DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've been having painful bowel movements for about a month. I thought they were caused by hemorrhoids, which I've had on and off for years. But over-the-counter hemorrhoid medication ...

A bowel movement can be an effective way to gauge whether you're in good health. The foods you eat, the amount of exercise you get, and how much water you drink affect your digestive system and poop.

Each month, The Clinical Advisor makes one new clinical feature available ahead of print. Don’t forget to take the poll. The results will be published in the next month’s issue. Anal fissures result ...

Many conditions may cause pressure in your rectum, including constipation, diarrhea, anal fissure, and hemorrhoids. Serious ...

No need to crack under pressure. Each year, an estimated 250,000 Americans suffer a small tear or crack in the lining of their anal canal, which can lead to painful and bloody bowel movements. “They ...

Life's all fun and games until you get an anal fissure. I came to this conclusion after reading The New York Times today (and the Internet giggles it inspired). The paper of record spent 969 words ...

Having all three of these symptoms at once narrows down the possible causes to just a few possibilities. When you’re not feeling well, there’s often more than one thing that’s bothering you. Many ...

Blood in stools may appear bright red (haematochezia) or black and tarry (melena), indicating bleeding from different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Causes include fissures, haemorrhoids, ulcers ...

Mucus in the body is natural and a very important part of how the body works. Tissues produce mucus to line and protect the mouth, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, and gut. Most times, mucus is clear and ...

A digital rectal exam, which may be painful, may be needed if a definitive diagnosis of anal fissures cannot be made based on a patient’s history. 1 Anoscopy, which also may be painful, can be used to ...