Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen veins that form inside your rectum or outside your anus. They can be painful, itchy, or cause rectal bleeding. Everybody is born with hemorrhoids, but they only cause symptoms if they become swollen and enlarged. You are more likely to have symptomatic hemorrhoids if you are overweight, pregnant, eat a low-fiber diet, or regularly lift heavy objects. Having chronic constipation or diarrhea, spending prolonged periods sitting on the toilet, and straining while having bowel movements can increase your chances of having symptomatic hemorrhoids. Your Lone Star Gastroenterology specialists can diagnose hemorrhoids through physical exams, symptoms, or digital tests for effective internal hemorrhoid treatment wilsonville or.
Types of hemorrhoids
There are three types of hemorrhoids, depending on where they develop. They include:
External hemorrhoids
External hemorrhoids form underneath the skin around your anus, the canal where stool comes out. They can be itchy and painful. In most cases, they bleed. In some cases, they fill with blood that can clot. Clotting is not dangerous, but it can result in pain and swelling.
Internal hemorrhoids
Internal hemorrhoids form inside your rectum, the part of your digestive system that connects your colon to your anus. These hemorrhoids can bleed, but they do not cause pain in most patients.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids
Internal and external hemorrhoids can prolapse, where they stretch and bulge outside your anus. Prolapsed hemorrhoids can bleed or cause pain.
Diagnosis for hemorrhoids
Symptoms and physical exam
Your doctor will ask you about the symptoms you are experiencing and then do a physical exam to see how your hemorrhoids appear. Depending on the type of hemorrhoids, you can see blood in your stool or have an itchy anus, pain in the anus, or hard lumps near your anus.
Digital rectal exam
A digital rectal exam involves your doctor inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum. This test enables the provider to feel the swollen veins.
Anoscopy
Anoscopy involves your doctor using a lighted tube to view any abnormalities in the lining of your anus and rectum.
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is where your doctor uses a sigmoidoscope, a lighted tube with a camera to view the lower part of your rectum and colon. The procedure may be uncomfortable.
Treatment for hemorrhoids
Rubber band ligation: This treatment involves your provider placing a small rubber band around the base of hemorrhoid to cut off blood supply to the vein.
Electrocoagulation: Your doctor can use an electric current to stop blood flow to hemorrhoid.
Infrared coagulation: This technique involves your doctor inserting a small probe that transmits heat into your rectum to eliminate hemorrhoids.
Sclerotherapy: Your doctor can inject a specific chemical into the swollen vein to destroy the hemorrhoid tissue.
Hemorrhoidectomy: This form of surgery removes large external or prolapsed internal hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoid stapling: This surgery is where your doctor uses a stapling instrument to remove internal hemorrhoids. The provider can also use the tool to pull back a prolapsed hemorrhoid in your anus and holds it there.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that develop in your rectum or outside your anus. Rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, and surgery can help treat hemorrhoids. Schedule an appointment at Lone Star Gastroenterology for a hemorrhoid treatment to eliminate your discomfort.
