February 21 2011
What are Hemorrhoids?
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There are no exact definitions of hemorrhoids, but they can be defined as masses or clumps (cushion) of tissue within the anal canal containing blood vessels and the surrounding, supporting tissue made up of muscle and elastic fiber. An easier explanation for this is that hemorrhoids are veins that can be found in the lower part of the rectum and anus which help with stool control. These become a disease when swollen or inflamed due to too much pressure given forcing blood to stretch and bulge the walls of the veins and sometimes rupturing them. Hemorrhoids are like varicose veins, when enlarge hemorrhoidal veins are irritated, they can cause surrounding membrane to swell, burn, itch and become very painful and bleed. It usually happens when straining at stool and during pregnancy. Other contributing factors include aging, chronic constipation, diarrhea and anal intercourse. Hemorrhoids are both inside and above the anus (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). Hemorrhoid piles arise from congestion of internal and/or external venous plexuses around the anal canal.
Internal hemorrhoids happen inside the lining of the rectum. You can’t feel the development of the internal hemorrhoids inside the rectum area. What happen inside the lower rectum is the veins lining the wall of the rectum become enlarged and budge out as this becomes internal hemorrhoids. The area that is affected has lack of receptors that’s why it is not painful and most people don’t know that they have them. They are usually known by causing bleeding when irritated or with a bowel movement. Internal hemorrhoids are pretty harmless but can lead to serious illness and in to two severe forms: prolapsed and strangulated hemorrhoids. Prolapsed hemorrhoids are so distended that they are pushed outside the anus while a trap prolapsed outside the anal opening becomes strangulated hemorrhoids where the supply of blood is cut off. Sometimes, people have mistaken prolapsed hemorrhoids as external hemorrhoids.
External hemorrhoids happen outside the skin around the anus. They are fleshy lumps around the anus and is visible around the rectum area.. They are sometimes painful having a bowel movement and you can feel them when they swell which causes irritation and itching. If there happened to have a blood clot within a vein, a thrombosed external hemorrhoid occurs and this causes a severe pain. A protruding mass at or near the anus or any swelling are considered to be external hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids always get the treatment because of its disturbing symptoms.
