Hemorrhoids are commonly known as piles which is nothing but lump in the rectal area. They are painful causing inflammation of veins present in the lower portion of the rectum. This condition is quite common during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth.
They are irritated when the walls of veins get stretched especially when you poop. Though hemorrhoids are painful and unpleasant but they are easily treatable and preventable. Rarely they are dangerous and generally clear up in few weeks but they are recurrent and painful. As a precautionary measure one should visit doctor to make sure it is not a serious condition. Hemorrhoids are one of the main reasons of rectal bleeding.
Hemorrhoids Types
Piles can occur either inside the body called as internal hemorrhoids present in the anus or starting point of the rectum. Sometimes it is present externally at the anal opening or it might hang out of the anus.
There are two types of hemorrhoids
- Internal hemorrhoids
- External hemorrhoids
Internal Hemorrhoids
They lie far inside the rectum, not visible and one cannot feel them generally. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless because presence of few pain sensing nerves there but the only symptom could be bleeding while passing the stool due to straining and irritation. Stool covers with blood and one can find blood on toilet paper, toilet bowl because of dripping of blood.
Other symptoms can be
- Itchiness
- Mucous discharge
- Perianal mass
- Fecal incontinence
Sometimes straining pushes the internal hemorrhoids into the anal opening called as protruding or prolapsed hemorrhoid which causes pain and irritation. They are painful when they are thrombosed or necrotic.
Read more on Anal Fissure – Symptoms, Causes, Pictures, Treatment
External Hemorrhoids
They are present around anus which are painful and bleed because of presence of more pain sensing nerves there and they are visible. They are less problematic when not thrombosed but they are very painful if thrombosed. Usually pain resolve in few days but it takes few weeks for swelling to disappear; however anal skin tag may present after healing.
Blood clot can be formed in the external hemorrhoid and turn it into purple or blue known as thrombosis. It causes itching, inflammation, pain and bleeding, even when the clot gets dissolved, a skin tag may present and cause irritation and discomfort. They are known as thrombosed hemorrhoids.
Pictures of Hemorrhoids :