Having hemorrhoids is no picnic and can actually cause a lot of problems. With the ability to range from mild irritation to something so severe that surgery is required, hemorrhoids are nothing you should ignore.
External hemorrhoids are no less serious than internal hemorrhoids. As a matter of fact, they can cause more pain and itching than their internal counterparts might cause. There are times that external hemorrhoids can become strangulated, meaning they can get caught inside the anus and possibly end up with a blood clot.
There is also the chance that an external hemorrhoid might become thrombosed. This happens when an external hemorrhoid swells and becomes severely inflamed to the point of being extremely painful and causing extra discomfort.
Both strangulated and thrombosed external hemorrhoids may require surgery to correct. There are many types of surgery for hemorrhoids, and the length of time required to recover as well as the pain and discomfort while recovering varies with each different type of treatment.
External hemorrhoids can be caused by many things, including pregnancy and childbirth, obesity, coughing extremely hard, liver disease, and straining to have a hard bowel movement. No matter what caused your hemorrhoids, you should do everything you can to treat them before they become a real problem.
When external hemorrhoid problems first begin, you may not even know what the problem is. Pain, itching, and problems going to the bathroom are all abnormal, but with the stigma of hemorrhoids, there is little chance that you will want to admit you have them to anyone, even yourself.
External hemorrhoids are easy to recognize. The veins at the opening of the anal canal become inflamed and swollen, making you feel like there is something there that doesn’t belong. Being constipated, having diarrhea, and straining when going to the bathroom or even coughing may hurt and make the swelling worse.
One of the worst things you might experience with external hemorrhoids is possibly having a blood vessel break. If this happens, there will be a lot of bleeding and pain, and it will probably require surgery to repair. When you have hemorrhoids, it is very important to take care of them right away. Avoiding problems may be as simple as using a hemorrhoid cream or taking a warm bath a couple of times a day.
The easiest way to take care of hemorrhoids is to add plenty of fiber and water to your diet. Adding fiber will help you have easier to pass bowel movements, making the strain on your rectum less and helping the hemorrhoids to heal.
External hemorrhoids may be painful and have a chance of becoming a bigger problem if left untreated. You can choose to help heal them now or ignore them and take a chance at ending up with external hemorrhoid problems that may be more difficult to control. Choosing to help them go away now means that there will be less of a chance for future problems to develop.