Change in bowel habit
A change in your bowel habit is often a red flag sign that something is an issue inside your gut/bowel. It is not a ‘once off’ issue - e.g., diarrhoea for a few days or being constipated if you have a bad week without eating vegetables, but more of a change in how you go to the bathroom over 3-4 weeks at least. This includes changes in how often you go to the toilet, the consistency of your stool, or other symptoms:
- Frequency: Patients might be going to the toilet more or less often than usual.
- Consistency: The stool might be looser, harder, or drier than normal. A patient might also have difficulty emptying your bowels, or feel like you haven't fully emptied.
- Other symptoms: A patient might experience tummy discomfort, pain in your stomach or anus, or blood in your stool. They might also notice slime or mucus in your stool, or lose weight without trying.
Haemorrhoids
This is the most common cause of rectal bleeding in the adult population. It is often referred to as ‘piles’. It is usually caused by constipation and can be treated with dietary and lifestyle changes as well as over-the-counter medications from a pharmacist. It can be more common in pregnant women. Some patients may have complications from their piles and these should be seen by a GP so that we can do a thorough physical exam and assessment and refer into our surgical colleagues if required.
