Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in your lower rectum. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless, but tend to bleed. External hemorrhoids may cause pain. Hemorrhoids (HEM-uh-roids), also called piles, are swollen veins in your anus and lower rectum, similar to varicose veins.
While you can pop hemorrhoids to free blood from the swollen veins, doctors don't recommend it.
When a vein within an external hemorrhoid gets irritated, blood may clot under the skin, forming a hard, bluish lump. This is known as a thrombosed, or clotted, hemorrhoid. Thrombosed hemorrhoids can be very painful.
Hemorrhoids are normal “cushions” of tissue filled with blood vessels, found at the end of the rectum, just inside the anus. Together with a circular muscle called the anal sphincter, they help to control bowel movements.
Internal hemorrhoids may cause bright red blood in the toilet bowl, a feeling of fullness or discomfort, or mucus discharge. They also can protrude, or pop out, with a bowel movement; usually, they return to the inside by themselves.
If the hemorrhoid bursts, an emergency care must be sought. The serious complication that's caused by excess blood loss are dizziness, faintness or even hypotension/shock. However, per rectal bleeding can also be a particular sign of other disease conditions, such as colorectal and anal canal cancer.
External hemorrhoids can be described as any of the following: Soft lumps that appear in bunches around the anus. A hard, red lump protruding from the outside of the anal area. Mucus-covered bumps.
Both internal and external hemorrhoids can cause leakage of feces and anal mucus. Hemorrhoids can also make cleaning the anus after a bowel movement more difficult. Due to this, both types of hemorrhoid may produce a bad smell.
While anal mucus discharge can be a symptom of a relatively minor condition, such as hemorrhoids, it can also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer.
They can be painful or itchy and may bleed. Hemorrhoids can be external or internal. External hemorrhoids form under the skin around the anus and can easily be felt with your fingers. Internal hemorrhoids form in the lining of the anus or lower rectum, and you can't feel them unless they form outside the anal opening.
In general, small hemorrhoids can go away on their own in a few days. Larger hemorrhoids, particularly ones that cause a lot of pain, swelling, and itchiness, can't go away on their own and may require treatment from a doctor to heal. Pregnant patients may find that hemorrhoids only go away after they give birth.
If your hemorrhoid protrudes from the anal canal, try gently pushing it back inside. A hemorrhoid left hanging out of the anus is at a greater risk of developing clots or strangulating.
Hemorrhoids can develop inside the rectum (internal hemorrhoids) or under the skin around the anus (external hemorrhoids).
Unfortunately, for those wondering how long hemorrhoids last, there is no set timeline for when they clear up. Most of the time, symptoms go away after a few days, even without treatment. However, if symptoms do not improve after a week of home care, you should speak with your doctor.
If you experience any of these hemorrhoid symptoms, avoid excess straining, rubbing, or cleaning around the anus, which can make irritation and itching worse, and can even lead to bleeding. In addition, try to pat the area dry instead of wiping it.
Keep the anus and hemorrhoids as dry as possible, using talcum powder and a pad of soft tissue to absorb moisture. Medicated pads containing witch hazel (Tucks) can also be used. Eat a diet high in fiber (bran) and roughage.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids often stretch down until they swell outside the anus. It may shrink back inside the rectum on its own, or you can gently push it back inside.
If you notice a bulge, you may have a prolapsed hemorrhoid.
If it can't easily be pushed back in, or it causes pain or bleeding, early hemorrhoid treatment from a doctor is important.
In simple terms, piles are swollen veins in the bum. They may be inside the anus or stick out externally and can be as small as a raisin (bet you'll never look at one of those the same way again after reading this…) or as big as a grape.
Avoid a sedentary lifestyle — don't remain seated for long periods: Inactivity puts more pressure on the blood vessels around the anal area, especially if you are overweight. Avoid lifting heavy objects: This can put extra pressure on the clots in external hemorrhoids.
There is a chance of inflammations and for symptoms to occur again if a hemorrhoid is left untreated for a long time or treated improperly. If inflammation exists, hemorrhoids will be swollen and enlarged.
In most cases, conservative treatment helps clear up a ruptured hemorrhoid in a few days. However, internal hemorrhoids can become a chronic condition for some people.