Help! I saw blood on the toilet paper after I wiped – what should I do!?

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Q: Help! I saw bright red blood on the toilet paper after I wiped.  What should I do!? 

Short A: Come in to see us so we can check it out.

Long A: Don’t panic. We see this all the time at Student Health and it’s rarely as scary as it looks.  You’re probably dealing with a hemorrhoid: a very common, and literal, pain in the butt. 

Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum or anus that bleed with minor pressure, such as that which occurs from bowel movements.  They can be painful or painless depending on their location, and are often associated with rectal pain and itching, a lump that you can feel and/or rectal bleeding. 

Risk factors for developing hemorrhoids include

  • Poor fiber intake
  • Prolonged sitting or standing
  • Being overweight
  • Pregnancy
  • Chronic constipation or diarrhea
  • Engaging in anal sex

When you come to the Student Health Center, we will ask you a lot of embarrassing questions and do an embarrassing examination to rule out other more serious causes of rectal bleeding such as infections, inflammatory bowel disease, anal fissures and even (rarely) colon cancer.  Since some hemorrhoids are located a few inches inside the rectal canal, we may have to use a small, lubricated, clear plastic tube called an anoscope to look on the inside.

The mainstay of hemorrhoid treatment (and prevention) is fiber, fiber, fiber.  Most of us don’t get enough fiber in our diet, which leads to constipation, which leads to straining to have a bowel movement, which leads to increased pressure in the rectal veins which… you get the idea.  Supplementing your diet with soluble fiber supplements (Metamucil or Benefiber) will work wonders for this problem.  Other things you can do include:

  • Avoid straining and prolonged sitting on the toilet
  • Lose weight if necessary
  • Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day
  • Exercise regularly
  • Gently clean the anal area with soft, moistened paper after each bowel movement and avoid the urge to scratch – as an old family doctor once told me: “Wipe, don’t polish!”

Again, while it can certainly be scary, rectal bleeding is rarely a sign of a life-threatening condition.  But if it happens to you, be sure to see your health care provider to make sure it isn’t, especially if the bleeding is dark brown or black, is heavy, you feel weak or light-headed, or the pain gets suddenly a lot worse.

 

John A. Vaughn, MD
Student Health Services
The Ohio State University

436 thoughts on “Help! I saw blood on the toilet paper after I wiped – what should I do!?

  1. I was constipated for over 4 days today I went to the restroom and it was painful. when I looked in the toilet there was a significant amount of blood with the feces I also have ulcerative colitis could this possibly just be a flare up or something more serious?

  2. Thanks for letting me know that I will be subjected to embarrassing questions and tormented by an even more embarrassing examination. Can’t wait to call my physician now.

  3. whenever I go to the toilets it hurts and when i wipe i find blood on the tissue paper. pleases help, i try to go to the toilet twice a day and such always happen and make me not to wanna go to the toilet again as my anus will be hot and painful.

  4. Hi, I’m a 12 yr old female who hasn’t had her period yet. After, I urinated I wiped and noticed there was blood on the toilet paper. However, none in the urine itself. Since, I hadn’t had my period yet, I thought that could be the case so, I looked up symptoms and what I had was not in there. My boobs have grown for a few years and I’ve discharge. So, I left it alone, but it happened every time I urinated and I kept getting more worried. What should I do now?

    • I am overweight and had no serious accidents or anything. Also the blood is coming from my vagina. Plz help

    • Do you have an adult female you could consult, perhaps your mother? It could still be your period. Periods are not the same for everyone and not everyone has symptoms. I know it can be intimidating and even a bit embarrassing, but ask an adult female. If it’s not your period, you should consult a doctor.

    • You need to go to the doctor, I’m 10, and in 5th grade, same thing happened to me. You need to go to the doctor.

  5. There A Possibility I Might Be Pregnant I Haven’t Had My Period In A Month and Amost a Half And I Recently Went To The Restroom To Do #2 and When I Wiped There Was Blood .. I’m Wondering if I Am Preganant Will The Baby Be Okay ?

    • Have you had your pregnancy confirmed? You will definitely want to first determine if you are indeed pregnant and if so, then schedule an appointment with an OB to get things checked out.

