If you notice blood in the toilet bowl or on your toilet paper after a bowel movement, you’re likely to be concerned. There are many reasons your stool could contain blood, and while most causes are ...

Blood in the stool is often caused by hemorrhoids, but it can also be a sign of more serious conditions like cancer. Contact a healthcare provider if you find blood in your stool, as it is not normal.

Roshini Raj, MD, is Health's former magazine's medical editor and coauthor of What the Yuck?!. Board-certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine, Dr. Raj is a Clinical Associate Professor of ...