What are "hemorrhoids"?

What are "hemorrhoids"?

Siamak Tabib (Gastroenterologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA) gives expert video advice on: What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?; What is the treatment for hemorrhoids? and more...

Hemorrhoids are veins or blood vessels that carry blood from the rectum back to the major veins that take blood back to the heart. Hemorrhoids are very common in the lining of the rectum between the very last part of the rectum called the anus. These veins can be both internal, known as internal hemorrhoids, or external, known as external hemorrhoids. When external hemorrhoids enlarge, they can be quite symptomatic, can cause a lot of discomfort and can potentially bleed. Hemorrhoids on the inside, known as internal hemorrhoids, generally do not cause significant pain or discomfort, however they can bleed when there's irritation in the area, either from a very hard, constipated bowel movement, or from multiple loose, traumatic diarrearal type movements.