  6. I told my mom and see was going to call the doctor because the white sticky stuff came out of me (not clear) and when I wipe blood is in the tissue but when I pes no blood

  7. Thank you!!!!!! I was scared to death for days wiping and seeing blood. I thought oh my God I have cancer or something horrible. Then I read your article and I fit a few on the list. I recently had back surgery and have been sitting a lot, I don’t eat enough fiber, I don’t drink enough water, I have been constipated for weeks..etc. I cannot thank enough for whomever put this up for people not to think the worst. Bless your hearts and your research you guys do at Ohio. – Tracey

  8. What happens if i bleed every few times i wipe but its light blood but when ever i wipe i feel a bump from my hole and i dont know what it is can someone help me

  9. Okay so I am 13 and recently there has been a pain (going to help you locate where) about “that body part” all the way to the right. I brushed it off because I always do that when I feel pain and it went away. Today I swam for three hours and went pee (after I got out) wiped and there was blood. I’m like oh great my period so I put toilet paper in my underwear and walk out the bathroom like a boss to a two hour dinner. I did this because my mom would be completely weird about me getting my period she would be like OH MY GOD *excited voice* but anyways I go to dinner and I check twice and there is no blood on the toilet paper so I’m like wtf that’s weird I go pee no blood when I wipe I’m like wtf and than we go home I change into pajamas I go pee (hour after dinner) I wipe and instead of having to wipe once there is so much blood I have to wipe three times!!! At this point I’m pissed because I can’t ask my mom wtf is going on so I’m asking you guys there is no more pain on my right side or when I go pee which is why it probabley is not a uti. Also I haven’t showered today or yesterday so I haven’t gone by the area and it can’t be caused by the pool that pool is as clean as holy water. So I’m just bleeding after I wipe but since it is increasing every time I do it is it my period? It doesn’t hurt at all not one bit no other symptoms I exercised and drank tons of water today and yesterday I just don’t know just tell me your advise I will probabley give it one more day and see if it passes also the blood is a medium dark red blood color like it’s not light not dark medium.

    • Sorry I wrote in such a teenager voice I sound really stupid. To add on I did not bleed when I wiped at the dinner I didn’t make that clear sorry. Also I’m a very clean person I rareley skip a shower like that

  10. I have a bad liver caused by drinking and I get dizzy and vomit and now I have blood coming out when I poop and whip I am scared to go to doctor I don’t want them to tell me I am dieing

    • Maybe they will tell you it’s just hemorrhoids or it’s nothing at all. Or maybe they will tell you that its a good thing you came in because what you have is treatable. Go to the doctor – that’s the only way to know for sure.

  11. I’m 16, I was playing battlefield and needed to #2, so I got up, went to my toilet, it was a very big urge, it was hurting my stomach. This could have been caused by the amounts of energy drinks I’m drinking lately. anyway, once I started… You know, saying it makes me feel stupid… Anyhow, I started ‘pushing’ and it hurt, not too much, but it hurt for like, two seconds. Once it came out, more followed. The followers didn’t hurt. I wiped and dropped the toilet paper. I normally wipe twice and on the second, look at the toilet paper to see if there’s any remains. But, when I looked, there was blood on the toilet paper. After just staring at it for about 7 seconds, I stood up and looked in the toilet, the first piece of toilet paper had blood on it also. And yea… Don’t know what to do. I don’t want to go to someone for help because I just can’t do it. I’m scared to be put into embarrassing situations. I can’t tell my dad either.

    • Keep an eye on it. If the bleeding continues, then it could be something serious and you’ll need to tell your dad.

    • Alright, it feels like there’s still something there, but I’ve wiped a LOT and nothing is on the toilet paper ;(

  12. I am 15 and it has been about under a week since I have started to hurt when I poo and when I wipe there is a small amount of blood. How can I treat this without going to a doctor?

  13. I don’t feel comfortable to put my problems up here.. I would really love to personally email someone about it….

  14. I’m 15 this morning I woke up and went to the bathroom when I peed there was no blood but my underwear had drops of blood and my period stop like 2 or 4 weeks ago this month and when I wiped my self there’s was light blood and I was doing some research and I can find anything so I asked my mom and she doesn’t know about it and my heart is beating super fast in fears what should I do please help

  15. This is happening to me too. I went to the washroom and went I wipe thereally was blood. Would this mean I’m getting my period, I’m only 13. After I looked in he toilet and there was a puddle of blood. Later on I wet to check if there was any blood on my underwear and there wasn’t but when I sat on the toilet blood kept coming out I have no idea what is happened and I’m freaking out. I’m scared please help.

