Blood After Wiping: When Its A Cause For Concern
Seeing blood on toilet paper or in stool can be alarming, but common. In many cases, the causes of rectal bleeding are not life-threatening and can be easily treated. In other cases, however, rectal bleeding can be a sign of a serious problem.
Rectal bleeding or blood in stool is a common reason patients visit our doctors at Piedmont Colorectal Associates. Here, we explain the common causes of rectal bleeding and blood in stool, as well as when it is a cause for concern.
How Long Does Implantation Cramping Last
Implantation cramping should not be painful and should last only 1-3 days. It happens when the fertilized egg burrows itself into the lining of the uterus wall, and it is a very healthy and natural part of early pregnancy. If cramping continues for more than 3 days, then youre most likely experiencing PMS, however there are other causes for abdominal pain during the first trimester that range from normal to concerning .
When Should I Seek Medical Help
You should always mention any type of bleeding or spotting to your doctor at your next pregnancy appointment. If you want to get their opinion on whether theyd like to see you sooner, you can call them between appointments.
If you experience any of the following symptoms along with your bleeding or spotting, ask your doctor for an immediate appointment or head to the local emergency room if they cant fit you in:
- Severe, painful cramping.
- Bright red, heavy bleeding that soaks a pad.
- A rush of fluid in addition to blood.
- Severe nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
- Chills and high fever .
If you are experiencing heavy bleeding, use a sanitary pad to manage it until you can be seen by the doctor. If you do not have a pad on hand, you can stuff a baby diaper or washcloth in your underwear. Never use a tampon while pregnant.
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What Procedures And Tests Diagnose The Cause Of Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
The your doctor or another healthcare professional will take a medical history. You will be asked questions about any other medical issues and other general questions in regard to your health. This episode of vaginal bleeding, your last known normal menstrual cycle, any previous episodes of abnormal bleeding, if you may be pregnant, any previous pregnancies, and the outcome of those pregnancies, current sexual activity, birth control use, number of sexual partners, medications, over-the-counter , or illicit drugs that you taking, history of problems with clotting or bleeding disorders, and recent surgeries or gynecological procedures.
The doctor also will perform a complete physical examination, including a thorough pelvic exam. A pelvic exam includes a careful inspection of the external genitalia, urethra, and anal area. The vaginal walls and cervix or birth canal are inspected for any abnormalities or retained foreign objects. Sometimes a tampon or other object is left in the vagina, which can cause abnormal vaginal bleeding. While the doctor is examining the vagina and cervix, he may take cultures to test for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. The doctor may take cells from the cervix that will be examined for cancer. This is known as a Pap smear. It is also important for the doctor to place his or her hand into the vagina and sometimes the rectum to detect the shape of the uterus and ovaries as well as to feel for any masses.
Women Who Have A Long History Of Recurrent Utis Can Be Offered Prophylaxis: In This Case Antibiotics Are Used To Prevent Utis Rather Than Waiting For Them To Occur
Urinary hygiene advice is customarily offered to women who suffer from UTIs. Women are advised to wipe from front to back to urinate after intercourse to drink plenty of fluids and to make sure they void when they feel the urge. In truth, there is very little scientific evidence to suggest that these measures are effective, but these recommendations are still recommended as healthy low-risk practices.
At the Womans Health Pavilion, we offer urgent appointments to women with acute symptomsincluding UTI symptoms. If you currently think you have a UTI, you should call today for an appointment.
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How K Health Can Help
If youre worried about the color of your discharge, talk to a doctor. Did you know you can get affordable primary care with the K Health app? , explore conditions and treatments, and if needed text with a doctor in minutes. K Healths AI-powered app is HIPAA compliant and based on 20 years of clinical data.
What Is Spotting And When Is It Normal
The term spotting usually refers to light bleeding that occurs outside of your normal period. You might have spotting a week before your period, after sex, or even during ovulation. But how do you distinguish between spotting before your period and the menstrual bleeding itself? What are the most common spotting causes? Lets get into more detail.
