Being unable to sit or walk due to pustules, bumps, inflammation, etc. around the anus could be anyone’s nightmare. The thing to remember here is that you are not alone.

If you can similar symptoms, the chances are that you might be suffering from hemorrhoids. Studies show that in the USA, 5% people are affected by hemorrhoids. People over the age of fifty are more prone to hemorrhoids with one out of two people affected by them.

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids develop when the veins in your rectum get swollen. They can grow inside, in the rectal or anal lining; or they can grow outside the anus, under the skin. Depending on their severity or position, hemorrhoids can be painful. Hemorrhoids can cause your rectum to bleed, and may make movement extremely painful.

Some hemorrhoids disappear on their own. In fact, in some cases people don’t even notice they have hemorrhoids. However, some may require proper medication and treatment to make them go away. Immediate medical attention becomes necessary in case they burst due to pressure.

Many people feel embarrassed and choose not to consult a doctor if they suspect they have hemorrhoids. Untreated hemorrhoids can result in frequents blood loss, and can even lead to life-threatening infections.

Continue reading below to learn about the three different types of hemorrhoids.

Three Different Types of Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are categorized into internal and external hemorrhoids. The three types of hemorrhoids are piles, anal fissures, and anal fistula.

1. Piles

Piles are a collection of tissue and veins on the anus that become swollen and inflamed. The wart-shaped swelling could be present inside or outside the anus.

Causes

Piles may be a cause of chronic constipation. People who have constipation have to use excessive force to expel their bowel movements. In doing so, they exert unhealthy pressure on the anus and restrict the blood flowing to the anal passage. This results in blood accumulating in the capillaries surrounding the veins, causing inflammation or swelling.

Symptoms

When a hemorrhoid forms internally, it is mostly painless due to the lack of pain receptor cells in the anal canal. This is why some people realize they have hemorrhoids after they notice blood in their stools.

If they remain untreated, the internal hemorrhoids can also form on the outsides of the anus. These hemorrhoids then can become very painful.

When a hemorrhoid forms externally, due to the presence of pain receptor cells in the anus, patients feel pain and discomfort. Walking and sitting may become difficult and bloody stool may become a frequent occurence.

Treatment

In some cases, eating fiber rich foods and practicing home remedies may treat your piles. However, in severe cases a doctor’s attention is needed and proper medication needs to be taken.

2. Anal Fissure

Anal fissures are tear(s) that form on the skin right outside the anus.

Causes

When hard stool is pushed out, or when a person suffers from chronic constipation, sometimes the skin around the anus may tear. These tears may get inflamed and infected, causing anal fissures.

Consuming a diet that has little or no fiber causes chronic constipation. Also, people who frequently practice food restricting diets may experience chronic constipation because stools accumulate in their rectum. When using the toilet, the accumulated stool hardens and damages the anus as they pass out.

Chronic constipation that is not treated results in the worsening of these anal fissures. The pain may cause a person to delay the passing of stools, and this could keep triggering more constipation. At this point, simple home remedies may offer no cure.

Symptoms

Since the epithelial lining surrounding the anus has many pain receptor cells, anal fissures are extremely painful. Symptoms include pain, blood while passing stools, and discomfort in sitting and walking.

Treatment

Treatment can take up to 2-3 weeks. People anal fissures need to consume high amounts of liquids and fibers to soften stool and prevent anal tears from more damage.

After using the toilet, soaking the bottom in warm clean water for 10-20 minutes would help decrease pain and stimulate healing.

Many oral medications and medicated creams are available for treating anal fissure tears. However, in extreme cases, it’s better to consult a doctor before administering any treatment or medication.

3. Anal Fistula

Anal fistula is a more severe and dangerous type of hemorrhoid. An anal fistula is an abnormal canal or tunnel that may develop under the skin. It connects the skin around the anus to the anal canal.

Causes

Anal fistulas may form in a reaction to an infected hemorrhoid, injury or wound. When a tear or swelling gets infected, anal abscesses may form around the anus. These abscesses contain pus. In severe cases, anal fistula tunnels may form as reaction to such pus-filled anal glands. They connect these pus-filled pouches to the skin of the buttocks.

Symptoms

An anal fistula is a very severe type of a hemorrhoid. Its common symptoms include severe pain, swelling and inflammation around the anus.

A patient suffering from an anal fistula may experience high fever, and their buttocks would feel very hot.

A severe end-stage symptom of the anal fistula is the leaking of pus from abscesses around the anus.

Treatment

No home remedies are used to treat this type of a hemorrhoid. Only a doctor can treat anal fistulas. Some treatment procedures include:

• Fistulotomy: the anal fistula is opened up and cleaned so it can heal from the inside.
• Reconstructive surgery helps treat the fistulas and remove infected anal glands.
• Medicated glue or plugs to block the fistulas from leaking pus.
• A seton silicon string is used to drain the fistula and begin healing

Final Thoughts

Hemorrhoids can be completely unnoticeable and can also be life-threatening. They can form inside and outside the anus. Some hemorrhoids are big enough to be present externally as well as internally.

Piles, anal fissures, and anal fistulas are the three types of hemorrhoids. These three distinct types have their causes, symptoms, and treatments. Hemorrhoids can be painful and overwhelming to deal with. But the good thing is that most hemorrhoids are treatable. However, one must remember that prevention is better than treatment.

Hence, in order to prevent hemorrhoids from forming, incorporate fiber-rich foods into your daily diet. Drink as much water as you can. And lastly, do not feel embarrassed and seek the doctor’s attention without delay.

For further education on hemorrhoids, visit https://hemrid.com/