Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (patient information)

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Xyz?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Overview

Rectal bleeding can refer to any blood that passes from your anus, although rectal bleeding is usually assumed to refer to bleeding from your lower colon or rectum. Your rectum makes up the last few inches of your large intestine. Rectal bleeding may show up as blood in your stool, on the toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. Blood that results from rectal bleeding is usually bright red in color, but occasionally can be dark maroon.

What are the Symptoms of Lower gastrointestinal bleeding?

Symptoms of lower gastrointestinal bleeding include:

• Rectal bleeding
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Change in bowel habit
• Pain during defecation.
• Anal symptoms - eg, soreness or pain may occur with fissures, itching with piles.

When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?

Seek urgent medical care if you have significant rectal bleeding and any signs of shock:

• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Dizziness or lightheadedness after standing up
• Blurred vision
• Fainting
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Cold, clammy, pale skin
• Low urine output

Where to find Medical Care for Lower gastrointestinal bleeding?

Medical care for Lower gastrointestinal bleeding can be found here.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000434.htm