The condition of hemorrhoids might seem like a less common illness. But it can cause severe damage to any individual who contacts it. Would you want to know the types of hemorrhoids? Then you should read through this guide keenly as we would see what hemorrhoids are, and then the types.
What are hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are swollen, enlarged veithat form inside and outside of your anus and rectum. They can be painful and uncomfortable and cause rectal bleeding. Hemorrhoids are also called piles. We’re all born with hemorrhoids, but at baseline, they don’t bother us. It’s only when they become swollen and enlarged that they produce irritating symptoms.
Who might get hemorrhoids?
Anyone can get symptomatic hemorrhoids, even teenagers. (But because hemorrhoids take a while to develop, they’re uncommon in children.) You may be more at risk if you:
- Have overweight/obesity.
- Are pregnant.
- Eat a low-fiber diet.
- Have chronic constipation or diarrhea.
- Regularly lift heavy objects.
- Spend a lot of time sitting on the toilet.
- Strain while having bowel movements.
What are the types of hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids can happen inside or outside of your rectum. The type depends on where the swollen vein develops. Types include:
- External: Swollen veiform underneath the skin around your anus. Your anus is the canal where your poop comes out. External hemorrhoids can be itchy and painful. Occasionally, they bleed. Sometimes, they fill with blood that can clot. This isn’t dangerous but can result in pain and swelling.
- Internal: Swollen veiform inside your rectum. Your rectum is the part of your digestive system that connects your colon (large intestine) to your anus. Internal hemorrhoids may bleed, but they usually aren’t painful.
- Prolapsed: Both internal and external hemorrhoids can prolapse, meaning they stretch and bulge outside of your anus. These hemorrhoids may bleed or cause pain.
Symptoms
Sigand symptoms of hemorrhoids usually depend on the type of hemorrhoid.
External hemorrhoids
These are under the skin around your anus. Sigand symptoms might include:
- Itching or irritation in your anal region
- Pain or discomfort
- Swelling around your anus
- Bleeding
Internal hemorrhoids
Internal hemorrhoids lie inside the rectum. You usually can’t see or feel them, and they rarely cause discomfort. But straining or irritation when passing stool can cause:
- Painless bleeding during bowel movements. You might notice small amounts of bright red blood on your toilet tissue or in the toilet.
- Hemorrhoid push through the anal opening (prolapsed or protruding hemorrhoid), resulting in pain and irritation.
Thrombosed hemorrhoids
If blood pools in the external hemorrhoid and forms a clot (thrombus), it can result in:
- Severe pain
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- A hard lump near your anus
Causes of hemorrhoid
Although doctors do not fully understand why hemorrhoids appear, they may occur for the following reasons:
- Pregnancy: During pregnancy, tissues in the rectum become weaker, and hormones cause veito relax and swell. Hemorrhoids may occur in up to 35%Trusted Source of pregnant women.
- Aging: Hemorrhoids are most common among adults over the age of 50 years. However, young people and children can also get them.
- Diarrhea: Hemorrhoids can occur after cases of chronic diarrhea.
- Chronic constipation: Straining to move stool puts additional pressure on the walls of the blood vessels, which may result in hemorrhoids.
- Sitting for too long: Spending a long time in a seated position, especially on the toilet, can cause hemorrhoids.
- Diet: Eating low-fiber foods may contribute to hemorrhoids.
- Heavy lifting: Repeatedly lifting heavy objects can lead to hemorrhoids.
- Anal intercourse: This can cause new hemorrhoids or worsen existing ones.
- Weight: Research has linked being overweight to a higher chance of hemorrhoids. This may result from increased pressure within the abdomen.
- Genetics: Some people inherit a tendency to develop hemorrhoids.
How are hemorrhoids diagnosed?
A visual examination of your anus may be enough to diagnose hemorrhoids. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may do a different examination to check for any abnormalities within the anus.
This check is known as a digital rectal exam. During this exam, your doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into your rectum.
Depending on your risk factors for gastrointestinal disease, your doctor may order an additional test like an anoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.
Each of these tests involves your doctor using a small camera to diagnose any abnormalities in your anus, rectum, or colon.
An anoscopy examines the inside of your anus, a sigmoidoscopy examines the last 2 feet (50 centimeters) of your colon, and a colonoscopy explores the entire colon.
