Thursday, February 26, 2009

Hemorrhoid Miracle - Causes and Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

By Todd Titus

Hemorrhoids are not only pain in the butt but real pain in medication. Most people with this burden avoid seeing the doctor due to some personal reasons and instead go to the over the counter medications.

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins just inside the anus. They produce pain if they come out of the anus with a bowel movement because of constriction. Once they come out, the skin around them and the veins themselves are inflamed. So the next question you might be asking is What causes hemorrhoids and their symptoms?

When there is pressure on the vein that prevents the blood flow from returning to the heart, sometimes the veins just inside the anus become swollen for they become constricted due to the large amount of stool that stays. Also, a job in which a person sits all of the time can produce hemorrhoids. Straining and sitting a long time on the toilet trying to have a bowel movement is also thought to produce hemorrhoids and diarrhea causes hemorrhoids by the same mechanism.

Increased intra abdominal pressure from heavy lifting or a chronic cough from asthma, smoking or any chronic lung disease causes hemorrhoids because the increased pressure is like straining at stool that obstructs the flow of blood through the veins that cause the swelling. Obesity can also cause an increased intra abdominal pressure just by the weight of the abdominal wall. It is associated also with hemorrhoids. Pregnancy produces swollen veins and hemorrhoids due to a moderately increased blood volume, and also because the pregnancy itself may slightly block some of the return venous blood flow from the lower pelvis and rectum. Rectoceles can also be associated with hemorrhoids when the rectal wall protrudes out of the vagina and obstructs the veins in the wall of the rectum below.

If one or more of the swollen veins becomes "scratched" by hard stool, it may cause bright red bleeding. Often this is painless bleeding and comes out in the toilet bowl water or on toilet paper. Most bright red rectal bleeding is due to hemorrhoids but there is always concern that a rectal cancer could be present. So next time consider a rectal exam by a physician to avoid even more trouble in the future. - 14130

About the Author:

No comments: