be done but if your symptoms persist for 4 more weeks or come back after stopping treatment, see your GP.

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You are less than 50 years old and have a change in bowel habit to going more often with looser stools and abdominal pain. You also have rectal bleeding with pile symptoms.

Additional information if you see your GP

Patients over 40 years old who have this pattern of symptoms for 6 weeks merit referral to the 2-week clinic. If they are below 40 years old and have a normal examination of their abdomen and bottom and a normal blood test it would be appropriate to refer them to a routine clinic perhaps with a request for a prompt appointment, 'the third way' of referral.