Hemorrhoids: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment

Study in Detail about Hemorrhoids

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are caused by enlarged veins around the anus, which are frequently brought on by constipation or straining during a bowel movement. Hemorrhoids of a certain kind may cause severe pain.

Hemorrhoids, often known as piles, are a common condition. Pain, itching in the anus, and bleeding in the rectal area can all be caused by these enlarged veins inside your rectum or outside of it. While at-home remedies frequently result in improved symptoms, occasionally patients require medical procedures. Consuming extra fiber can help avoid hemorrhoids.

We all have hemorrhoids at birth, but they don't bother us. They don't start to cause bothersome symptoms until they expand and swell. In both men and women, they are quite prevalent. By the age of 50, around half of the population will develop hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids are common in pregnant and postpartum women. The blood vessels in your pelvic region are under extra pressure from the weight of having a baby inside of you. Additional pressure is placed on these blood vessels during childbirth as a result of straining to push the baby out.

Types of Hemorrhoids

There are several types of hemorrhoids that you may have heard about:

Internal Hemorrhoids

Usually, you can't see or feel them since they are located so far into your rectum. Because you have few pain-sensing nerves there, they usually don't hurt.

External Hemorrhoids

These are found beneath the skin near your anus, an area rich in additional pain-sensing neurons.

Prolapsed Hemorrhoids

These arise when an internal hemorrhage extends to the point where it protrudes outside your anal aperture. Usually, they return on their own to within your body. They can frequently be gently pushed back into place even if they don't.

Thrombosed Hemorrhoids

An external hemorrhoid may become blue or purple due to a blood clot. This is referred to as a thrombosed hemorrhoid or thrombosis.

Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids are normally painless and undetectable till they prolapse. Because internal hemorrhoids don't hurt, a lot of individuals aren't even aware that they have them.

Internal hemorrhoid may result in:

Skin protruding from the anus during bowel movements, and blood on the tissue following a stool movement
External hemorrhoids can cause the following symptoms:
Itchy anus.
Hard, sensitive, uncomfortable bumps close to your anus.
Anus pain or soreness, particularly while sitting.
Bleeding in the rectal area.

Most of the time, hemorrhoids are painless. On the other hand, external hemorrhoids can occasionally result in a blood clot on the skin. This type of hemorrhoid is called thrombosed. Hemorrhoids inside the body can also prolapse. In other words, they won't retreat into the anus. Hemorrhoids that have prolapsed or thrombosed can be quite painful and uncomfortable. Gently press them back within your anus if you feel them protruding outside of it.

Hemorrhoids are not life-threatening, even though they can be quite unpleasant. They also frequently go away without treatment.

Consult your physician if you experience bleeding or dark stools at any point. Bleeding can be caused by factors other than hemorrhoids and should be investigated.

What Causes Hemorrhoids?

Straining exerts pressure on the veins in your rectum or anus, which is the cause of hemorrhoids.

Anal and rectal veins can swell and become inflamed with any type of straining that puts more pressure on your lower limbs or abdomen.

Study in Detail about Hemorrhoids

Although medical professionals do not know the specific etiology of hemorrhoids, the following conditions may contribute to their development:

Aging: Adults 45 to 65 years of age are more likely to get hemorrhoids. But kids and young adults can also get them.
Chronic Diarrhea
Hemorrhoids may arise from prolonged sitting, particularly while using the restroom.
Chronic Constipation: Straining to evacuate a stool adds pressure to the blood vessel walls, which can lead to hemorrhoids.
Pregnancy: The growing fetus and uterus press against the pelvis during pregnancy due to their increased weight. It has been reported that up to 35% of pregnant women may get hemorrhoids.
Poor Diet: Hemorrhoids can also result from eating a diet poor in fiber.
Heavy lifting: Frequent lifting of big objects might cause hemorrhoids.
Anal intercourse: This might cause new hemorrhoids or make pre-existing ones worse.
Overweight: Being overweight raises the likelihood of having hemorrhoids.

How are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed?

Hemorrhoids are diagnosed by a medical professional based on a physical examination and symptoms. You could additionally have:

Rectal digital exam: To check for enlarged veins, your healthcare professional will stick a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum.
Anoscopy: Your doctor views the lining of your rectum and anus using an anoscope, which is a lit tube.
Sigmoidoscopy: Your doctor looks into the lower (sigmoid) portion of your colon and rectum using a sigmoidoscope, which is a lit tube with a camera. There are two types of procedures: rigid sigmoidoscopy (proctoscopy) and flexible sigmoidoscopy. Although they may cause discomfort, these exams are not unpleasant. They usually happen without anesthetic at an outpatient facility or doctor's office. Same day, you head back home. To confirm results from earlier tests or look for indications of colon cancer, your doctor could do a colonoscopy. Anesthesia is required for this outpatient surgery.

Treatment of Hemorrhoids

Home Remedies

With home remedies, hemorrhoids' mild pain, swelling, and irritation are frequently relieved.

Consume meals high in fiber. Increase your intake of high-fiber foods. This will help you prevent straining by softening and bulking up the feces. Gradually include more fiber into your diet to prevent gas issues.
Apply topical remedies. Apply a hydrocortisone-containing hemorrhoid cream or suppository that is available over the counter. You can also use numbing medication or witch hazel-containing pads.
Regularly soak in a sitz bath or heated bath. Twice or thrice a day, soak your anal region in lukewarm water for ten to fifteen minutes. Over the toilet, a sitz bath may be used.
Orally take painkillers. For short-term pain relief, you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.), aspirin, or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc.).

