Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins in or around your anus and anal canal. They can be very uncomfortable and sometimes painful, causing itching, bleeding, and burning that peaks during a bowel movement.
Internal hemorrhoids are inside the anal canal. They’re often less painful than external hemorrhoids, but they can rupture and bleed if you pass hard, dry stools (constipation). Internal hemorrhoids might also descend from the anus, affecting blood circulation.
External hemorrhoids are on the anus. They’re usually more painful than the internal ones in your anal canal because your anus has more nerve endings. Blood clots sometimes form in external hemorrhoids, causing hard, painful lumps.
You should always seek medical advice if there’s blood in the toilet bowl or on the paper used for wiping after a bowel movement. Most often, the blood comes from hemorrhoids, but rectal bleeding is sometimes a sign of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis.
Hemorrhoids are most likely to develop if you strain too hard when passing stools. Frequent straining could happen if you have chronic or recurring constipation. Other hemorrhoid risk factors include:
Constipation usually develops if your diet lacks fiber, you don’t drink enough water, and/or you don’t get sufficient exercise.
Hemorrhoids heal without intervention if you quickly address their causes, for example, changing your diet to prevent constipation. However, having hemorrhoids weakens your anal veins, so you’re more likely to develop them again.
Medicated creams, pads, and suppositories (pills that go into your rectum) can ease itching and pain. If you have severe hemorrhoids or these treatments don’t solve the problem, Dr. Padda might recommend one of the following procedures:
Wrapping a rubber band around your hemorrhoids cuts off the blood supply. After a few days, the treated hemorrhoids should fall off.
Injecting an irritant (sclerosant) into hemorrhoids collapses the swollen veins. Blood reroutes along a different path, and the treated vein disappears over time.
Coagulation uses infrared, laser, or bipolar energy to heat the hemorrhoid and destroy it.
Thrombectomy involves cutting into and draining hemorrhoids.
Most patients can avoid surgery with these minimally invasive procedures.
Call the office for help with your painful hemorrhoids, or request an appointment online today.