Diagnosing Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are in most cases caused by the blood vessels lining the area around the anus dilating. Whenever force gets exerted at the anus, for example in the case of strenuous defecation, the pressure at the rectal walls increases which causes the rectal veins and the surrounding tissues to start bulging. The result is formation of protrusions inside the rectum, referred to as internal hemorrhoids, or in other cases around the anus margins, referred to as external hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids usually affect adults but are usually non-life-threatening. Causes of hemorrhoids include childbirth, pregnancy, constipation, anal intercourse, severe diarrhea and obesity. This article provides some hemorrhoids causes which you may use to diagnose whether or not you have hemorrhoids, which would then enable you to seek hemorrhoids treatment for your condition.

Steps to follow
You should try palpating to look for any lump, soft or hard, at the anal area. If you are having a prolapsed or external hemorrhoid, a palpable protrusion that is sac-like could be present around your anal canal. A prolapsed hemorrhoid feels soft and is easily pushed back and forth using your fingers in the rectum. Pushing it alone may help in solving the problem and thus prevent it from getting worse.

However, for an external hemorrhoid, the lump that develops seems hard but tenderer. Therefore, for this case, you cannot push it back into the rectum to make it better. It is highly advisable to get medical attention, especially if external hemorrhoid brings pain and gets inflamed to get a cure for hemorrhoids from your doctor.

You should keep an eye out for painless rectal bleeding, which is a common symptom of internal hemorrhoids and may as well be seen in some external hemorrhoid cases. The stool produced could be blood-streaked in appearance, and you may as well find traces of blood visible on your underwear, toilet tissue or in the toilet bowl water after defecating.

Take particular note in case you experience any kind of itchiness. Itchiness is often linked with prolapsed hemorrhoids. Whenever any pressure gets applied at the anal area, the internal hemorrhoid may get pushed through the opening of the anus which results in a prolapsed hemorrhoid. The rectal lining which has been pulled down at the surface secretes some mucus which moistens the skin surrounding the anus. Rectal itchiness, a condition which is also referred to as pruritus ani, arises due to the passing of stool as well as the constant moisture. Therefore seek hemorrhoids treatment in case of any itchiness around the anal region.

You should as well take keen note of irritations experienced on your skin. Having a bulging hemorrhoid leads to increased moisture at the anal area which may lead to itchiness. Any scratching could cause further irritation; therefore you should avoid too much scratching to avert any further complications.

Take note of any discomfort experienced right after defecating. With hemorrhoids, it is typical to feel the need to defecate even when you do not need to. Such discomfort remains after bowel movement and gets worse on hemorrhoids which are larger or inflamed.

Watch how often you experience pain. For cases of internal hemorrhoids, the pain is not a problem as such unless it gets too swollen and gets pushed outside the anus resulting in a prolapsed hemorrhoid. When the bulge of some soft tissue lies between the canal of the anus, it may become swollen easily since friction is applied on its delicate surface as it gets squeezed by the anus-controlling muscles. Without hemorrhoid treatment, this situation may result in pain which may become more severe especially if strangulated hemorrhoid occurs (where the blood supply leading to the actual hemorrhoid gets cut off).

Obtaining immediate medical treatment could be necessary to manage the condition safely. In cases of external hemorrhoids, the pain is usually a part of the condition. As the hard lump starts forming around the anus margins, some blood coming from the skin gets pulled down to the protruding tissue which then leads to clotting. Added to friction present around the anus lining, the surface of an external hemorrhoid with a thrombus becomes either swollen or inflamed, which causes extreme pain. You need to seek an immediate cure for hemorrhoids if you are suffering from a case of this type.