There are numerous conditions and symptoms that can lead to rectal bleeding, ranging from mild and temporary to chronic or severe conditions. That said, most cases of rectal bleeding are easily treated and not serious. With that in mind, some common symptoms that cause rectal bleeding include the following: - Anemia: While anemia does not directly cause rectal bleeding, it is often associated with it, due to loss of blood. Anemia is a condition in which there is a hemoglobin deficiency in the blood, whereby the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to provide sufficient oxygen supply to the organs and tissues. When your body loses blood through rectal bleeding, it can lead to anemia. - Change in bowel habits: changes in the frequency of bowel movements can lead to rectal bleeding, while changes in the appearance of the stool (darker looking, tarry appearance) can indicate the presence of rectal bleeding. - Constipation: when an individual strains too hard during a bowel movement, typically due to constipation, rectal bleeding can occur as a result, as well as anal fissures and hemorrhoids. If your stool is very hard, it can sometimes cause the skin around the anus to tear, which can also cause rectal bleeding with constipation. - Diarrhea: diarrhea can lead to hemorrhoids or anal fissures, which are tears in the lining of the anus, which can result in rectal bleeding.