If you experience any symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Diagnosing bowel cancer early saves lives, so don’t delay if you notice any worrying changes in your bowel habits. These are the signs in your stool that you should never ignore.
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A whopping 90 percent of all cases of bowel cancer affect people over 50 years old.
Diagnosing bowel cancer early gives you the best chance of overcoming the disease, so be aware of the warning signs to watch for.
What are the signs of bowel cancer when you go to the bathroom?
bleeding
If you bleed when you go to the bathroom, or there are traces of blood in your poop, it may be a warning sign.
While bleeding from your butt can be caused by a number of different, less serious causes, such as hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, you should get it checked out in case it’s a symptom of bowel cancer.
Red stool color can be caused by eating certain foods, such as beets or too much red food coloring in dyed foods.
In the case of bowel cancer, dark red or brown blood may come from your intestine or stomach.
Changes in your poop
If your poop changes in character over time, it’s worth seeing your doctor for further investigation.
This may mean having «looser» stools, which are loose stools and liquidor for some people pass stools that resemble hard nuggets.
If you use the Bristo stool tablel to check what ‘type’ your poop looks like, this can help explain it to a doctor without going into too many excruciating details.
It can feel awkward talking to your doctor about your toileting habits, which is why tools like the Bristol Stool Chart can help.
Talking about your poop can be embarrassing, but it could literally save your life.
Also, doctors deal with this kind of thing every day; they probably won’t even flinch and will continue to investigate the problems you have.
Needing the bathroom more or less often
Bowel cancer symptoms can include the need to empty the bowels more or less frequently.
Another symptom that people report is feeling that have not completely emptied their bowels after going to the bathroom.
Essentially, it is worth discussing with a doctor any change in your bathroom habits that bothers you and lasts three weeks or more.
Keeping a diary of your symptoms can help give your doctor a clear picture of what’s been going on and how long you’ve had symptoms.
Many other conditions can cause changes in your bowel movements, including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
However, it is crucial that your doctor investigates bowel cancer first, as it can be a devastating diagnosis if detected too late.