Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum and anus. They are much like varicose veins you might see on a person`s legs. When bulging hemorrhoidal veins are irritated, they cause surrounding membranes to swell, burn, itch, become very painful, and bleed. Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure in the rectum, forcing blood to stretch and bulge the walls of the veins, sometimes rupturing them. Listed below are the most frequent causes of hemorrhoids:
- Constant sitting
- Straining with bowel movements (from constipation or hard stools)
- Diarrhea
- Sitting on the toilet for a long time
- Severe coughing
- Childbirth
- Heavy Lifting
There are two kinds of hemorrhoids: internal and external (see diagram).
- Internal hemorrhoids usually don`t hurt or itch; you can`t feel them because they are deep inside the rectum. Internal hemorrhoids are pretty harmless. But since their bleeding could mask blood from a dangerous source like colorectal cancer, they should be treated.
- External hemorrhoids cause most of the symptoms we commonly hear about --- pain, burning, and itching. If an external hemorrhoid becomes strangulated (cut off from blood supply), a clot can form in it and become an excruciatingly painful thrombosed hemoroid. Because of these unpleasant symptoms, external hemorrhoids get the most treatment attention.
Once the rectal veins have been stretched out and hemorrhoids created, they are difficult to get rid of completely and tend to recur with less straining than it took to cause them in the first place. Fortunately, good habits and simple medical treatment usually control hemorrhoids well, and surgery is only recommended in unusually severe cases.
