I Was Bleeding While Going to the Bathroom - What Could it Mean?

Published: April 19, 2017
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Is this a website where I can ask questions about my own health? If so, I experienced some bleeding earlier today while using the bathroom. I have not experienced this before and am not currently on any kind of medication. I am wondering if this bleeding will likely go away or if I should see a doctor.
Signed: I Was Bleeding While Going to the Bathroom - What Could it Mean?

Dear I Was Bleeding While Going to the Bathroom - What Could it Mean?,

TeenHealthFX is a website where you can anonymously submit any health-related question that you might have. We will always do our best to help you with the information you are looking for, and to provide any resources or referrals that might be helpful to you.

There are several different possibilities for the bleeding. You did not state your age and gender, or specify where the blood seemed to be coming from, but if you are a pre-teen or teen girl it is possible that the bleeding was due to menstruation. Most girls get their first period anywhere between the ages of 9 and 15. So if you are a girl within this age range who has never had a period before, it is possible this bleeding was the start of menstruation for you. If you think this could have been the start of your period, TeenHealthFX recommends that you speak to your mom (or even your school nurse) so you can verify that you have gotten your period and so you can get some guidance about how to take care of your period.  

If the blood was coming from your rectum, common causes (whether you are male or female) might include an anal fissure (tear in the skin of the anus), chronic constipation, hard stools, diarrhea, or hemorrhoids. Rectal bleeding experienced by teens and young adults is often due to one of these issues and is generally not a serious medical concern.

As for when to see the doctor, if you are experiencing rectal bleeding that is continuous or heavy, that goes along with severe abdominal pain or cramping, or where you are experiencing anal pain, you should go to an urgent care center or your local emergency room right away. If you have rectal bleeding that lasts more than a day or two, or the bleeding is worrying you for whatever reason, then schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or an adolescent medicine specialist.

If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist or contact your local teen health center or Planned Parenthood. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

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