Results

Cause of your symptoms

Your rectal bleeding is probably from piles caused by your constipation.

Advice

Try the simple treatments outlined below for two weeks.

Treatments

Eat more roughage and if necessary take laxatives to make your stools softer and easier to pass. It is normal to strain a little when passing a motion but too much can cause bleeding. Try careful cleaning around your bottom and if necessary use creams and suppositories for your pile symptoms. A pharmacist can advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

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

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You are less than 50 years old and have rectal bleeding with pile symptoms. You also have a change in bowel habit to going less often and or are passing harder drier stools but you have no abdominal pain.

Additional information if you see your GP

Your GP will probably examine your tummy and back passage and do a blood test. If these are normal you are at low risk of having any serious bowel disease and it would be reasonable to advise a further period of treat, watch and wait. However, if your symptoms do not settle completely or recur after stopping treatment you are likely to be referred to a routine hospital clinic for investigations and local treatments to stop the bleeding.