Health

Hemorrhoids: What are the Symptoms?.

 

The word ‘hemorrhoids’ is no longer a foreign word to most people. This disease is a very common disease, with a wide selection of hemorrhoids remedies, be it the latest modern treatment choice or traditional remedy that we call ‘ubat buasir’. The symptoms can range from mild symptoms, up to more serious manifestations that can disrupt the daily living of the person experiencing it. In this article, we will discuss the symptoms of hemorrhoids that are important for us to know.

Hemorrhoids are formed from enlarged venous blood vessels in the anus and are often considered as an embarrassing condition, no matter how young or old the patients are. But, why? The disease is often associated with difficult defecation or constipation and bleeding from the anus. Yes, bleeding from the anal region, especially during straining is one of the symptoms of hemorrhoids, while constipation is one of the causes. But bleeding is not something that is certain to happen. Cases of hemorrhoids that do not involve bleeding are also common.

Discussion of bleeding issues in hemorrhoids can be quite a lengthy discussion. What is important, however, is that people need to know that bleeding can occur either as drops of bright red blood during defecation, or as blood mixed with stool. For some cases, the amount of blood in the stool is very minimal and microscopic that the blood cannot be seen grossly with naked eyes. So, for such cases, a stool examination under a microscope will be performed to detect any blood cells that may be present.

If we discuss diseases that involve bleeding, it is important to mention that these diseases will all lead to another relatively serious problem if the bleeding is not well controlled. This serious problem is anemia, a condition where the body lacks red blood cells. Yes, it is a known fact that the human body will produce new red blood cells every few months, but if the rate of blood loss is too high, the new cell production alone is not enough to compensate for the loss. Patients will be pale, tire easily and may be at risk of fainting. All of these are symptoms of anemia. Individuals with a history of low red blood cells will be more susceptible to this problem.

The next feature of hemorrhoids is pain over the anal region, especially during defecating or straining. Just like bleeding, this symptom is not a definite symptom with only a number of patients experiencing it. There are also hemorrhoids patients who present with a lot of bleeding but without any pain at all. For those with this symptom, every toilet trip would feel like a burden rather than relief. Constipation or hard stools can also exacerbate the pain.

People with hemorrhoids will also usually develop lumps in the anus. These lumps may be sensitive and painful when in contact with faeces, fingers or examination tools. As mentioned, these lumps originate from the swollen venous blood vessels inside the anus. Some lumps are inside the anus, some are outside of the anus and can be seen by the examining doctor. These external lumps can sometimes be pushed or reduced back into the anus using fingers while some others can no longer be reduced. However, there is no need to worry because each type of hemorrhoids has its own treatment.

If someone suffers from hemorrhoids, there is absolutely no need to feel ashamed. Feel free to consult your doctor as your privacy and confidentiality as a patient are protected under Malaysian and the world medical laws. Your doctor will examine and recommend the most appropriate treatment options for you in order to avoid more serious conditions and further unnecessary pain.