Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Symptoms of Hemorrhoids
• Part 2 of 2: Medical Assistance

Hemorrhoids develop as a result of enlarged veins located inside and outside the anus. Veins increase with increasing pressure in the veins of the pelvis and rectum, which is closely associated with constipation, diarrhea, and effort during bowel movements. Internal hemorrhoids are difficult to self-diagnose, but there are some signs and symptoms.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

1. 1 Watch for bleeding during bowel movements. You can find blood on toilet paper or in the toilet. This is the most common symptom of internal hemorrhoids.
   • Blood or mucus in your stool can be a sign of other conditions, such as colorectal cancer, rectal cancer, and not just hemorrhoids. If you experience these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor.
2. 2 Pay attention to the feeling of fullness in your rectum after a bowel movement. Most people with internal hemorrhoids describe a feeling of incomplete bowel movement. This is due to the swelling of the hemorrhoidal veins, which is felt like feces in the anus.
3. 3 Remember that internal hemorrhoids can come out. You may find prolapse of rectal nodules. It will be a pink mass that sticks out of the anus. This phenomenon is called prolapse, and it often leads to the release of intestinal contents.Prolapse is uncomfortable, but not painful.
   • Internal hemorrhoids are not painful because there are no nerve endings in the veins.
4. 4 Be especially alert for signs of hemorrhoids if you have at least one risk factor. Hemorrhoids not only occur when you push hard during a bowel movement, but also due to obesity, lifting heavy things, and pregnancy. During pregnancy, hemorrhoids are caused by increased stress and increased pressure in the veins in the lower body.
5. 5 Treatment of the initial stages of hemorrhoids at home. Most often, internal hemorrhoids can be healed at home. To do this, you just need to increase the amount of fiber in the diet and drink more water. All this softens the stool, making it easier to defecate. This reduces internal pressure, which is the main cause of hemorrhoids.
   • Eat more fiber-rich foods or take special fiber supplements. Follow package directions when using fiber supplements.
   • Drink enough water to prevent dehydration and soften stools. You should drink about 6-8 full glasses of water a day.

Part 2 of 2: Medical Assistance

1. 1 See your doctor if you have hemorrhoids. See your doctor if you suspect internal hemorrhoids and do not feel relief even after changing your diet for several days (increasing the amount of fiber and water). The doctor will determine the presence of hemorrhoids or other conditions.
   • Prepare for the test: Make a list of symptoms and a list of questions to ask your doctor about methods of softening your stool.
   • Usually, internal hemorrhoids are not painful and can only be detected when drops of blood appear in the stool or anus.
2. 2 Get a medical examination. Through a rectal examination, the doctor will determine if there is an internal or external hemorrhoid. The doctor will need to examine the anus to determine the severity of the hemorrhoid.
   • The doctor will do a rectal exam. During the procedure, the doctor will put on gloves and examine the rectum.
3. 3 Get ready for in-depth analysis. If rectal bleeding is not caused by hemorrhoids, your doctor will recommend additional tests, such as sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Such tests are necessary because rectal bleeding can be a symptom of bowel cancer.
   • A sigmoidoscopy is a study in which a doctor examines the rectum and part of the colon. During a colonoscopy, the rectum and the entire colon are examined. Both types of examinations involve inserting an endoscope into the anus.
   • Anoscopy and endoscopy are sufficient to diagnose internal hemorrhoids. During anoscopy, the doctor inserts a thin, illuminated tube into the rectum. Endoscopy is similar, but the illuminated tube is inserted deeper into the rectum or colon.
4. 4 Take a course of treatment. Treating internal hemorrhoids can be uncomfortable but not painful. The following procedures are used to treat internal hemorrhoids:
   • Ligation - threading the base of the hemorrhoid to stop blood flow.
   • Injection of a chemical solution into the hemorrhoid to shrink it.
   • Cauterization is a thermal effect on the hemorrhoid.
   • Hemorrhoidectomy is the surgical removal of a hemorrhoid.