Even if you have never had a problem with hemorrhoids, you are probably well aware that they are very unpleasant.
You certainly don't ever want to get them but chances are you will deal with them at some point in your life.
Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are a very common medical problem and the risk for them grows larger as we age.
Not everyone will experience hemorrhoid in the same way.
In fact, you may have different symptoms with different outbreaks.
The severity of your problem with hemorrhoids will depend quite a bit on the location of the weakened area in the vein and how large the bulge becomes.
Even though hemorrhoids can be internal or external, the problems they cause are basically the same.
Here are the three most common problems associated with piles: * Bleeding * Pain * Itching These problems may be mild and not require treatment, or they can become very uncomfortable and drive you to find a cure for your hemorrhoids.
Let's take a closer look at these hemorrhoids problems.
Hemorrhoids Problem - Bleeding Bleeding is a common problem with hemorrhoids and can be scary.
Although you may only lose up to a teaspoon of blood, it can look like much more than that.
Piles are filled with blood and when they are irritated, they can easily bleed.
This irritation could result from being too aggressive when wiping, passing a bowel movement, or heavy lifting.
Internal and external hemorrhoids bleed and when they bleed frequently they are termed bleeding hemorrhoids.
Sometimes the blood will form into a clot and cause increased discomfort.
If bleeding occurs over a long period of time, anemia could result from the loss of too much blood.
You may notice blood tinged on your stools or in the toilet bowl after you have a bowel movement.
You may see blood on the toilet paper after wiping yourself.
It's even possible you will have leaks of blood on your clothing if your clothing rubs and causes irritation or if you bleed with heavy lifting.
Hemorrhoids Problem - Pain As you can imagine, pain is a problem with hemorrhoids that causes the most concern.
Generally, external hemorrhoids are more painful than internal.
However, if internal hemorrhoids get infected or form clots, these can become quite painful as well.
In fact, clots in piles make them extremely painful to endure.
This problem with hemorrhoids is called thrombosed hemorrhoids and it may require medical intervention to alleviate the pain.
You'll also experience pain from simple irritation like wearing clothes that are too tight or sitting for too long.
Bowel movement can also cause a lot of discomfort, especially if you are constipated.
Hemorrhoids Problem - Itching Another of the common hemorrhoids problems is itching.
Itching is a common reaction to the inflammation and swelling that creates a hemorrhoid.
When the veins stretch and bulge, or when the surface breaks and bleeds, your immune system will respond for repair.
Much like a small cut itches as it heals so do piles.
Because hemorrhoids form at the opening of the anus, this can allow fluid to leak out in a trickle that triggers irritation.
This also causes skin dampness and irritation that leads to even more itching.
Just like other skin eruptions, the more you scratch, the more you itch because of the irritation you cause.
Therefore when you give into the urge and scratch the area around your hemorrhoids, you will usually just cause the itching to get worse.
Other Hemorrhoids Problem Symptoms In addition to the three most common problems associated with hemorrhoids, you could also experience burning around the rectum, emotional distress, infection, soiling of clothing, and irritability.
Everyone will deal with a unique set of hemorrhoid problems and while they aren't usually medically dangerous, piles can cause you a great deal of suffering and emotional upset.