When to see a doctor

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Call 911 or emergency medical assistance

Seek emergency help if you have significant rectal bleeding and any signs of shock:

  • Rapid, shallow breathing
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness after standing up
  • Blurred vision
  • Fainting
  • Confusion
  • Nausea
  • Cold, clammy, pale skin
  • Low urine output

Seek immediate medical attention

Have someone drive you to an emergency room if rectal bleeding is:

  • Continuous or heavy
  • Accompanied by severe abdominal pain or cramping

Schedule a doctor's visit

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have rectal bleeding that lasts more than a day or two, or earlier if the bleeding worries you.

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Dec. 07, 2023

See also

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  2. Colon cancer
  3. Colon Cancer Family Registry
  4. Colon cancer screening: At what age can you stop?
  5. Colon cancer screening
  6. Colon polyps
  7. Colorectal Cancer
  8. Diverticulitis
  9. GI Stents
  10. Hemorrhoids
  11. Mayo Clinic Minute: What you need to know about polyps in your colon
  12. What is ulcerative colitis? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  13. Living with an ostomy
  14. Plague
  15. Proctitis
  16. Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome
  17. Symptom Checker
  18. Ulcerative colitis
  19. Ulcerative colitis flare-ups: 5 tips to manage them