Surgery for Treating Hemorrhoids

Surgery for removal of hemorrhoids will probably be advised if simple self-care treatments and home remedies do not yield satisfactory results. 
Surgery may be essential if your external hemorrhoids are very big and causing a lot of discomfort or if you have any small internal hemorrhoids. 
Often, untreated hemorrhoids could lead to hemorrhoidal flesh protruding out of the anus. This can cause severe pain, bleeding and discomfort. 
Common situations that necessitate surgical removal of hemorrhoids include prolapsed hemorrhoids, excessive bleeding, unbearable pain and thrombosed hemorrhoids.
Some fixative procedures are also forms of surgery and are included here for completeness. 

How are Hemorrhoids Treated?

Doctors decide on the best course of treatment for your hemorrhoids after considering your medical history, symptoms and the results from tests like those described in the previous chapter. 
They could advise some dietary and/or lifestyle changes. 
The available treatment options for hemorrhoids include medications and surgery. But, doctors advise surgery only if the size and effects of the hemorrhoids is major. 

How Hemorrhoids are Diagnosed

Hemorrhoids do not usually require any complicated tests or diagnostic procedures. 
The diagnosis of hemorrhoids is normally from a fairly straight-forward examination of your medical history and a physical examination of the anal region. 
Your doctor must find and then evaluate the size and location of the hemorrhoids to decide on the suitable treatment plan according to the severity of the hemorrhoid. 
External hemorrhoids are visible on the outside of the anal canal,around the anus. 
Internal hemorrhoids are present within the anal canal but are not visible from outside the body. 
If many of your family members suffer from hemorrhoids, you could be more likely than the average person to develop them yourself. 

When to Seek Medical Care

Hemorrhoids area very common problem. There is no cause for embarrassment if you have hemorrhoids.
If you have hemorrhoids, you may be able to use simple coping techniques to help to reduce some of the pain and discomfort. 
In consultation with your doctor, analyze the main cause for your hemorrhoids. 
You may be able to take some remedial steps to reduce their effects or more hemorrhoids occurring when your present condition improves. 
Ointments for topical application of hemorrhoids can provide only temporary relief. These are not any specific treatment options. You should not use hemorrhoidal ointments except as advised by your doctor. It might cause increased irritation and aggravate your problem. 
Though many elderly people develop hemorrhoids, it is not justa problem for older people. Almost anybody can develop this problem. 

Prognosis of Hemorrhoids

This section explains possible effects of hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are not always considered a dangerous disease but there can be severe outcomes and proper diagnosis of the individual patient’s condition and correct treatment are very important.
Hemorrhoidal symptoms may subside without extensive medical care. But, proper treatment and  accepting specific dietary conditions and lifestyle changes can bring relief from hemorrhoids within much less time and with less severe symptoms.
You should maintain a high-fiber diet and include many vegetables, fruits, grains,and legumes in your daily diet. Drink sufficient water. Maintain a regular exercise schedule. Continue with all these even after you
recover completely from hemorrhoids. This may help to prevent some relapses.
Soaking in warm water baths, cold compresses, and simple Kegel exercises can alleviate pain and discomfort. If need be, doctors would advise surgery in very serious cases like hemorrhoids with clots. There could be lot of pain after surgery during relaxation and contraction of the anus.
Normally, hemorrhoidal bleeding is not very severe. In some extreme cases, prolonged loss of blood could lead to iron deficiency or anemic conditions.

(The Complete Guide To Hemorrhoids)

Hemorrhoids and Pregnancy

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are a common occurrence. Many women suffer from hemorrhoidal problems arising from their pregnancy. But, they often disappear soon after delivery of the baby.
Some pregnant women also suffer from bleeding hemorrhoids.

Causes for Hemorrhoids during Pregnancy 

Hemorrhoidal problems usually start in the final trimester.If you have hemorrhoids before your pregnancy, they could be aggravated during the advanced stages of the pregnancy. The uterus is located just above the blood vessels where the hemorrhoidal veins drain. The weight of the growing baby causes these veins to swell and that may cause or aggravate hemorrhoids.
Also, the pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes the walls of the varicose veins and that causes them to swell.
Pregnant women often have less exercise or physical activity than they usually have.
Long periods of sitting or standing can aggravate the condition.
During childbirth, all the abdominal muscles exert pressure and this affects the veins in the region. The veins swell due to the intense pressure. If you have a long labor, it may cause hemorrhoidal problems after childbirth.
Pregnant women often experience constipation due to straining when passing a bowel movement and this may cause hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids and the Elderly

The elderly often suffer from severe hemorrhoidal problems. There are a few causes for it.

Causes for Hemorrhoid Problems in the Elderly

Constipation is a chronic problem in the elderly. Normally, elderly people prefer eating easily chewable foods. These foods prove easy to swallow. However, easily chewable foods are low on fiber and resultant roughage. Therefore, the elderly suffer from chronic constipation. Chronic constipation hardens stools and often this gets lodged in the rectum. This is a serious problem. It is then necessary to manually pull out fecal material from the anal canal.
Some of the elderly could become bedridden due to other diseases. At times, they have to delay bowel movements until nursing aides arrive and help them. Such regular postponement of bowel movements may significantly decrease the ability of sphincter and abdominal muscles. This makes the any constipation problem more severe.