Many people find their period inconvenient, or worse, and look forward to the day of the month when they stop bleeding. But have you ever noticed a little bit of blood when you werent expecting it?
Spotting is a common occurrence and usually nothing to worry about. In this article, well explain more about why it happens and when you might need to visit a health care provider. Most cases are harmless and require no medical intervention, but some cases will necessitate expert investigation and possible treatment.
Join Flo as we cover the most common reasons for spotting between periods.
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Is It Normal To Bleed In Early Pregnancy
Its common to have light bleeding or spotting without pain before 12 weeks. This isnt often serious, but you should contact your doctor, midwife or Early Pregnancy Unit immediately to be checked, just in case.
Bleeding in pregnancy after 12 weeks is not common. Contact A& E or your hospital maternity unit immediately so you can be checked.
Weight Changes And Extreme Dieting Screw Up Periods Too
Losing weight to the point of a very low body fat percentage will stop ovulation and periods. This is particularly a problem with women living with anorexia nervosa.
Research has also shown that binge eating is associated with changes in period flow.
Lest you think only very thin women with eating disorders have to worry about lighter or absent periods, it seems dieting can mess up periods for people of every size.
A 2016 study found that dieting behaviors are associated with menstrual disruption, regardless of body mass index and eating disorder diagnosis.
Consider skipping the diet and finding a nutrition professional who practices Health at Every Size .
If you think your light periods are due to not eating enough, let a doctor evaluate your overall health and contact a mental health professional to discuss eating disorders.
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Period Blood Color Meaning
Changes in your period blood color are normal. Different period blood colors can tell you anything from the age of the blood to how far into your period you are. While your overall health generally affects the length of your menstrual cycle and the duration of your period, here are some reasons why period blood may vary in color:
Hpv And Cervical Cancer
Intermenstrual bleeding can be a sign of more serious problems, such as cervical or endometrial cancer, and for this reason I would advise that if you are having intermenstrual bleeding, or any other new or worrying symptoms, see your doctor even if its only for a bit of reassurance.
Cervical cancer is very often caused by the human papilloma virus infection, which is a sexually transmitted virus. There are around 100 different types of the virus, some of which can cause genital warts, some of which can cause cervical cancer, and some of which dont do much at all. Lots of people, both men and women, have HPV at some point in their life and often the body gets rid of the virus, just like it fights off the common cold.
Having a high-risk strain of HPV for a period of time can increase the risk of the cells in the cervix becoming cancerous. The virus itself cant be treated, but its effects can genital warts can be treated in a number of ways, and pre-cancerous changes in the cervix can be picked up by a smear test and treated before they become cancer. Like all tests, its not fool-proof, and intermenstrual bleeding should still prompt a visit to the doctor, even if you have had regular, normal smear tests. 4
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It Might Just Be Your Age
Hormones fluctuate at the beginning and home stretches of our most fertile years, so spotting could mean your body is adjusting to menstruation or menopause.
If youre between 10 and 15 years old, you might still have irregular periods as your body adjusts to new hormones. That could look like:
- bleeding more than once per month
- bleeding some months, but not others
- a super heavy flow
- a spotty period
Most women stop having periods between 45 and 55 years old. Perimenopause, the years just before then, can include irregular periods with a side of hot flashes.
Body fat plays a crucial role in ovulation and menstruation. Your fat cells produce a hormone called leptin, and that hormone can affect your monthly cycle.
Too much body fat? You might have a spotty period because of leptin resistance.
Too little? Your body might be leptin deficient, which leads to amenorrhea missed or super light periods. Amenorrhea can also include these symptoms.
- thinning hair
- vaginal dryness
- nipple discharge
A low body fat percentage is common if youre athletic. While exercise is good, too much movement can lead to eating disorders, amenorrhea, osteoporosis, and fertility issues.
