Hemorrhoids

The presence of hemorrhoids can be embarrassing for many people. Yet, it’s estimated that most people will experience the condition at some point in their life. In fact, roughly half of all people over the age of 50 report that they had hemorrhoids at some point in their life.

Hemorrhoids are small veins that are in and near the anus. When the vein walls weaken and burst, you may see blood during and after bowel movements. In most cases, you may just feel some mild discomfort and the blood will eventually clot and the bleeding will stop on its own. Over the counter medications may relieve some of the itching and discomfort.

In cases where the hemorrhoids are more serious, you may find difficulty sitting for long periods of time and enjoying your normal daily routine.

There are two basic types of hemorrhoids: internal and external. You may not even know you have internal hemorrhoids, as they can exist for some time with no symptoms. However, they can also become painful and cause bleeding during bowel movements. External hemorrhoids are virtually the same, except that they can be found on the exterior of the anal cavity. In contrast to internal hemorrhoids, external ones will cause a swelling around the anus, there may be a bump that protrudes and you may experience noticeable pain and itching. If there is severe pain, it could mean that a blood clot has formed in a condition known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid.

Several factors including circulatory and colon health issues cause hemorrhoids. Other causes can be genetics, obesity, excessive exercise, anal intercourse, driving for long periods of time, impaired colon function and straining too hard when having a bowel movement.

There can be several signs that you have hemorrhoids, including the presence of blood in your stool. If there is pain in the anal area you will want to perform a basic self-examination to look for any bumps or a protrusion. If there is one, or if the bleeding is sizable or doesn’t stop, you should make an appointment with your doctor at Celebration Colorectal to seek treatment for your hemorrhoids or ask about hemorrhoid surgery options.