  16. I drink 6 to 10 beers when I get off work around 5-6ish and on the weekends I drink more with friends, beers and hard liquor.. I’ve seen blood on my toilet paper about 2 times a year but it goes away after the first bowel movement, this time I had it 3 times in the same day. I originally thought it was hemroids but I never got any examanition from a doctor, now this happend and I’m looking for answers, could it be I’m drinking too much? Is it just hemroids? Colon cancer? Anyone have this same problem?

  17. Alright, I’m a 14 year old female, I just wiped and there was blood, but a small amount. I wiped again and there wasn’t anymore. Nothing really hurts.
    I don’t have a doctor? Do you think I’ll be fine iust leaving it be and doing nothing? I’m not close enough to my mom to talk to her about anything and I’m very shy so I want to stay away from anything embarrassing.
    Also, I’m on vacation for another 3 weeks and I wouldn’t be able to see a doctor or anything.

  18. I’m 14 and I recently went to the the toilet and my wee was normal colour but when I wiped it was full but it’s not near my bum that is bleeding and it feels painful in certain areas around my front parts but it’s worry and there is a lot of blood help me???

  19. I have a 8yrs old girl after wipe there is blood n she said is painful afterwards .what should I do to help her ?

    • This really requires an appointment with a doctor. There are a lot of questions that need to be asked to determine the cause of the blood and the course of action that should be taken.

  20. So I’m 16m, and got a couple years every once in a while after I wipe there is just a tiny dot of blood with the feeling of a pin prick on the outside of my anus. Today however, I noticed about two drops of blood worth on the tissue the first time I wiped… it doesn’t hurt to poop, and there is never any blood in it. I’ve always thought that after wiping, my skin had just dried and I’d somehow just “torn” the skin a little… but after reading about hemorrhoids I’m a little more scared about it… mind you I’ve never had problems pooping, I used to be athletic, just have been lazy, gained 10 pounds after weight training. Too tired to run now. I also smoke occasionally. I have never talked to my doctors about anything in fear I might get in legal trouble. I’m also homophobic, and don’t want anybody near my rear end.

  21. Sir,pl let me know eight days back two bubbles come on snake out side and also lot mean and concerns doctors doctor told me drink water and buttermilk ,I have done it and bubbles are gone and pain is also not there but question is after eight days when I am making toilet bleeding is came from anus ,no any pain pl suggest me what happens some people told me it’s colon cancer.

    • Contact your doctor and let them know what is occuring. As they have already consulted you on your original issue they are best suited to address this new symptom.

  22. I am 24. I hd sex last Monday nd loss my virginity. After a day I took a pill just to b on a safer side. I was having a lot of pain while peeing bt nw d pain is less. What I saw is spotting since two days.may its being happening since I hd sex bt I noticed so two days ago. Plz tell is it normal as I hd sex fr d frst tym or is it due to the pills dat I hv consumed. Or is dere any other problm.?? My menstral date is 10th of a month n I hd intercourse on 21st of ds mnth. Plz help me soon .

  23. Hi, I am a 12 year old girl and I haven’t had my period yet. A few days ago I went to the bathroom at home after school, it was a Friday, and I saw blood on my underwear I hadn’t gone to the bathroom at school so I did know anything was happening, so I was like oh crap my period, so I put a pad, and was like ok, then I went to change it and there was a lot and I was like WTF, so now it is Sunday and ther is still blood on my underwear and idk what is happening, please help

    • Talk to your parents. Let them know what is happening. They can help you decide if you need to see a doctor.

  24. When I wiped my bum I saw blood and i’m officially scared. I am 12 and I do have my period. I know its not that as i only had it like 2 weeks ago. Pls help.

  25. Hi, I’m 17 years old and my periods are irregular but they only last two or three days. That’s why I found it weird that for the past two weeks, I’ve been using the bathroom to do my business only to find blood on the tissues I use along with the feces. To make matters more concerning for me, I don’t feel any pain yet I feel blood dripping off into the toilet. Please help. I am active once in a while and try to have a healthy diet and I am losing fat but not weight. Please help.

  26. My age is 25 and married we r not planing for baby yet Bcoz we r just mrd on Feb 2015.. tomorrow I saw blood on my panty and a drop on pot. Feeling weak and paining on my back hole. . Before mrg I got stomach infection. . Doc said it is normal in new mrd life…but my last medical report is all normal.. can u tell me some solution.

