Seeing blood in your urine or poop can be a frightening experience. "Blood in urine or in stool might not always indicate something serious, but it's important to see your doctor if you notice blood—or any changes in the color or consistency of urine or feces," says Vijay Halari, M.D., family medicine doctor at Ocean University Medical Center.

Dr. Halari provides some guidance on what blood in urine or blood in poop might mean.

Blood in Urine

Testing: If you see blood in your urine, it's important to see your doctor, who can help diagnose the cause of the bleeding. "Your doctor might order different tests to determine what is causing the bleeding, including a urinalysis and imaging studies such as an ultrasound," Dr. Halari says.

Possible Causes: Causes for blood in urine may include:

• Urinary tract infection
• Kidney stones
• Bladder or kidney cancer
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Prostate problems in men
• Injury to the kidneys, bladder or urinary tract
• Liver or gallbladder diseases
• Blood thinners affecting urine color and consistency

Treatment: Treating blood in urine depends on its cause. “For infections, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics. But for more serious diagnoses, such as bladder or kidney cancer, your doctor will work with you to create a multidisciplinary team and care plan that might involve imaging,surgery, chemotherapy or other medications," says Dr. Halari.

Blood in Feces

Testing: Similar to seeing blood in urine, it's important to talk to your doctor if you see blood in your stool. If you have heavy bleeding or are seeing blood in stool regularly, see a doctor right away. "Your doctor might use a physical exam and tests such as a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or fecal occult blood test to determine the cause of the bleeding," says Dr. Halari.

There is more concern if you notice black tarry stools. You need to either call your physician or undergo an evaluation in an urgent care or emergency room. This can be a sign of a gastrointestinal bleed. Please note, iron supplements and certain antacid medications can also give you black stools, so clarify that information with your physician. If you’re not on an iron supplement or over-the-counter medication discussed above, there may be an urgent need for colonoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy by a gastroenterologist or surgeon.

Possible Causes: Potential causes for blood in feces include: 

• Infections
• Intestinal inflammation
• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Ulcers
• Some types of cancer, such as colon cancer

Treatment: Treatments will vary depending on the cause of your symptoms. Certain conditions, like anal fissures, might go away on their own or be treated with topical ointments. Similarly, hemorrhoids can be resolved with topical ointments and lifestyle changes to avoid constipation—surgery is rarely needed to address them. If you have a more serious condition, such as cancer, your doctor will work with you to determine the best course of action and treatment plan. "In general with gastrointestinal issues that cause blood in stool, it's important to make lifestyle changes such as increasing fiber intake and exercising more regularly to improve digestive health," says Dr. Halari.

"Blood in either urine or feces could be a sign of something serious, including infection, disease or even cancer," Dr. Halari says. "So it's very important that you monitor what's going on with your body and talk to your doctor about any of these changes you might see."

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our source: Vijay Halari, M.D.
• To make an appointment with a primary care doctor near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.