Seeing blood in your stool after a bowel movement can be concerning. At GI Associates of Maryland, colonoscopies and other diagnostic tests are available on-site to identify the cause of rectal bleeding. The board-certified gastroenterologists also have extensive experience treating hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and other causes of rectal bleeding to prevent additional health complications. Call the Waldorf, Maryland office to schedule a consultation for rectal bleeding, or book an appointment online today.
Rectal bleeding is typically a side effect of an underlying condition like an infection in your digestive tract. You can experience rectal bleeding due to the following:
Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins on the inside or outside of the anal canal. The swollen veins can cause rectal bleeding, pain, and itching.
Anal fissures — tears in the lining of your anus — can cause pain, rectal bleeding, and burning during bowel movements.
Rectal bleeding can occur with colon conditions like polyps and cancer.
Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, cause chronic inflammation in your digestive tract. Inflammation can trigger rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and persistent diarrhea.
GI Associates of Maryland offers comprehensive care for the conditions that cause rectal bleeding. The skilled medical team uses advanced technologies to identify the cause of bleeding and customize a treatment plan to resolve it.
You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at GI Associates of Maryland if you have rectal bleeding lasting more than a day or heavy bleeding.
Rectal bleeding can emerge as a red or black stool, blood on toilet paper after wiping, or blood in the toilet bowl. Blood can appear as a bright red shade or a dark black color.
The medical team offers diagnostic tests like blood work, colonoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy. They also physically examine your rectum and anal canal for polyps, fissures, and hemorrhoids.
If you have risk factors for cancer, the providers may recommend a biopsy to remove a tissue sample so they can check it for abnormal or cancerous cells.
Some cases of rectal bleeding may resolve without medical intervention. However, the GI Associates of Maryland providers can address more critical issues with nonsurgical or surgical therapies.
For instance, if your bleeding results from hemorrhoids, you may need a minimally invasive procedure to destroy the swollen vein. The team offers anal fissure surgery to repair tears in the tissues of the anal canal.
Surgery may be necessary to remove cancerous tissue or tumors that cause rectal bleeding and difficulties with bowel movements. The team can discuss the need for radiation therapy or chemotherapy to destroy the remaining cancer cells.
Call GI Associates of Maryland to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for rectal bleeding or book an appointment online today.