    • It is really impossible to diagnose your situation via a blog post. Call your doctor, let him know what is occurring. He knows your situation and can run appropriate tests if needed.

  27. Hi!I need a help,my problem is everyday when I go to toilet after wiping my bum the toilet paper is caming red like am in the period,but the problem is that I dont get any pain after coming to the toilet,I need help plz.

  28. I am 11 and I went to the bathroom today and I saw bright red blood on the toilet paper but not anywhere else so I wiped again and there was nothing… what do I do?
    P.S
    Yes I already am going through puberty

  29. I got mu first period this morning and since I’m new at this I’m a little worried because when I wipe the toilet paper is all red, is it just because my period??? And also my pee os normal, so is my poop. Is that normal?

    • Periods vary from individual to individual. Red toilet paper is normal, at least for a few days.

  30. I just want to stress the importance of seeing a doctor if the bleeding continues. I had bleeding from my rectum on and off for over a year and assumed it was probably just bleeding hemorrhoids. At the age of 43, during a conversation with my doctor, I mentioned the bleeding I had been experiencing. He did an exam and took blood and stool samples. I was then referred to a gastroenterologist who scheduled a colonoscopy. During the colonoscopy, 2 polyps were removed. After both polyps were biopsied, one was found to be a cancerous polyp. I was very lucky that the cancer was contained to the polyp, but it could have spread at any moment. See your doctor, don’t rely solely on information found on the internet.

  31. I have a question I go to the bathroom when I clean myself I saw blood on toilet paper. Light red,Brownish is that normal?

  32. I really haven’t been eatting lately due to tryin to loose weight but today I get it alot and my stomach was very pain fu’ll I’ve had diarrhea all day first it was green and now it’s red..what’s the cause o f this

  33. I am 12 years old. I went to use the bathroom after sitting down on my computer and then took a #2 then their was blood on my poo and I wiped and and there was blood on it I’m scared How do I over come the situation without going the doctor.

  34. I’m about to be 21 years old… I just had my gall bladder removed.. I was constipated for about five days after the surgery . Now when I have a bowel movement it kinda hurts.. My bum flares up once in awhile and I wipe I notice more and more light red blood. Someone help !!

    • Talk to your doctor. It could be something associated with the surgery or it could just be hemorrhoids from the constipation following surgery. Your doctor will be able to tell you for sure.

  35. Hi, when i am going to toilet. My bottom get blood… no pain nothing.. and some times iching also there. I am afraid. Wat happen this going on with me.. if you have a solution pls tell me… really i am afraid…

  36. Sometime last year it started hurting when I passed stool. I did research and figured it was nothing and would go away soon. It’s been a year and it hasn’t stopped and I see blood on the toilet paper. It wasn’t bad until today when I relieved myself I looked down and I was dripping blood from my anus. I thought it was my period but I realized it was my butt. I’m 15 and my grandma had colon cancer so I have a higher risk of getting colon cancer if that makes a difference. I don’t want to tell my parents.

  37. I am extremely broke and cannot visit the doctor, for 3 days now I have wiped and there has been tiny dabs of bright red blood. I would say my diet isn’t the best and I don’t drink a whole lot of water. I have no pain and I’m using the bathroom fine when I have to go. I’m just wanting an answer other than go to a doctor to help me feel at ease. Am i ok? Is jogging, drinking water everyday, and more fiber all I need to help me out? Is smoking connected in anyway because I smoke maybe twice a week. Please help

    • It could just be hemorrhoids. Try adding more water and fiber and see what happens. If it continues – then go to the doctor. Better find yourself a bit deeper in debt than to have a serious condition go undetected.

  38. Ok so I’m 13 years old and idk what to do! So I have a kidney infection and I have been really sick still am so I went to hospital Saturday. I was sick Sunday too and I didn’t do the #2 or eat anything until later that night. Yesterday I did the #2 and I wiped and there was like a light colored blood. I haven’t started my period yet but idk. I just got out of the bathroom again did the #2 and there was still that light colored blood. It’s kinda embarrassing to talk about but I don’t know what to do!

