No one likes to have trouble going to the bathroom, much less see a bit of blood after going. It can be a bit unnerving and some people will automatically start thinking the worst. While there is nothing wrong with being careful, it is important to have all the facts before you start ringing your doctor and shelling out money for medical care. A little knowledge goes a long way if you’re still unsure, you can always call later. However, the most likely candidate is a small occurrence of bleeding hemorrhoids and with a bit of home treatment, you’ll be right as rain.
Conditions with similar symptoms range from non-threatening to very dangerous. Remember, don’t panic and gather all information you can before making any judgments.
Rectal prolapse is somewhere between that range. While the cause is not completely understood, it occurs when loose tissue at the end of the rectum moves down. Sometimes it can then protrude from the anus, making it look similar to external hemorrhoids. There are three types: mucosal prolapse, internal prolapse, and complete prolapse. Mucosal prolapse occurs mostly with children younger than two years old. The tissue often protrudes during a bowel movement and then retreats back afterward, similar to second-degree bleeding hemorrhoids. Internal prolapse occurs when a part of the intestine wall moves into another part of the rectum. There is no protrusion, but it can cause some discomfort and is more common in children than adults. Complete prolapse is similar to a mucosal prolapse, but the tissue may also protrude from the anus when a person is walking or standing, or it simply may not return inside the anal cavity after a bowel movement. If you are an adult, for the most part you will not experience any of these, but if this sounds like what you are experiencing, ask your doctor for more information.
Inflammatory bowel disease, also known as IBD, causes constant inflammation of the intestine. The inflammation can vary, ranging from just the large intestine or the entire digestive tract. This disease is often accompanied by more distinct symptoms than hemorrhoids. Weight loss, chills, abdominal pain, blood or pus in bowel movements, and fever, to name a few. Because this condition is an ongoing one, you would already know if you had it. The sudden appearance of blood on toilet paper is not likely to be caused by IBD.
Look up the various home treatments and medicines you can get to deal with hemorrhoids and try them out first. If you realize that the problem is going away, there is a good chance that you had, and treated, a small case of them. Now you don’t have to take an unnecessary trip to the doctor. Be sure to eat fiber, stay healthy, and don’t rush to finish in the bathroom. Your body will thank you for it.