The term rectal bleeding is used by doctors to mean any blood that is passed out of your bottom when you go to the toilet to pass stools (faeces). However, not all bleeding that is passed out actually comes from the back passage (rectum). The blood can come from anywhere in the gut. The more correct term is gastrointestinal tract bleeding, often abbreviated to GI bleeding. There are many causes of rectal bleeding (GI bleeding) which are discussed later.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/digestive-health/rectal-bleeding-blood-in-faeces