Here Are Some Of The Reasons You May Be Spotting:
Menstruation Ok, we said that spotting is different from your period, and it is, but at the start of your menses, you may find that you have some spotting. This is totally normal. We promise!
Ovulation A likely culprit of spotting, ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovaries to await fertilization. This process can cause spotting. Alternatively, spotting can happen due to an increase in estrogen that happens when the egg does not become fertilized.
Implantation Implantation bleeding is spotting that happens when the embryo implants into the uterus, and it can be hard to distinguish is it your period coming or are you pregnant? Well, it could be either. A good way to tell is to check for other signs of pregnancy, like nausea, fatigue, or sore breasts.
Abnormal pregnancy Miscarriages, premature labor, and ectopic pregnancies are all cause for concern. Spotting can be present with all of them so if you are concerned about it, check with your doctor right away.
Labor Another pregnancy-related cause of spotting is going into labor. This usually occurs around 37 weeks when your body passes the mucus plug.
Infections or diseaseSTIs, reproductive issues, and other infections like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease could all be causes of spotting. If the above causes dont seem to be the issue, check with your doctor. Most infections are treatable but can become even more serious if ignored.
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But What About A False Negative
While its rare to have a false positive pregnancy test, false negatives do happen, especially early on. At-home tests rely on the presence of a pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin .
Sometimes the hormone takes a couple of weeks to show up, which means a test could be inaccurate super early in the pregnancy.
I Am Confused Whether This Is Implantation Bleeding Or The Beginning Of My Period
You wouldnt be alone. In some cases, women have mistaken their implantation bleeding for a period, resulting in an inaccurate due date estimate.
In other cases, women have mistaken their spotting for implantation bleeding, only to get their period a day or so later. These mix-ups are common and since the evidence is not conclusive until you take an actual pregnancy test, theres no practical way to guarantee it.
Over the counter pregnancy tests detect the pregnancy hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin , which the placenta produces after the fertilized egg implants into the lining of the uterus. Implantation bleeding occurs before or at the time of the very first positive pregnancy hCG test reading, so if you arent sure yet, you will be soon. Youre just going to have a wait a couple extra days.
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Can Implantation Bleeding Be Heavy
Dr. Michael Dimattina, MD states that “heavy bleeding is rare, and if there is bleeding, it should be just a few spots.” He explains that most women don’t even experience it at all, and any blood associated with implantation is just gentle sloughing of the uterine lining when the embryo implants itself, so the flow is very light and should not fill up a whole pad or tampon.
What Are The Symptoms Of Uti
Most UTIs occur in the lower urinary tract, i.e., the bladder and the urethra. These UTIs are commonly called cystitis or urethritis. The most frequent symptoms of UTI are:
- Burning with urination
- Urinary frequency and urgency
- Pain in the lower abdomen
With some forms of UTI, blood may be seen after urinating and wiping. This may be just some pink staining when wiping after urination or you may see a toilet bowl that looks like its full of blood.
Women with upper UTIs occasionally have burning with urination, urgency, and frequency, but systemic symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting are more common. Women often have back or flank pain, high fever, and shaking chills. Women with upper tract infections feel truly ill.
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Blood When I Wipe After Urinating What Should I Do
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Can You Have Pink Discharge With A Yeast Infection
Yeast infections dont usually cause a pink discharge.
According to Dr. Trina Pagano on WebMD, a vaginal yeast infection usually causes a thick, creamy white vaginal discharge. Along with the thick white discharge, you might have swelling around the vaginal opening as well as itching and pain.5
Pink discharge along with a yeast infection is usually caused by one of the reasons mentioned in this article.
If you suffer from a yeast infection , there are many natural ways to get rid of a yeast infection. For example, coconut oil is a natural remedy for candida because it contains antimicrobial properties that can help to kill off candida pathogens. Other natural treatments for candidiasis include apple cider vinegar and applying natural yogurt to your vagina.
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