If you're one of the many people suffering from a hemorrhoid (also called piles) who are looking for some general information as well as good advice for effective, natural hemorrhoid treatment and hemorrhoid prevention, then read on.
A hemorrhoid is a very common condition, especially as you begin to get older, and is nothing to be embarrassed about. Almost half of the U.S. population develops a hemorrhoid by the time they're 50 years old, in fact. I first discovered the joy of an external hemorrhoid (sarcastic, of course) about four years ago and that has prompted me to put together this hemorrhoid information page. Further down the page, after the hemorrhoid info., you can read what treatments keep my occasional hemorrhoid painless and nearly unnoticeable.
The term hemorrhoid refers to a condition, which is similar to varicose veins, in which the veins around the lower rectum or anus are either swollen or inflamed (usually both).
A hemorrhoid commonly results from heavily exerting to move stool. Some other common factors that contribute to hemorrhoid development are: sitting for too long, pregnancy, chronic constipation or diarrhea, age, and anal intercourse.
A hemorrhoid can be either: external (under the skin around the anus) or internal (inside the anus).
Click on one of these two links to learn about hemorrhoid treatment or hemorrhoid prevention or keep reading below for more detailed hemorrhoid information.
External hemorrhoid-
This type of hemorrhoid is usually visible, and symptoms of an external hemorrhoid include either painful swelling or a hard lump around the anus, which results when a blood clot forms. This one particular type of external hemorrhoid is called a thrombosed external hemorrhoid.
Internal hemorrhoid-
The most noticeable symptom of an internal hemorrhoid is bright red blood covering the stool, the toilet paper, or the toilet bowl. Also, an internal hemorrhoid may protrude through the anus until it is outside of the body, becoming irritated and painful. This internal hemorrhoid condition is known as a protruding hemorrhoid.
Pregnancy hemorrhoid-
The pressure of the fetus in the woman's abdomen, coupled with changes in hormone levels, causes the hemorrhoid vessels to enlarge, and during actual childbirth, the pressure on these vessels keeps increasing. A pregnancy hemorrhoid for most women, however, is a temporary problem. This does not mean, though, that a pregnant woman should feel compelled to ignore her hemorrhoid discomfort. The symptoms for a pregnancy hemorrhoid are identical to those of a normal internal or external hemorrhoid and should be treated accordingly while you have the hemorrhoid.
In addition, excessive cleaning, rubbing, or straining of the anus may cause irritation with bleeding and/or itching. Be sure that you're not causing a vicious cycle of hemorrhoid recurrence and symptoms.
Prevention and treatment of a hemorrhoid:
A hemorrhoid, not counting the discomfort of course, is not a very serious problem. Often treatment can be accomplished through a few very simple and minor procedures.
There are two common measures to reduce symptoms that I use:
Click on one of these links to learn more about hemorrhoid treatment and hemorrhoid prevention.
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Disclaimer: the information on this website is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders, you should consult your health care professional. Info on: Hemorrhoids, hemorrhoids-treatment, hemorrhoids-prevention, piles.