Hemorrhoids are painful, unsightly, and embarrassing. And they’re also very common. In fact, up to half of all people will have hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. And if you have them now, you’re not alone. Hemorrhoids are more common than you might think. But they can be treated with a combination of exercises and home remedies. This article will help you understand what hemorrhoids are and how they work. You’ll also learn about the types of hemorrhoids, their symptoms, and how to treat them.
What Are Hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anal area. There are two types of hemorrhoids: internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids have a narrow opening that connects to the rectum. These veins get swollen when there’s too much pressure or irritation in the anal area. External hemorrhoids have a wide opening that connects to the outside of the anus (the skin). They get swollen when there’s too much pressure or irritation around where they connect to your skin (the skin tags).
Internal hemorrhoids can cause pain, itching, bleeding, burning, swelling, and inflammation in your anus or on the skin around it. Internal hemorrhoids are caused by straining during bowel movements, coughing, defecating too quickly, or having anal sex. External hemorrhoids cause pain and irritation around where they connect to your skin.
What Causes Hemorrhoids?
Your body naturally makes certain proteins that help keep your veins open. If the pressure around these veins increases and there’s not enough of these proteins in your system, they can get swollen and inflamed. This is how internal hemorrhoids form. When you have an external hemorrhoid (the type that connects to the skin), it happens when the pressure around it increases without enough of these proteins being made in your body. This is why external hemorrhoids can be caused by childbirth or heavy lifting, as well as bowel movements and other things that cause pressure in the area where the vein connects to the skin (the anus).
Are There Different Types of Hemorrhoids?
Yes! There are two different types of hemorrhoids: internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids are a type of internal vein that connects to the rectum. They can get swollen if there’s too much pressure or irritation in your rectum. External hemorrhoids are a type of vein that connects to the skin and usually happen when you have too much pressure around where they connect to your skin (the anus).
Internal Hemorrhoids:
There are two types of internal hemorrhoids:
Thrombosed Hemorrhoid: These veins get swollen because they have an opening at one end that connects to the rectum. These veins need to be treated with surgery since there’s no way to treat them without removing part of your colon (or the whole thing). This kind of hemorrhoid is very painful and often causes bleeding. You can learn more about thrombosed hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.
Fistula-In-Ano Hemorrhoids: These veins get swollen because they have an opening at both ends. They connect to the skin at both ends and are very painful. The only way to treat them is with surgery that removes part of your colon. These kinds of hemorrhoids are very common, but they’re often mistaken for something else, such as a fissure (a small opening on the anus). You can learn more about fistula-in-ano hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.
External Hemorrhoids:
There are two types of external hemorrhoids:
Thrombosed Hemorrhoid: These veins get swollen because they have an opening at one end that connects to the skin. These veins need to be treated with surgery since there’s no way to treat them without removing part of your colon (or the whole thing). This kind of hemorrhoid is very painful and often causes bleeding. You can learn more about thrombosed hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.
Fistula-In-Ano Hemorrhoids: These veins get swollen because they have an opening at both ends. They connect to the skin at both ends and are very painful. The only way to treat them is with surgery that removes part of your colon. These kinds of hemorrhoids are very common, but they’re often mistaken for something else, such as a fissure (a small opening on the anus). You can learn more about fistula-in-ano hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.
Hemorrhoid Surgery:
If you have internal hemorrhoids, then you need to get them treated surgically because there’s no other way to treat them without removing part of your colon (or the whole thing). Your doctor will be able to tell whether you have internal or external hemorrhoids and what kind they are before deciding if surgery is necessary. If you do need surgery for internal hemorrhoids, you’ll probably need to have part of your colon removed.
If you do need surgery for external hemorrhoids, you may be able to keep part of your colon (or the whole thing) in place. This is called an excisional hemorrhoidectomy. Your doctor will be able to tell whether you have internal or external hemorrhoids and what kind they are before deciding if an excisional hemorrhoidectomy is necessary. If your doctor decides that an excisional hemorrhoidectomy is necessary, then the type of surgery depends on where your external hemorrhoids are located and what size they are. You may need a procedure called a Milligan-Morgan stapling technique to get rid of them all at once and prevent future bleeding from them.
Other Treatment Options:
Hemorrhoids can be very painful, so it’s important that you talk to your doctor about all treatment options available to help manage the pain and keep you comfortable until your surgery. You can learn more about how hemorrhoid surgery and other treatment options work in this article from WebMD.
Hemorrhoid Treatments:
If you’ve had hemorrhoid for a while and it hasn’t gone away, you may want to talk to your doctor about using some hemorrhoid treatments. These include:
Lubricants: Hemorrhoids can be painful, so they can make it harder for you to have sex. Lubricants that are specially designed for anal intercourse will help ease the pain and help you get back into the bedroom safely again. Read more about anal lubricant here from WebMD.
Stool Softeners: Stool softeners are used to make the stool softer so that it passes through your body more easily (they don’t help if you have blood in your stool). They’re also helpful for people who have difficulty going to the bathroom or who are constipated.
Home Remedies: Hemorrhoid cream is a home remedy that you can use to soothe the pain and help with healing. You can buy hemorrhoid cream at your local drugstore, or you can make it at home yourself with some of the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (such as corn or olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons water (if using honey)
You can also mix in some Epsom salts for extra softening power. Read more about homemade hemorrhoid creams here from WebMD. You’ll need to test the mixture first on your arm before putting it on your anus, but it should work fine after that. Read more about homemade hemorrhoid remedies here from WebMD. If you want to use natural products for hemorrhoids, then you may be able to find them in health food stores and online pharmacies. But there are no guarantees that these will work for you, so talk to your doctor before you start using them.
If you need to have an operation for hemorrhoids, it will be performed by a surgeon. This may be your general surgeon or a colorectal surgeon. Most general surgeons perform hemorrhoid surgeries, but colorectal surgeons are usually better trained in this procedure and have more experience doing it. You can read more about the different types of surgeons who treat hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.
Risks of Surgery:
While surgery can be very effective for treating hemorrhoids, it has risks that are just as important to consider as the benefits you’ll get from the surgery itself. Your doctor will tell you about these risks before you decide if you want to go ahead with surgery for your hemorrhoids. If any of these happen to you during your surgery:
- Bleeding (it’s normal and nothing to worry about) or infection (if it happens, then talk to your doctor right away )
- Inability to pass stool (if this happens, then you’ll need to go back to the hospital for treatment)
- Stress incontinence (this means that you might lose control of your bladder and urine during physical activity. This is a very common side effect after hemorrhoid surgery. If it happens, then talk to your doctor right away)
If you want more information about hemorrhoid risks, read this article from WebMD. You can also find a list of common hemorrhoid risks in this article from WebMD. If you need to have an operation for your hemorrhoids, then it will be performed by a surgeon. This may be your general surgeon or a colorectal surgeon. Most general surgeons perform hemorrhoid surgeries, but colorectal surgeons are usually better trained in this procedure and have more experience doing it. You can read more about the different types of surgeons who treat hemorrhoids in this article from WebMD.