Results

Cause of your symptoms

Your rectal bleeding is probably from piles and if your abdominal pain settles quickly it is likely to be due to bowel spasm.

Advice

Try the treatments outlined below for four weeks.

Treatments

Eat a simple diet and if necessary take antispasmodic tablets for your abdominal discomfort or pain. It is normal to strain a little when passing a motion but too much can cause bleeding. Try careful cleaning around your bottom for your pile symptoms and if necessary use creams and suppositories. A pharmacist can advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

If you get better nothing further needs to be done. However, if the bleeding and abdominal pain persist for four more weeks or recur after stopping treatment see your GP.

---

You are over 50 yrs old and have rectal bleeding with pile symptoms, no change in bowel habit and abdominal pain with a normal appetite and no weight loss.

Additional information if you see your GP

Your GP will probably examine your tummy and back passage and do a blood test and if these are normal you are at low risk of having a 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 will probably be referred to a routine clinic for investigations and treatments to stop the bleeding.
In healthy patients aged 50-70 years old not having previous colonic investigations, a single flexible sigmoidoscopy has the added benefit of detecting incidental but significant polyps which if removed may prevent a bowel cancer developing in the future - ‘opportunistic screening'