Hemorrhoids Info and Treatment

Hemroids refer to the swelling of the veins around the anus or lower rectum which can sometimes lead to the malformation of the anal veins. The swelling happens when there is an intense pressure on the pelvic area, particularly when forcing bowel excretion, during recurring diarrhea of constipation or other factors such as being overweight, pregnant, having seated for a prolonged period of time or even anal intercourse.

Hemroids are a usual occurrence during pregnancy due to the extreme pressure to the veins caused by the enlarged uterus. This increased pressure forces the deterioration of the tissues surrounding the veins of the anal canal. This, in turn, leads to the enlargement of these tissues into the anal canal or under the anal skin in order to continuously support the veins in place. Statistically, almost 50 per cent of the country’s population has had hemroids by the time they reach 50.

Hemroid symptoms usually take a while before they get noticeable. Not only because of the difficulty to reach the affected part, but mostly because people do not usually pay attention to their rectal parts. For information, the most common symptoms of hemroids are bleeding during bowel movements, pain in the rectum and itching.

For the two kinds of hemroids, symptoms may vary. Rectal pain is more intense for external hemroids. Also, blood is formed under the rectal skin which causes the formation of painful lumps or bulges. This can be confirmed when there is blood on the tissue used to wipe the anus. External hemroids are also called thrombosed or clotted hemroids.

Meanwhile, internal hemroids have symptoms like severe rectal bleeding, wherein blood may not only be found on the stool, but also in the tissue paper or on the surface of the toilet bowl. Itching and skin irritation are also common symptoms of internal hemroids. These happen because internal hemroids usually force the leakage of mucus which can irritate the anal skin and cause itching and skin irritation.

Further, discomfort is also an internal hemroid symptom. Greater discomfort is caused by a larger hemroid. Discomfort can be felt when there is a need to pass stool again even right after a previous one. This is caused by the swelling of the part at the end of the large intestine.

Unlike in external hemroids, pain may not be present in internal hemroids. However, when a hemroid has reached a very large size, it may bulge in the anus and will become unbearably painful. This is so because the muscles that control the anus squeeze the hemroids that may lead to the strangulation of the hemroids. When this has become the case, the patient will need to go to the hospital immediately and seek emergency treatment from a doctor.

As a word of caution, these hemroid symptoms are not independent from other medical conditions. They may also be linked to other cases such as colon, rectal or anal cancer. Because of this, these symptoms should immediately be consulted with a medical professional in order to receive the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.