About Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids can really cause some discomfort. It is important to know about hemorrhoids, so that you can treat them properly. Hemorrhoids are veins that have become swollen in the lower rectum/anal canal or anus. They can be internal, which means they occur in the lower rectum/anal canal inside the body, or they can be external, which means they occur around the anus on the outside of the body.

Let's talk about the differences between internal and external hemorrhoids and their symptoms. Internal hemorrhoids are quite common. They often go unnoticed because they cannot be felt unless they become quite inflamed, even protruding outside the anus. When protruding outside the body, these will look like grape-like reddish-purple lumps and are said to be prolapsed. The only way people normally know they have internal hemorrhoids is by the spots of bright red blood on the stool or toilet tissue.

External hemorrhoids are lumps around the anus that are usually brownish-red in color. External hemorrhoids are typically more painful like prolapsed internal hemorrhoids, because the nerve endings in the anal area are extremely sensitive.

When a blood clot forms within the hemorrhoid, the hemorrhoid is described as prolapsed. If you think regular hemorrhoids are painful, then you have never suffered from a thrombosed hemorrhoid. Thrombosed hemorrhoids can occur to an internal or external hemorrhoid. Often, with this painful condition, you will need to see your doctor about your hemorrhoids to treat them properly. Many times, normal over-the-counter hemorrhoidal creams will not ease the extreme pain of the thromobosed hemorrhoid.

If your hemorrhoids' symptoms persist for more than a few days with no sign of improvement after using over-the-counter products and stool softeners, then you need to get help from your doctor. They can discuss all the proper options and treatments available for you on how do you get rid of hemorrhoids. If not, try to help your own hemorrhoids from home - it is a wonder what a sitz bath and some cold witch hazel applied topically to the affected area can do for you.