Results

Cause of your symptoms

Your rectal bleeding is probably from normal veins just inside the back passage and your change in bowel habit could be the after-effects of a mild infection.

Advice

Try the treatments outlined below for two weeks.

Treatments

Eat less roughage and if necessary take bowel sedatives to reduce the number of times you go to the toilet. A pharmacist can advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

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

---

You are over 50 years old and have rectal bleeding without anal symptoms, with a change in bowel habit to going more often with looser stools and no abdominal pain

Additional information if you see your GP

Patients who have these symptoms persistent and unremitting for more than six weeks are eligible for referral to a 2-week clinic.
In healthy patients aged 50-70 years old who have not had previous colonic imaging a single flexible sigmoidoscopy has the added benefit of detecting incidental but significant adenomatous polyps which if removed may prevent a future cancer - ‘opportunistic screening'