Hemorrhoids are swollen veins. Each of us has veins around the anus that tend to stretch under pressure. One set of veins is inside the rectum internal and another is under the skin around the anus external.
Hemorrhoidal tissue is thought to be helpful in holding back stool at rest and in cushioning the sphincter muscles when we empty our bowels. The most common symptom of internal hemorrhoids is bright red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. Bleeding starts when the swollen veins are scratched or broken by straining or rubbing. This can be aggravated by medicines that thin the blood. An internal hemorrhoid may protrude through the anus outside the body, becoming irritated and painful.
This is known as a protruding or prolapsed hemorrhoid. Symptoms of external hemorrhoids may include painful swelling or a hard lump around the anus that results when a blood clot forms. This condition is known as a thrombosed external hemorrhoid. Draining mucus or stool residue may cause itching. The technical term for this itching is pruritus ani and it can be caused by either excessive rubbing or cleaning around the anus or poor hygiene with residual stool around the anus.
Hemorrhoid problems are very common in men and women. About half of all people have noticeable hemorrhoids by the age of Many people have occasional bleeding from hemorrhoids, but most often the bleeding is self-limited. Women may begin to have problems during pregnancy.
The pressure of the fetus in the abdomen, as well as hormonal changes, causes hemorrhoidal veins to enlarge. These veins also are placed under severe pressure during the birth of the baby.