In these tests, a small fiber-optic camera fits into a small tube that’s inserted into your rectum. With this test, your doctor gets a clear view of the inside of your rectum so that they can examine hemorrhoids up close.
Complications
Complicatioof hemorrhoids are rare but include:
- Rarely, chronic blood loss from hemorrhoids may cause anemia, in which you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your cells.
- Strangulated hemorrhoid. If the blood supply to an internal hemorrhoid is cut off, hemorrhoid may be “strangulated,” which can cause extreme pain.
- Blood clot. Occasionally, a clot can form in hemorrhoid (thrombosed hemorrhoid). Although not dangerous, it can be extremely painful and sometimes needs to be lanced and drained.
How can I treat hemorrhoids at home?
Hemorrhoids often go away on their own without treatment. Symptoms like pain and bleeding may last one week or slightly longer. In the meantime, you can take these steps to ease symptoms:
- Apply over-the-counter medicatiocontaining lidocaine, witch hazel, or hydrocortisone to the affected area.
- Drink more water.
- Increase fiber intake through diet and supplements. Try to obtain at least 20 to 35 grams of daily fiber intake.
- Soak in a warm bath (sitz bath) for 10 to 20 minutes a day.
- Soften stool by taking laxatives.
- Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain and inflammation.
- Use toilet paper with lotion or flushable wet wipes to gently pat and clean your bottom after pooping. You can also use a tissue or washcloth moistened with water. (Discard wipes in the trash, not by flushing. Launder washcloths separately in hot water to avoid spreading infectiooften found in poop.)
How do healthcare providers treat hemorrhoids?
You should see your healthcare provider if symptoms get worse or interfere with your daily life or sleep. Also, seek help if sigdon’t improve after a week of at-home treatments. Your provider may treat hemorrhoids with:
- Rubber band ligation: A small rubber band placed around the base of the hemorrhoid cuts off blood supply to the vein.
- Electrocoagulation: An electric current stops blood flow to the hemorrhoid.
- Infrared coagulation: A small probe inserted into the rectum transmits heat to get rid of hemorrhoids.
- Sclerotherapy: A chemical injected into the swollen vein destroys hemorrhoid tissue.
Surgical treatments include:
- Hemorrhoidectomy: Surgery removes large external hemorrhoids or prolapsed internal ones.
- Hemorrhoid stapling: A stapling instrument removes the internal hemorrhoid. Or it pulls a prolapsed internal hemorrhoid back inside of your anus and holds it there.
Duration of Hemorrhoids
You can often treat hemorrhoids yourself at home, and symptoms should ease within a week. But if they don’t, or if you have rectal bleeding, you should see your doctor, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Bleeding from the rectum could possibly be a sign of digestive tract problems and bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or anal or colorectal cancer, so it’s important to treat it seriously, especially if you are over 40.
Prevention
The best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to keep your stools soft, so they pass easily. To prevent hemorrhoids and reduce symptoms of hemorrhoids, follow these tips:
- Eat high-fiber foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Doing so softethe stool and increases its bulk, which will help you avoid the straining that can cause hemorrhoids. Add fiber to your diet slowly to avoid problems with gas.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Drink six to eight glasses of water and other liquids (not alcohol) each day to help keep stools soft.
- Consider fiber supplements. Most people don’t get enough of the recommended amount of fiber — 20 to 30 grams a day — in their diet. Studies have shown that over-the-counter fiber supplements, such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel), improve overall symptoms and bleeding from hemorrhoids.
- If you use fiber supplements, be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water or other fluids every day. Otherwise, the supplements can cause or worsen constipation.
- Don’t strain. Straining and holding your breath when trying to pass a stool creates greater pressure in the veiin the lower rectum.
- Go as soon as you feel the urge. If you wait to pass a bowel movement and the urge goes away, your stool could dry out and be harder to pass.
- Stay active to help prevent constipation and to reduce pressure on veins, which can occur with long periods of standing or sitting. Exercise can also help you lose excess weight that might be contributing to your hemorrhoids.
- Avoid long periods of sitting. Sitting too long, particularly on the toilet, can increase the pressure on the veiin the anus.
Conclusion
To conclude, if you have hemorrhoids don’t be too embarrassed to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. If hemorrhoids cause pain or discomfort, your provider has treatments that can help. Additionally, Exercising, drinking plenty of water, and eating more fiber can all help relieve constipation and prevent hemorrhoids from forming in the future.