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First, if you continue to experience blood in your stool, then consult your practitioner for a more complete diagnosis. If the blood in your stool is a brighter red, then it typically comes from the lower portion of your rectum. If it "drips into the bowl", it can be fissures --if it appears only on the toilet paper, then it may originate from hemorrhoids. If you had hard stools for several days and strained to get them out, then you may have caused a hemorrhoid or made an existing one worse. Itching and prickly pain tend to be more related to hemorrhoids than fissures. You might check to see if a hemorrhoid is visible or felt, after you defecate.
Topical salves or suppositories containing both astringent and soothing herbs such as yarrow, witch hazel, St. John's Wort, Marshmallow, Calendula etc. may help soothe some of your symptoms. Continue making healthy food choices for diverse high fiber foods and drinking plenty of filtered/purified water. This will enable your elimination to be more consistent. Dr. Karen Benton, ND
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