External Hemorrhoids: causes, symptoms and treatment

What Are External Hemorrhoids?

The term external hemorrhoid refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed.

 

Causes

External hemorrhoids are caused by increased pressure within the external hemorrhoidal veins. 

• Straining to move stool, or other poor bowel habits such as sitting for long periods
• Pregnancy
• Aging
• Chronic constipation
• Anal intercourse
• Obesity
• A high-fat, low-fiber diet.

 

Symptoms of External Hemorrhoids
For a person with an external hemorrhoid, symptoms include:

• Pain, usually severe
• Hard bluish lump around the anus that results when a blood clot forms. This condition is known as a thrombosed external hemorrhoid.
• Bleeding
• Anal itching.

 

How to tell if it’s external hemorrhoids?

You have to be examined by a medical expert to tell if you have external or internal hemorrhoids which depends on the origin of the hemorrhoids inside your rectum. The treatment choice will largely depend on the type of hemorrhoids you have.

 

Treatment of External Hemorrhoids

If your hemorrhoids found to be external there are two types of treatment:

 

Conservative

These medications help to shrink hemorrhoids and relieve the pain, burning sensations, and bleeding associated with hemorrhoids. Using these treatments as soon as you notice symptoms of hemorrhoids can help prevent the development of an external thrombosed hemorrhoid.

 

Radical

It is always better to avoid the procedure, but because external thrombosed hemorrhoids are so painful, that is just not always possible.

Thrombosed external hemorrhoid usually treated right in the office. In-office procedure consists of a small cut that needs to be made to relieve the blood clot. This will usually be done under local anesthesia (that means you will be awake during the procedure).