I have hemorrhoids? Discover how to know if you have piles paying special attention to what symptoms it produces.
Did you know that hemorrhoids are the most frequent proctologic pathology, which is suffered by about half of the western population? Their highest incidence occurs between 45 and 65 years of age, and they can become quite an uncomfortable problem for the person who has them.
Hemorrhoids are varicose veins or inflammations of the veins located in the rectum and anus. They are also known by the name of piles, and from an anatomical point of view they are pads, plexuses or cushions of sub mucosal tissue where the superficial arterioles and venues present in the anal canal are contained.
There are different degrees of hemorrhoids depending on their severity. They range from the mildest (those small internal piles that hardly cause bleeding and little prolapse), to the most advanced hemorrhoids, in which there is a permanent hemorrhoid prolapse. On the other hand, depending on their location they can be internal, external and mixed hemorrhoids.
If at any time you have had any discomfort or bleeding, it is normal for you to wonder if you have hemorrhoids or not. A good option when it comes to finding out is to pay attention to the symptoms of hemorrhoids (although, of course, it is always best to go to your doctor’s office, who will be the most appropriate specialist to diagnose them):
- Bleeding: It usually appears even in mild hemorrhoids, although the bleeding tends to be scant. It occurs especially when defecating, and can be detected by leaving stains on the toilet paper when you clean yourself, or by the presence of traces of blood in the toilet bowl.
- Mucus secretion: when there are internal hemorrhoids, the presence of a mucus secretion from the anal mucosa itself is common, which can cause irritation and itching of the skin, which can cause some burning during defecation.
- Pain: externally located hemorrhoids tend to be very annoying, especially when they come out of the anus. On the other hand, internal ones tend not to hurt.
- Prolapse: It is a lump that appears when the hemorrhoids protrude from inside the anus. It is difficult to introduce them again.
Before the appearance of any symptom, no matter how minimal, the main recommendation that we could give you is to go to your doctor, who will be the most appropriate to tell you if you have hemorrhoids or not. On the other hand, mild hemorrhoids tend not to cause symptoms, so if you have a family history of hemorrhoids you should know that you are at higher risk of them, or if you also suffer from constipation.
