Hemorrhoids frequently asked questions

Hemorrhoids: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are hemorrhoids?

First, hemorrhoids are similar, but not exactly the same as, varicose veins. Hemorrhoids, generally occur in the rectal region – bloated, enlarged blood vessel of the lower rectum and anal duct, to be clinically accurate.

The blood vessels in this region of your body are fairly flexible and stretchable to be suitable with the stool expanding and constricting. This is why a hemorrhoid can only happen in this area of the body – no other blood vessels in your vascular system can stretch as much and become so large when filled with blood.

To better understand hemorrhoids, imagine of the hemorrhoid as the most frail part of a diluted area of the veins – such as when straining on the toilet. Once stretched and if not able to return to its original shape and size, it is then called a hemorrhoid. The more blood vessels are filled with blood, the more hemorrhoids you have.

2. What are external hemorrhoids?

If the enlarged blood vessel is outside the rectum, but nearly closes in the opening, it is called an external hemorrhoid. Particularly, external hemorrhoids have three main symptoms: They are observed as small bleeding regions that happen beneath the skin close to the anus that can be felt as rigid bulges. They also do not present through the opening, but are formed on the lining, just situated outside and, since external hemorrhoids form in the often tinted area of the skin near the opening, they are often plum or brownish.

Some doctors argue in calling a varicose vein on the upper part of the leg as a hemorrhoid- but this is a different way of using the clinical term.

3. What are internal hemorrhoids?

If the enlarged blood vessel is inside, the hemorrhoids are called internal hemorrhoids, even though they can bleed, they are rarely painful unless irritated or has blood coagulation.

Internal hemorrhoids only happen in the last 5 centimeters of your anus. That’s why a doctor can easily test you for internal hemorrhoids. This is crucial since a lot of patients are mistakenly informed that internal hemorrhoids are fairly long, huge, enormous things, that trips over deep inside the anal duct.

4. What are prolapsed hemorrhoids?

If the enlarged blood vessel is internal, but protrudes outside where you can see it, it is called a prolapsed hemorrhoid and, they are basically red in appearance.

5. What are thrombosed hemorrhoids?

Finally, the last kind of hemorrhoids you’ll probably need to be oriented about are hemorrhoids that are known as thrombosed hemorrhoids. Thrombosed hemorrhoids are hemorrhoids that have coagulated blood inside them, and they are severely painful.

6. Are Hemorrhoid Tumors?

No. Any kind of hemorrhoid is not cancerous, so do not be alarmed easily until you get a proper medical exam. However, you should not completely ignore any kind of hemorrhoid as it can be a warning sign of a more serious health problem that can be life-threatening such as colorectal cancer or cancer of the colon.

Hemorrhoids doctor for surgery

Hemorrhoids Doctor For Surgery

When a hemorrhoid surgical treatment is needed, the proctologist (the medical specialist dealing with anorectal health), will basically refer you to a colorectal surgeon- another medical specialist. This surgeon’s sole practice is to perform surgical procedures on the anorectal area.

Your proctologist will possibly perform post-surgical care and should stay an active member in your care throughout the surgery and the recuperation time. The proctologist will discuss with both the colorectal surgeon and the patient on what surgical treatments or operations that will fit your case.

As long as you consent, the colorectal surgeon will give you recommendations and specific instructions before the actual surgery and what you should do at home to prepare your body for the operation, with requirements for self-care prior to the surgical treatment and what you can get from the surgery.

While several surgical procedures can be performed on an outpatient footing, where you go home on the same day of the operation, each surgical operation typically prohibits at least several substantial activity for up to a few weeks.

You should also get medical predictions on how much tenderness will be implicated, and directions for relieving the pain, swelling, colorectal bleeding, and other typical side effects. Either the colorectal or your proctologist, or maybe both, will like to examine you a few days after the operation to make sure that your recuperation is progressing positively and no side effects have developed.

You should keep in mind that surgeons are not distinguished by name as to what kind of surgery they are specialized, so you should feel free to inquire about their skills and experience concerning the surgical operation prescribed for your condition.

As well, your general doctor and, at this part, proctologists are great sources, as they are well acquainted with surgeons and their special field, and their reputation, in your community.

