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Hemorrhoid Development – Growth and Symptoms Checklist

Hemorrhoids, they are a pain in the backside – literally. Hemorrhoids (also known as piles) are round swellings on the inside of the anal canal – the short, muscular tube that connects your rectum (back passage) with your anus.

There is a network of small veins (blood vessels) within the inside lining of your anus and lower rectum. These veins sometimes become wider and engorged with more blood than usual. These en-gorged veins and the overlying tissue may then form into one or more small swellings called hemorrhoids.

Want to know what exactly causes Hemorrhoids? This is a difficult question to answer as there are many causes and often a variety of factors that contribute to their development. What is known is that once you have them they are difficult to get rid of and will usually increase in size if the underlying causes are not addressed. There are two distinct types of hemorrhoids (internal and external) which are classified into four basic stages.

Stage 1: Are swellings on the lining of your anal canal, they can bleed but can’t be seen from the outside of the anus. These hemorrhoids are very common.

Stage 2: Are larger and protrude (known as prolapsed) from the anus during a bowel movement, but return inside shortly afterward.

Stage 3: Protrude (prolapse) from the anus and only return when you push them back in.

Stage 4: Permanently protrude from the anus and can be very painful and become extremely swollen.

In rare circumstances an External Hemorrhoid (perianal haematoma) can develop. These form on the outside edge of the anus itself and are particularly painful, although less common than internal hemorrhoids. These are particularly vulnerable and often cause the sufferer much distress. Occasionally blood clots can form in the external hemorrhoid (known as a thrombosed external hemorrhoid) causing intense pain which requires urgent medical treatment. Pain usually subsides after three or so days and after a few weeks the hemorrhoid shrinks to a small painless skin tag.

Other causes of lumps around the anus can include a sentinel pile, which is the painless skin tag that develops when a crack in the anus (an anal fissure) heals up. If you are unsure whether you have a haemorrhoid and your symptoms are severe you should always consult a qualified health professional in the first instance. Some of the more common symptoms of hemorrhoids are as follows;

• Feeling a lump inside or on the anus.
• A feeling you bowels have not emptied completely.
• A feeling of fullness or blockage in the anus.
• Itching from around or just inside the anus.
• Swelling around the anus.
• Pain or discomfort after a bowel movement.
• Mucus discharge from the anus.
• Painless bleeding from your anus (noticed in the toilet bowl, on toilet paper after a bowel movement or from soiled underwear).