Risk Factors for Hemorrhoids?

Risk factors for hemorrhoids indicate the factors that could cause hemorrhoids. Nevertheless, presence of such factors alone does not make you a possible patient of hemorrhoids. Again, absence of such factors does not mean you cannot get hemorrhoids. It is only that such risk factors can increase your chances of developing hemorrhoids.


The risk factors of hemorrhoids are not very alarming. It is possible to treat and overcome these risk factors through simple measures. Often these measures are small changes in your lifestyle and dietary habits. The factors include:
Chronic constipation and diarrhea causes you to regularly strain during bowel movements.
Being obese puts extra pressure on the pelvic region causing hemorrhoids.
People over the age of fifty commonly develop hemorrhoids.
If you have a family history of hemorrhoids, you could develop in your later life.
If you suffer from chronic liver and heart diseases, you develop hemorrhoids. These diseases cause blood to pile up in the pelvic and abdominal region.

Types of Hemorrhoids

There are two main types of hemorrhoids according to their location. These are internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are within the anal canal while external hemorrhoids are located outside the anal canal often near the anal opening.

Internal Hemorrhoids 

Internal hemorrhoids are the most common type of hemorrhoids.These hemorrhoids develop along the passage to the anus above the dentate line. Internal hemorrhoids are normally painless, as the visceral nerves above the dentate line do not sense any pain. These nerves can only sense pressure. Sometimes, internal hemorrhoids could come out of the anus as protrusions. These protrusions appear as small lump-like masses. These are prolapsed hemorrhoids. These protrusions cannot be pushed back in to the anal canal. Sometimes these protrusions cause excessive pain. The anal sphincter muscles trap these protrusions and cut off the blood supply. This is the cause for the severe pain.
A hard stool could sometimes cause little discomfort while passing through the internal hemorrhoids during a bowel movement. Mucus leakage is a common symptom of internal hemorrhoids. This leakage causes extreme discomfort coupled with an itching sensation.
It is not possible to diagnose an internal hemorrhoid by yourself,as there are no signs. Only a doctor can diagnose an internal hemorrhoid after a complete exam. Internal hemorrhoids normally occur due to weakening of tissues supporting the anal canal veins.

Is It Really Hemorrhoids?

Most symptoms of hemorrhoids are similar to those of various other diseases.
Pain, bleeding, and anal discomfort may or may not be due to hemorrhoids. It is easy to confuse symptoms for such diseases like bowel diseases, colorectal cancers, and sexually transmitted diseases with those of hemorrhoids.
You should always consult your Doctor about any sign or symptom which you think you have. Early diagnosis is very important.
Your Doctor can arrange tests and examinations, and even a complete analysis and medical examination if they believe they may be required, to confirm your ailment.
That avoids worry and unnecessary expense or surgery for you.
You are then better equipped to deal with whatever is affecting you.
Proper diagnosis and understanding of the ailment is essential for correct medical care and treatment.
This section discusses signs and symptoms which may confuse lay-people like us.
Various intestinal ailments cause uncontrollable anal leakage and soilage. Similarly, changes in feces characteristics like tar-like stool, pencil-like and narrow stools, and blood on the stool are common to many ailments like colitis or intestinal diseases. Changes in bowel movements are a common feature of many ailments.

Signs and Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

The signs and symptoms of a hemorrhoid are simple. The most common symptom is bleeding. Although there are many hemorrhoidal symptoms, it is not necessary for you to experience all the symptoms.
There are various other diseases like intestinal diseases, liver ailments, colorectal cancers, etc. That have common symptoms of hemorrhoids. Often, various anorectal ailments like fissures, fistulas, and abscesses have symptoms that are very similar to hemorrhoids. Itching, irritation, discomfort, and bleeding are common examples.
Recent changes in bowel movements and rectal pain could indicate hemorrhoids. This is specifically so in people over the age of fifty. Often, it is not possible to distinguish the true ailment. It would then require a thorough medical analysis to arrive at the correct diagnosis.
Hemorrhoids are of two types,internal hemorrhoids,and external hemorrhoids. The symptoms of both hemorrhoids are a little overlapping while some symptoms are specific.

Causes of Hemorrhoids

Diet

Diet rich in processed food with less of fresh fruits and vegetables is a major cause for hemorrhoids. Consumption of lots of refined flour, animal proteins, fiber-depleted carbohydrates, and sugar reduces roughage and therefore your stools become hard and difficult to pass. This leads to hemorrhoids.

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are also called ‘piles’; a swelling of veins in the anus and rectum.
Hemorrhoids are a very difficult and painful condition. It can restrict your movements and interfere with your daily routine.
They are a common problem with about fifty to seventy-five percent of Americans affected sometime during their lives.