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Hemorrhoids (haemorrhoids), also known as piles, are swollen veins around your anus and rectum. This happens when there is too much pressure in the veins. Learn more about how to keep away from those annoying and embarrassing hemorrhoids!
In the anal canal, there are clusters of small blood vessels and connective tissues that act as cushions. When they become inflamed and swollen, they are called hemorrhoids or piles, which can be located around the anus (external hemorrhoids) or in the upper part of the anal canal (internal hemorrhoids). When blood clots form inside the veins, it is called thrombosed hemorrhoids, which cause severe pain. Hemorrhoids are not life-threatening and usually go away on their own, though they can be itchy, painful and even prolapsed.
Hemorrhoids symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the type of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are classified into 2 categories by their location, namely external hemorrhoids located around the anus and internal hemorrhoids located in the upper part of the anal canal. Generally, the most common complaint signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids include:
Signs and Symptoms of External hemorrhoids:
Signs and Symptoms of Internal hemorrhoids:
Although hemorrhoids can cause rectal bleeding or blood in stool, it is suggested to seek medical advice whenever it happens because bleeding can be caused by other serious conditions other than hemorrhoids, such as inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.
Hemorrhoids are resulted from too much pressure on the veins around your anus, causing them to swell. Causes of hemorrhoids can be due to the following reasons:
Hemorrhoids are not serious and generally go away without treatment, though some complications can rarely happen, including:
In general, hemorrhoids can be diagnosed by medical history and a simple physical examination, especially external hemorrhoids. To confirm the diagnosis, tests performed by physicians may include:
Mild hemorrhoids typically go away on their own without treatment within a week, still, you can relieve symptoms through at-home care. If your home treatment does not work effectively, you may need to find a doctor for tests, and possibly surgical procedures.
If your hemorrhoids can't be managed with at-home care because of persistent symptoms of prolapsed hemorrhoids, procedures may be needed. Your doctor would first consider the need for colonoscopy to rule out other causes of per-rectal bleeding. To relieve the symptoms, some minimally invasive procedures, which can be done in a doctor's office or outpatient setting, are less painful, effective and do not require anesthesia. These include:
If you have failed conservative therapy or have large protruding hemorrhoids, surgery may be needed, which includes:
Anyone can get hemorrhoids, but the risk can be lowered by the following approaches:
Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure on the veins around your anus, causing them to swell. It commonly results from prolonged sitting in the toilet, straining during bowel movements, a low-fiber diet and pregnancy.
Yes, hemorrhoids are mainly treated at home, such as using hemorrhoids cream, sitz bath and consuming high-fiber foods. Though hemorrhoids can go away without treatment, surgical procedures might be needed for more severe cases.
Most hemorrhoids can go away completely, though some may be recurrent and persistent. If your hemorrhoids do not improve within a week, it is recommended to have a check-up.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Kam Ming Ho Philip 甘明豪醫生. Dr. Kam is a specialist in general surgery in Hong Kong who is currently practicing at the Edinburgh Orthopaedic Spine And Surgery Centre.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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