What is Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels around your anus and inside your rectum.

We don't know exactly what causes hemorrhoids, but experts think they occur when the small blood vessels (veins) in the lining of your

rectum
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).

rectum become wider and swollen with blood.

Source:
Thomson WH.
The nature of haemorrhoids.
British Journal of Surgery. 1975; 62: 542-552.

Here are some reasons why you may get hemorrhoids.

You strain when you go to the bathroom, perhaps because you're

constipated
When you're constipated, you have difficulty passing stools (feces). Your bowel movements may be dry and hard. You may have fewer bowel movements than usual, and it may be a strain when you try to go.

constipated. You may not be eating enough

fibre
Fiber is all the parts of your diet that your body can't absorb. This is why foods that are high in fiber make you have more bowel movements. When your body can't absorb something, it leaves your body in your stools. Foods high in fiber include wholemeal bread and cereals, root vegetables and fruits.

fiber.
If you are a woman and you're pregnant. Pressure from your baby may restrict the flow of blood around your anus. And changes in your

hormones
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.

hormones may affect your veins.
You may also be more likely to get hemorrhoids if the walls of your veins are weak. You can inherit this from your parents in your

genes
Your genes are the parts of your cells that contain instructions for how your body works. Genes are housed on chromosomes, structures that sit in the nucleus at the middle of each of your cells. You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal cells, each of which has thousands of genes. You get one set of chromosomes, and all of the genes that are on them, from each of your parents.

genes.

You can get hemorrhoids either inside your rectum, or outside, under the skin around your

anus
The anus, which is at the end of the rectum, is where a stool leaves your body when you go to the bathroom. Part of the anus is a muscle that helps you hold in the stool until you are on the toilet.

anus.

Source:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Hemorrhoids.
November 2004. Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hemorrhoids (accessed 24 February 2009).

² Your anus is the opening from your rectum.

Doctors put hemorrhoids into four categories, depending on how bad they are.

Source:
Brisinda G.
How to treat haemorrhoids.
BMJ. 2000; 321: 582-583.

First degree: These are small swellings on the inside of your rectum. You can't see them or feel them from outside. They may bleed when you go to the bathroom, but your symptoms are mild.
Second degree: These are larger swellings. They may partly push out (

prolapse
A prolapse is when a part of your body slips out of its normal position.

prolapse) from your anus when you go to the bathroom. But they soon spring back inside again.
Third degree: The swellings hang out from your anus. You can push them back inside with your finger.
Fourth degree: The swellings become quite large. They are permanently outside your anus. You can't push them back inside.

To diagnose hemorrhoids, your doctor will need to do a physical exam. They will look for swollen blood vessels around your anus. Your doctor may use an anoscope (a hollow tube with a light) to look for hemorrhoids inside your rectum.

Sources for the information on this page:

Thomson WH.The nature of haemorrhoids.British Journal of Surgery. 1975; 62: 542-552.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hemorrhoids.November 2004. Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hemorrhoids (accessed 24 February 2009).

Brisinda G.How to treat haemorrhoids.BMJ. 2000; 321: 582-583.

This information was last updated on Apr 01, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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