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Our health is something that worries us all from time to time, but there's a certain symptom people have been encouraged to never ignore. Doctor Raj Arora, who's known for sharinghealth tips on ITV's This Morning urged people to be vigilant as it's something you should keep an eye on.

Dr Arora previously drew people's attention to theexpert advice in an Instagram video, where she explained just why it frightens her as a GP so much. In fact, she admitted it's the one symptom that "scares" her a lot, so she told people exactly what they need to watch out for and when it's important to visit a doctor.

It's not the only advice of its kind to be shared recently either. Previously, a cardiologist also admitted there are 10 heart disease signs that people should never dismiss.

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Dr Arora said: "This is the one symptom that scares me as a GP, but for good reason, so let's get into it. Now, as doctors, there are loads of red flag symptoms that we look out for.

"Every single day we see patients and we discuss their symptoms, we reassure them or we refer them. But this one symptom really does worry me, and it's because often it can be ignored.

"So, if you've got blood in your stool, or blood on wiping, it's really important you do not ignore this. Now, disclaimer, it's really important to put out there that, if you do have blood on wiping or blood in your stool, it could be for a non-serious reason.

"For example, it could be something like piles or haemorrhoids. It could be like a tear which is causing bleeding or constipation.

"So, all these things are normally treated easily by your GP but, it's important that if you do have the symptom, you don't ignore it, because blood in your stool can also be a symptom of inflammatory bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis and chron's, but also a sign of bowel cancer.

"We do know from research, and we do know from our studies, that now we are seeing bowel cancer rates rising in young people, and often symptoms are ignored. So, if you're seeing blood in your stool, on wiping or mixed in with your stool, you must get this checked out as soon as possible."

Dr Arora noted, when it's not a result of a serious condition, it's something that can often be treated quite easily. However, if it is something more complicated, it's not something you want to be missed.

This is why she urged everyone to get it checked if they experience the problem. It's vital to uncover what's causing it, so you can get the appropriate treatment.

Blood in stool, or rectal bleeding, is actually considered a common symptom. It usually indicates something like gastrointestinal issues, ranging from minor anal fissures and haemorrhoids. to more serious conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), infections or cancer.

Bright red blood often indicates lower digestive tract issues, while dark, sticky or maroon stool suggest upper digestive bleeding. It's vital you seek immediate medical attention if the bleeding is heavy, persistent, accompanied by blood clots or causes dizziness.

However, it's something you should always get checked out - no matter how little it appears or what colour it is. This is because there are so many reasons it can happen, so you need to get to the root of the problem.

For further advice, contact your GP. It's vital to speak to a doctor when you're concerned about your health in any way.

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