Symptoms of Hemroids
Hemorrhoids, hemroids or piles as they are more commonly known to the layperson affect at least 50% of people at some point in their lives. Considering that the world has 6 billion people, that is an astounding proportion that screams for our immediate attention!
So, what exactly are piles, why do we get them, and what are the symptoms of hemroids?
Hemroids are swollen blood vessels that appear as painful inflammation of the rectum. What causes them?
Several factors heighten the chances of piles developing. Nothing out of the ordinary but just everyday activities can have rather exacerbating consequences. These include:
- standing upright for protracted periods of time
- sitting still for protracted periods
- extreme straining due to constipation and interestingly, its diametrical opposite; diarrhea
- extreme obesity
- pregnancy; especially during the difficult final trimester
- anal sex
- poor diet that is deficient of high fibers
- a sedentary lifestyle that is lacking in exercise
- genetics; a cause that may be purely conjecture.
So, how can we tell that we are suffering from piles; or in other words, what are the symptoms of piles?
As with other medical conditions, proper diagnosis is very important for proper treatment. Piles have often been erroneously self-diagnosed for other conditions such as skin fissures, fistulae, abscesses and itches.
There are two classifications of piles; internal and external.
Bleeding is the most commonly experienced symptom of internal piles. Bright red blood may be seen coating expelled stools, discoloring the toilet bowl or staining used toilet tissue. Whilst somewhat alarming, hemorrhoidal bleeding does not normally lead to life-threatening major blood loss.
Another symptom of internal piles is when they are prolapsed. This is when they protrude from the anal opening. It is quite alright to push such prolapsed piles back into the anus with a firm but gentle tuck.
As for external hemorrhoids or piles, the most commonly occurring symptom is the clotting of blood that results in swollen lumps. When they are in this state, they are described as thrombosed. This condition requires more care as repeated excessive attempts to relieve the discomforting pain, such as via physical cleaning, can lead to in an aggravated state.
Recognising the symptoms of piles is the first step to recovery. Typically, piles are very easily treated. They often disappear without the aid of any medication or attention from a doctor. For the more persistent kind, there are plenty of over the counter cures at the local pharmacy or even on the web. The key thing to be alert for is when they are thrombosed, whereupon it is imperative that you seek medical attention even if the embarrassment is too much to bear. Another equally critical point is that a doctor can confirm that you are suffering from hemroids and not any other medical condition requiring other treatment and medication.
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