Most medications depend on a organization of triage, or levels of importance based on the degree of severity of the hemorrhoid. Because of this, cure waiting period can range from a few days, in the case of specifically, serious hemorrhoids that really need to be cured right away, to several months in the instance of reduced serious cases.

Having an appointment for any colorectal surgeon can take up a few months, but visiting your general doctor should take no more than maybe a few weeks, and no more than a couple of weeks more for a proctologist.

Because of this, it is essential to be totally honest as to not only the degree of the hemorrhoid, but how much they are affecting your everyday living. This is not the proper time to keep a firm upper lip and downplay your conditions so as not to be seen as a condition, but to make sure that all medical practitioners know how much hemorrhoids are troubling your work, your peace, or your relationship with people around you.

If they are fully aware of your condition, they can make a better diagnosis as to your priority and expedite treatment periods or give transitory treatments as suitable to aid you gain the highest success that you can.

Hemorrhoids doctor

Hemorrhoids Doctor

While hemorrhoids are not fatal, they can cause miserable living as they can cause pain, irritation and nasty sensation in the anal area. Also, it is often hard to find a medical treatment suitable to your condition.

Hemorrhoids, in its entirety, is not a severe condition, but the portion they are in is severely receptive and vulnerable to chronic damages from poorly managed treatments – a significant hemorrhoids doctor or surgeon is necessary.

Consequently, the first hemorrhoid doctor that you probably want to seek is your family doctor with whom you have build up trust and confidence. Pay him a visit, and discuss your condition.

If your hemorrhoids are not serious, not bleeding, and can be remedied using home treatments, your hemorrhoid doctor will typically tell you to eat more fiber in your daily meals, give you some prescriptions, recommend a Sitz bath, and possibly provide you with mild pain relievers, either in gel or capsule forms to relieve pain.
If, nevertheless, your doctor thinks any further complications can occur, he will refer you to a specialist, which is a proctologist.

Your family doctor is typically versed with all the medical specialists in your area and can refer one that is suitable for you, thus you should feel free to express your conditions precisely what you like in a doctor who will be examining at such a sensitive and private region of your body.

You should not feel shame because of the sensitive aspects of hemorrhoids since all patients are protected by the Patient Bill of Rights, wherein you can always access. This law may range from country to country, and possibly simply from institution to institution, but a typical portion of it is your right to completely understand any kind of treatment or medication that will be done to you before the actual operation, and your right implore a basic human respect and freedom from discrimination and public exposure.

You also have the right to pick your own doctor, so always demand more explanation if required and never hesitate to ask for a different doctor if at any point you feel discomfort. If you are a woman, you can always ask for a female proctologist if you find it uncomfortable with a male proctologist examining your private parts.

A proctologist is a medical specialist that deals with hemorrhoids. Generally he deals with the anorectal canal and connective structures. In simplest terms, if you have a problem with hemorrhoids, he is the doctor that can provide you with information as well as suitable treatments.

The proctologist will request to examine the area that will include covering fairly good effort to aid you feel as though you and your privacy are protected and esteemed.

After the initial ocular inspection, the proctologist will administer an anoscope inside the rectum to inspect internal hemorrhoids. It is a metallic tube that has a port through that one quarter of the anal canal’s wall at a time. You can have it warmed up to a respectable temperature, if needed.

Hemorrhoids 101

Hemorrhoids are generally defined as swollen veins in the rectal and anal canal. This usual health problem is painful, but not fatal.

Veins can be swollen in the interior of the anal canal to form internal bleeding or hemorrhoids. Also, they can be swollen near the aperture of the anal hole to form external bleeding. You can acquire either kind at the same time. The signs and diagnosis are based on what kind of hemorrhoid you have.

The major cause of hemorrhoids is extreme tension or pressure in the anal and rectal region. Commonly, inner anal tissue is filled with blood to aid with bowel movements. If you put pressure to discard the contents of the bowels, the tension can cause the anal canal to stretch, tear and be swollen causing hemorrhoids.

Sometimes, hemorrhoids can be caused by diarrhea or constipation. These health conditions can also put extra tension in the anal canal.

Pregnant women are likely to experience hemorrhoids during the last quarter of pregnancy. This is due to the added tension on the blood veins in the thighs. During labor, when a woman is pushing the baby out, hemorrhoid can also occur.