The symptoms of hemorrhoids usually go away in a week with these remedies. If you don't feel better, schedule an appointment with your doctor within a week. Make quick contact with your healthcare provider if you have significant pain or bleeding.

Hemorrhoids Medications

It's possible that your hemorrhoids merely cause minor discomfort. In this situation, your physician could recommend over-the-counter lotions, ointments, suppositories, or pads. These medications have chemicals like hydrocortisone, lidocaine, or witch hazel that can reduce pain and itching momentarily.

A steroid called hydrocortisone can cause skin thinning if used for longer than a week. Find out from your doctor how long you should use it.

Fiber Supplements

You may also use an over-the-counter fiber supplement to assist soften your stool if you're constipated. Psyllium and methylcellulose are two popular examples of this kind of supplementation.

Medical procedures

Rubber Band Ligation

Your physician may advise a rubber band ligation if at-home remedies aren't working for your hemorrhoids. During this technique, a rubber band is wrapped around the hemorrhoid to shut off circulation.

The hemorrhoid is forced to shrink as a result of the lack of circulation. Only a medical specialist should carry out this treatment. Avoid doing this on your own.

Banding hemorrhage can be painful and result in bleeding. Although it is rarely severe, the bleeding may start two to four days following the treatment. More serious issues can occasionally arise.

Sclerotherapy

Your doctor may use injectable treatment, also known as sclerotherapy, if rubber band ligation is not a possibility for you. Your doctor will immediately inject a drug into the blood artery during this treatment. As a result, the hemorrhoid gets smaller in size.

Coagulation

Coagulation methods make use of heat, laser light, or infrared light. They induce tiny internal hemorrhoids that are bleeding to shrink and stiffen. Coagulation often produces little pain and has few negative effects.

Hemorrhoidectomy (Hemorrhoids Removal)

Your surgeon uses one of many ways to remove excess tissue that is causing bleeding.

For severe or recurrent hemorrhoids, a hemorrhoidectomy is the most comprehensive and successful treatment option. Urinary tract infections can result from complications such as temporary difficulty urinating. This issue often arises following spinal anesthesia.

Hemorrhoid Stapling

This technique called stapled hemorrhoidopexy, restricts blood flow to hemorrhoidal tissue. Usually, it is limited to internal hemorrhoids.

In general, staples cause less discomfort than hemorrhoidectomy and allow you to resume routine activities more quickly. However, stapling has been linked to a higher incidence of rectal prolapse and recurrent hemorrhoids than hemorrhoidectomy.

Complications of Hemorrhoids

Although hemorrhoids can be irritating and painful, they seldom cause major complications. For example,

Iron deficiency anemia caused by blood loss.
Blood clots in external hemorrhoids.
Infection.
Skin tags are flaps of tissue that protrude from the skin.
Hemorrhoids are strangulated when blood supply to a prolapsed internal hemorrhoid is stopped by muscles in the anus.

Prevention of Hemorrhoids

Try these actions to stop flare-ups of hemorrhoids:

Consume fiber. It facilitates food's easier passage through your system. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes are rich sources of it in plant-based diets. 20–35 grams of fiber should be your daily goal.
Make use of fiber supplements. If you're not getting enough fiber from your diet, you may soften your stool using over-the-counter pills. Apply a tiny quantity at first, then gradually increase it.
Stay hydrated. It will lessen your effort during bowel motions by assisting you in avoiding constipation and hard stools. Vegetables and fruits contain water as well.
Exercise. Walking for 30 minutes a day is a good way to stay active and maintain a healthy digestive system.
Go right away. As soon as you have the desire, use the restroom.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Improve your habits when using the restroom. Consider planning a period to spend some time in the bathroom, maybe after dinner.
When having a bowel movement, try not to strain and try not to spend too much time on the toilet. As a result, your veins will experience increased pressure. It's easier for some people to defecate when they're sitting on the toilet with their feet up on a step stool.

FAQs About Hemorrhoids

What not to do when you have hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins in the anal canal or surrounding area. Avoid picking at hemorrhoids, lifting heavy things, stress and anxiety, greasy and low-fiber diets, and overusing laxatives if you have hemorrhoids.

Is it okay to live with piles?

Dealing with the discomfort and itching can be annoying, and it can be difficult to carry out your regular tasks. However, normal life may coexist with hemorrhoids. We are aware that many people are reluctant to get treatment for their piles out of concern that it may interfere with their way of life.

Should I remove my hemorrhoids?

Swollen veins around the anus are known as hemorrhoids. They might be either external hemorrhoids or internal hemorrhoids, which are located outside the anus. Hemorrhoids usually don't create any issues. Surgery can be used to remove hemorrhoids, though, if they bleed profusely, hurt, or become huge, hard, and uncomfortable.

Is hemorrhoid surgery painful?

Hemorrhoidectomy surgery can be unpleasant and painful, while other techniques to remove less severe hemorrhoids may be painless. Hemorrhoids, often known as piles, are engorged veins found at the anus or in the lower rectum. Excessive straining, generally during feces, results in hemorrhoids.

What is the meaning of hemorrhoids in Urdu?

The meaning of hemorrhoids in Urdu is بواسیر/Bawaseer. Piles is another term used for hemorrhoids.

Study in Detail about Hemorrhoids- Medical & Health