The most obvious indicator of the presence of hemorrhoids in a person is rectal bleeding. It is recommended that if a person experiences rectal bleeding, he or she must consult a doctor immediately as it is an indicator of several diseases, some of which are serious. Examples of these diseases are bleeding hemorrhoids, Angiodysplasia, Diverticulosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Anal Fissures, and, the worse case scenarios are tumors and polyps.
What are hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids occur when the rectal veins become swollen. It causes great pain and discomfort especially when sitting down or passing stool. It is often signaled by the presence of either diarrhea or constipation, swelling around the anus, burning pain in the anal area when pressure is applied, or bleeding when passing stool. Bleeding hemorrhoids signifies the most progressive stage of the condition. This is denoted by the presence of bright red blood in the stool. If the blood is much darker, it is often an indication of a different disease.
The kinds of hemorrhoids
There are two types of hemorrhoids which are external and internal. These may be classified into:
1.External hemorrhoids are often present around, or at the entry of the rectum. Often, they can be seen visually as a lump of skin while sometimes they can be shallowly felt around the opening of the anus. They are often indicated by swollen, irritated flesh.
2.Internal hemorrhoids are often signaled by blood mixed in the stool. Most of these cannot be seen visually and can only be diagnosed through a proctoscopy or anoscopy. However, if your hemorrhoids are already of the third and fourth degree, they may already extend outside the anus.
How are hemorrhoids treated?
There is a bevy of ways to cure hemorrhoids. These are:
1.Home remedies. Increased intake of water and food that are rich in fiber would help ease bowel movement decreasing the irritation it causes the rectum. More frequent exercise also improves digestion and has the same result. Another home remedy one can avail of is doing a sitz bath where a person just sits on water, whether hot or cold, to increase blood circulation and keep the anal area clean.
2.Over the counter remedies. There are several remedies that are commercially available although lacking a doctor’s prescription. There are creams that help bring down the swelling, tablets that soften the stool and ease its passing, as well as dietary supplements that aid in increasing digestion.
3.Medical procedures. If the condition is so advanced and the above remedies have no effect, a doctor may recommend several medical procedures to remove the hemorrhoid. Samples of these are:
a.Rubber band ligation is when a rubber band surrounds the hemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply so that it may shrink and eventually fall off. It is the most popular procedure to address hemorrhoids because it only requires 5-7 days before the hemorrhoid is gone.
b.Cauterization is when lasers or electrocution is used to burn and treat the affected area so that it may be removed.
c.Surgery is availed of for extreme cases and there are different types as well. Normally, this requires longer down time for recovery.
Since the symptoms of bleeding hemorrhoids are similar to more dangerous diseases, it is important to go to a doctor immediately to get an appropriate diagnosis.
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