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Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids

Alternative Names

Hemorrhoids, Piles

What is Hemorrhoids

A Hemorrhoid is a painful condition characterizing by swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. Hemorrhoids can be inside the anus or under the skin around the anus. They often occur as a result from straining to have a bowel movement. Hemorrhoids are prevalent among both men and women by age 50.

There are 2 types of this condition:

Internal hemorrhoids occur inside the anus or lower rectum, beneath the anal or rectal lining. They usually are not harmful, but they may bleed painlessly.
External hemorrhoids appear outside the anal opening.

Signs and symptoms

The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids may include the followings:

Bleeding during bowel movements. You might see streaks of bright red blood on toilet paper after you strain to have a bowel movement.
Itching
Rectal pain. It may be painful to clean the anal area

Possible complications

Hemorrhoids very rare cause any serious complications, the possible of them can be the followings:

Anemia. Chronic blood loss from hemorrhoids may cause anemia in which you do not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your cells resulting in fatigue and weakness.
Strangulated hemorrhoid. If blood supply to an internal hemorrhoid is cut off, the hemorrhoid may be "strangulated," which can cause extreme pain and lead to tissue death (gangrene).

What causes

Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure on the veins in the pelvic and rectal area.

Tissue inside the anus typically fills with blood to control bowel movements. If you strain to move stool, the increased pressure makes the veins in this tissue to swell and stretch. It can lead to hemorrhoids.

The increased pressure on veins in the anal canal can also be caused by diarrhea or constipation.

In some cases, pregnant women are more likely to get hemorrhoids during the last 6 months of pregnancy due to increased pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvic area. Straining to push the baby out during delivery can worsen hemorrhoids.

Prevention

No effective way to prevent hemorrhoids exists. You may use a high-fibre diet to keep your stools (faeces) soft. It also reduces your risk of having constipation when you are unable to empty your bowels. It is obligatory to empty your bowels when you need to. If you delay passing your stool, it could become harder and drier. It can lead to increase of pressure building up in the blood vessels in your anus (the opening at the end of the digestive system where solid waste leaves the body) and rectum (the storage area that holds the stools).

Treatment

You can treat your hemorrhoids at home. You only should add fiber to your meals, consume more water and use certain ointments for a limited time to stop itching. Stool softeners are also can be used.

If you have severe internal hemorrhoids, your doctor may tie off the hemorrhoids with rubber bands or scar the tissue around the hemorrhoids. These treatments decrease the blood supply to the hemorrhoids so that they shrink or disappear.