Are You Susceptible To Hemorroids?

Who else are susceptible to hemorrhoids? These include those who frequently lift heavy objects, people who stand or sit a lot, and obese individuals.

Pregnancy itself does not cause hemorrhoids but it may hasten their development. This is caused by hormones in the woman's body that dilate blood vessels more easily. The same goes for women with many children and those who regularly use laxatives and enemas.

The mere act of sitting on the toilet bowl for pro-longed periods - even if you just read there - can make you vulnerable to hemorrhoids. The problem may also be inherited and tends to run in families. "As you know, 90 percent of varicose veins are inherited. The problem is genetic. It's caused by weakened valves and vein walls. When you inherit that tendency, there’s not much you can do. That's true with hemorrhoids," said Dr. Ed T. Corpus Jr., a general and vascular surgeon at the Vein Care Clinic at Ferosa Condominium in Manila.

It may take years before hemorrhoids become apparent and symptoms develop. The person only becomes aware of them when there is blood on the toilet paper or bloody feces. This often occurs with an internal hemorrhoid which can be felt as a soft lump. This type usually returns into the rectum or can be pushed back in with a finger.

Other common symptoms are itching and burning during and after bowel movements. This is caused by mucus and feces that stick to the bulging hemorrhoid and irritate the anal opening.

External hemorrhoids are almost always painful since they stretch the sensitive skin of the anus. This type can be felt as a firm, rounded mass and the pain subsides only when the clot softens after a few days.

To obtain an accurate diagnosis, the physician can examine the anal area with an endoscope (a short lighted tube-like instrument) or a proctosigmoidoscope (a longer instrument that enables the doctor to see the lower portion of the large intestine). This is important since bleeding may signal the presence of other diseases like colorectal cancer which kills thousands of people yearly.

"When one complains of rectal bleeding, the physi¬cian has to determine its exact cause. Hemorrhoids are the most common cause of this symptom but it can also be due to rectal polyps or rectal cancer. So a complete evaluation is in order," Corpus said.

If hemorrhoids don't bother you, they should be left alone. But if they cause pain, bleed, itch or protrude, they have to be treated. This is especially true with chronic cases which can lead to corrtplications.

"There are three complications of hemorrhoids. If they always bleed, the patient may lose a lot of blood and become anemic. Another problem is prolapse which is what happens when an internal hemorrhoid protrudes from the anus and can't be pushed back. This can cause a lot of discomfort and pain. A third compli¬cation is thrombosis which occurs with external hemor¬rhoids. A blood clot forms within the veins, it hardens, and the patient experiences excruciating pain," Corpus said.

If you have these problems, how are they treated? What are your options? Find out in the third part of this series.

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