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Diagnosing Bleeding Hemorrhoids
Although they may be externally present, it’s possible that your physician may feel that further evaluation is needed in determining a diagnosis of hemorrhoids or bleeding hemorrhoids. Because there are more serious conditions related to the symptoms of rectal bleeding, it’s important to verify the cause of bleeding and/or of mucus draining from the anus. It is especially imperative to have testing done if you are over the age of 50 and rectal bleeding is present and you are not positive of the source, as many people often assume they have hemorrhoids but in fact they don’t.
When your physician examines the affected area and identifies hemorrhoids or bleeding hemorrhoids are present, either internally or externally, he or she can evaluate their size, severity and location so that a proper treatment plan can be put into effect. Hemorrhoids are normally diagnosed by a physical exam along with an evaluation of the patient’s medical history.
As far as a physical exam for the diagnosis and evaluation of hemorrhoids or bleeding hemorrhoids, normally a digital rectal exam and anoscopy are usually the first steps. An anoscopy is a procedure in which a small tube is inserted into the anus. If the patient is under the age of 50 and rectal bleeding is present but he or she doesn’t have the risk factors that may suggest the possibility of colon cancer or other serious medical issues, there may not be a need for any further testing.
However, with that said, if the medical history of a patient warrants further investigation, there are other tests such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enema or colonoscopy that your doctor may wish to perform. These procedures will allow a look inside the anus, rectum and lower part of the large intestine to determine if there are any abnormal growths or other signs of a more serious condition.
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