Colon Bleeding: Causes, Risks, and What to Do When It Happens
When you see blood in your stool or on the toilet paper, it’s natural to panic. Colon bleeding, the presence of blood coming from the lower digestive tract, often from the colon or rectum. Also known as rectal bleeding, it’s not a disease itself—but a warning sign that something inside your gut needs attention. It can look like bright red streaks, dark maroon streaks, or even black, tarry stools. The color tells you where the bleed might be coming from, but not always why.
Common causes include hemorrhoids, swollen veins in the rectum or anus that bleed during bowel movements, or diverticulosis, small pouches in the colon wall that can become irritated and bleed. But it can also point to more serious issues like colon polyps, growths that can turn cancerous if left untreated, or even colorectal cancer. Age, family history, and lifestyle all play a role. Someone in their 20s with occasional bright red blood after straining might have hemorrhoids. Someone over 50 with dark blood, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits needs a full evaluation—no exceptions.
What you do next matters more than what you think it might be. If the bleeding is heavy, comes with dizziness, or won’t stop, go to the ER. If it’s mild but keeps coming back, talk to your doctor. Don’t wait for it to get worse. Screening tests like colonoscopies aren’t just for cancer—they catch early bleeding sources before they become emergencies. Many people avoid the topic out of embarrassment, but doctors see this all the time. The sooner you get checked, the better your chances of treating it simply, safely, and without surgery.
Some of the posts below walk you through real cases—how people managed bleeding after switching medications, how certain drugs like blood thinners increase risk, and what lifestyle changes actually help. You’ll find advice on when to ignore it and when to act, how to talk to your doctor without sounding alarmist, and what tests you’re likely to face. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Lower GI Bleeding: What You Need to Know About Diverticula and Angiodysplasia
Lower GI bleeding is often caused by diverticula or angiodysplasia, especially in older adults. Learn how these conditions differ, how doctors diagnose them, and what treatments actually work.
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