  39. Hi. I’m 12 and a few weeks later I’m going to be 13.( I don’t have my period yet. ) On the 17 dec 2015, it was my friends birthday. He brought the cake to my tuition and he share the cake with us. About one hour later I have a trouble stomach ache so I went to the washroom. It was normal to have a stomach ache so I did not care too much about it. A few days straight, I notice I have trouble stomach aches. One day I have stomach ache again so I went to the washroom. After I’m done, I wipe myself, I notice there was blood on the toilet paper. I thought i have my period so i ask my sister about periods things and she says when u pee there will be blood. Then a few minutes later I went to pee and there was no blood but when i wipe there is blood. I was very confuse so I ask her again. She say she don’t know why? And I start to panicked. Is there anything wrong with me? Or is the birthday cake I ate?

    • With your period, there is not always blood when you pee. It kind of depends upon where you are in the cycle. For some, it’s only the middle of the period where there is blood when you pee, but in the beginning and end it’s only when you wipe. Everyone is different. The stomach aches you mentioned could be menstrual cramps. If the stomach aches continue well after the bleeding stops, tell your parents and get them to schedule a doctor appointment.

  40. I’ve had blood spots on my toilet paper after I have a bowel movement. There’s none in the water or stool, or in my underwear, only on the paper. I have a very fiber filled diet, and have the occasional constipation. I strained a week ago and since then I’ve had a little blood on the toilet paper. I’m not sure what’s going on.

    • It could be hemorrhoids. Monitor your bowel movements, looking for blood. If you continue to find blood when you wipe, contact your doctor.

  41. Hi I’m a 13 year old girl, I’m positive I’m not pregnant, and I haven’t started my period. I have been having some issues when I pee. Whenever I wipe, there’s blood and its sometimes bright but sometimes dark. It doesn’t happen all the time but I’m kind of worried about it. Hope someone answers!

    • It sounds like you have started your period. I know it’s kind of embarrassing and not a topic you want to have with your mom – but really she has had experience in this area and should be able to let you know if indeed it is your period.

  42. So after some bowel movements this doesn’t happen all the time but when I wipe my front area there is a little blood on the tissue.any ideas of what it may be? I did have ruff sex the day of Christmas and my husband noticed a cut down there

    • Impossible to tell without being checked out. Keep an eye on it. If the bleeding continues, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

  43. I am really worried… Only when I wipe myself I see a brightly color red..although sometimes it’s brown, I think it the dried up blood though… What should I do…the other day in school I checked my panties and it was filled with brow/dark black stuff….it was kind of dried up.. What should I do…I told my mom she said its normal but we will go to the doctor any way… When I got home later I wiped myself and it was just a little red blood again..

  44. Thank you for the info. Really an informative and helpful article. will surely share this. looking forward for more articles like this. Thank you once again.

  45. I am 13 and I went to the bathroom and I wiped my butt and noticed blood and I have had a sharp butt pain for two days what should I do?????

  46. Hey, I’m a 13 year old girl and I just woke up to use the bathroom and when I wiped I noticed some blood. I looked in the toilet and there was some dry hard blood. I wiped 3 more times and there was blood. I thought it could be my period so I put a pad in but I don’t have cramps.. I haven’t gotten my period yet so I don’t know if this is it. I looked in my bed but there was no blood. Is this my period?

    • I want to add on that I’m a little sick (my nose is stuffed and my throat hurts) I really don’t think it has to do anything with it but if it does, I just wanted to put this in here.

    • It could be your period. Everyone is different. Not everyone has cramps. Talk to your mom, aunt, older sister, friend.

  47. Hi doct am 32 years old I had a baby via c section 6 month ago before the baby came when ever I strain while pooing I see blood bright red blood.for days now been straining but blood nver comes out not until tonight I was scared the was blood in my poo and when I wipe.i feel some tiny thing down there close to my anos am worried what culd it be?

  48. I’m a 28 year old women it been five days now that every time I use the restroom I have blood coming from my anel I’m scared to even get it chake out.never happens to me so many times .but I think is from lack of water. Please help

    • Get it checked out! It could be nothing, or it could be serious. The earlier serious problems are discovered, the better.

  49. I am an Indian, so we wash our butts after pooing and not use Toilet paper. And therefore our rectum is not used to abrasion. But when I moved to the US prolonged use of Toilet Paper (just after month or so) I started seeing blood. Given the fact that I can’t go back to washing, since that’s not an option here… I am worried if this continues, will it be harmful? What can I do to check this?

    • Without additional information it is difficult to know if this might be harmful. If it continues, check with your doctor.

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