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 due to something you have eaten.

Advice

Try the treatments outlined below for four weeks.

Treatments

Eat more roughage 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.

What now?

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

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You are above the age of 50 and have rectal bleeding without pile symptoms and a non-specific change in bowel habit

Additional information if you see your GP

Patients over 60 years old with rectal bleeding without anal symptoms persisting for six weeks merit referral to the 2-week clinic. Patients below 60 years old should be referred to a routine hospital clinic for further investigations and local treatments to stop the bleeding.
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'