Also, it is noted that obese persons are more likely to get hemorrhoids than those with normal weight.

The most common signs and symptoms of both inner and outer hemorrhoids are:

1. Bleeding during bowel movements. You might observe that your bowels have smeared blood, or the toilet paper is tinted with blood.

2. Prickling sensation in the anal region.

3. Pain in the rectal area.

In inner hemorrhoids, a blood-tinted bowel movement can occur. You can see red smudges of blood on the toilet paper or vivid red blood in the toilet bowl after you discarded your wastes.

Inner hemorrhoids are usually small, inflamed blood veins in the lining of the anal canal. However, they can be sometimes large, slumping veins that lump out of your anus all the time. If you have this kind of hemorrhoid, it can be painful if they lump out and are pressured by the rectal muscles. Pain is experienced if the blood supply to the hemorrhoid is blocked. If you have a sagging hemorrhoid, you can also observe mucus on your stool.

Internal hemorrhoids often are small, swollen veins in the wall of the anal canal. But they can be large, sagging veins that bulge out of the anus all the time. They can be painful if they bulge out and are squeezed by the anal muscles. They may be very painful if the blood supply to the hemorrhoid is cut off. If hemorrhoids bulge out, you also may see mucus on the toilet paper or stool.

On the other hand, external or outer hemorrhoid can also bleed, leading to a rigid painful bulge. This is clinically called as a thrombosed anal vein, or generally a hemorrhoid.

Although hemorrhoids are not fatal, this is a condition which you should not ignore completely.  Hemorrhoids can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem such as cancer of the colon, anus and intestine.

Get rid of hemorrhoids

Get rid of hemorrhoids

Knowing how to get rid of hemorrhoids will help you avoid the pain and other symptoms from happening, and in a larger extent, can avoid more serious health problems such as colon cancer. It is very possible to have a recurrence of hemorrhoids if you have experienced them beforehand. The tension that happens within the specific blood vein area will result to the hemorrhoids to begin bleeding and stay inflamed. If you have experienced hemorrhoids before, you can certainly avoid them from happening or reacting up later.

Pressure in blood veins

By ensuring that the tension is not there on the blood veins in your digestive tracts, you can avoid hemorrhoids from recurrence that is a most important matter. If you are constipated, you should not put pressure to eradicate the pain. This is popularly known as the most effective method to make sure that hemorrhoids do not come back.

Take A Balanced Food Diet

The trouble-free method that you can perform to make sure that you do not strain when you have hemorrhoids is to have a well-planned diet. You should eat properly. Avoid unhealthy foods that are rich in salt, and toxins. By letting the feces pass through your digestive systems efficiently, this will aid in avoiding tension as well as relieving the extra strain. Eat foods that are high in fiber, or at least take a mild laxative if you are constipated. As well, drinking enough water and fruit smoothies will help in the indigestion.

Exercise

Another solution to avoid hemorrhoid recurrence is ample exercise. There are numerous suitable exercises that can aid your hemorrhoids. Exercises that can ease and relax the muscles such as mild squatting and moving the abdominal area will allow the tension to be eased. Also, make sure that you do exercise mildly. Warm up before you exercise and cool down after.
Surgical and non-surgical methods

There are unconventional treatments than your doctor can perform if you have a case of serious hemorrhoids. To help avoid the inflammation of the blood veins, there are various surgical and non-surgical techniques that can be taken. Hemorrhoids will be eradicated and recurrence will likely not to happen if you are well-oriented with the different solutions available from your physician. Basically, the gently recuperation for hemorrhoids is surgical treatments.

Herbal Treatments

You can also make sure to pay attention to non-conventional herbal treatments such as supplements and topical solution or creams that are available. Although they may not prevent the hemorrhoids from happening again, you can use them to avoid the hemorrhoids itself. Most herbal creams are designed to avoid hemorrhoids, but they cannot guarantee resistance from hemorrhoid recurrence.

Prevention is better

As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. It is very safe and cheap to invest in your health while the condition is not yet there. Cures and treatments are far more expensive than measures that you can take to avoid hemorrhoids, such as intake of fiber-rich foods, herbal supplements, proper body mechanics, and posture. Also, good hygiene helps a lot in preventing hemorrhoids.