Hemorrhoids

What are "hemorrhoids"?

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.

What causes hemorrhoids?

Everybody to a certain extent has haemorrhoids. These are normal vessels that line the rectum. Haemorrhoids can enlarge during certain conditions such as heavy straining and exercise, straining during bowl movements, prolonged sitting on the toilet, and sometimes even pressure from pregnancy for women that can increase the engorgement of blood within these vessels and the enlargement of haemorrhoids.