That first time you saw the blood, fear may have run through your veins. That isn’t normal, you might have thought. Do I have cancer? As you prepared to go see your doctor about it, maybe you were so scared that you almost thought about not going. After all, he said on the phone that it is probably only a hemorrhoid, right? But, of course, you went. You are too smart to trust the ‘usual,’ and wanted to make sure of what you were dealing with, so off you went.
The relief you felt when your doctor concluded that it was indeed ‘just a hemorrhoid’ was indescribable. Seeing blood, even just a little bit, can be one of the scariest things when you aren’t expecting it. Making sure you know why there is blood can put your mind at rest. What causes hemorrhoids to bleed, anyhow?
Bleeding Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins, only they are located in the anus and rectum rather than in the legs. They can become easily irritated when wiped with rough, dry toilet paper and can begin bleeding. If this is what started the bleeding for you, then you might want to try wiping with a baby wipe or wet cloth. This will help soothe the hemorrhoid and give it a chance to heal without any more irritation.
Sometimes, hemorrhoids bleed when they become thrombosed. That happens when an internal hemorrhoid comes through the anal canal and gets pinched. It can bleed and become extremely sore. If a blood vessel from the hemorrhoid pops, then there can be an awful lot of blood. There have even been instances when the hemorrhoid bleeding has been so severe that a trip to the emergency room was needed.
There are other instances of bleeding due to extreme irritation from wiping too hard or having a difficult or hard-to-pass bowel movement. If you have prolonged periods of sitting or standing in one position, you may be putting extra strain on your rectum and seeing some bleeding.
The truth is that hemorrhoids can bleed if not taken care of right away. But if you have hemorrhoids and see blood, you can’t assume it’s just because of the hemorrhoids and ignore it. Blood can also be a symptom of other more serious diseases and medical problems such as colon or rectal cancer. If you ever have any amount of rectal bleeding, you should see your doctor to find out the true reason for it.
Bleeding hemorrhoids may cause you to experience more pain and more fear than hemorrhoids should cause, but they can be helped. With modern hemorrhoid treatments and plenty of home remedies, you should be able to find something that will help you end the bleeding hemorrhoid problem.
Life doesn’t have to slow down for a hemorrhoid problem as long as it is taken care of, and the sooner you do that, the better you’ll feel. Bleeding hemorrhoids are just one piece of the overall problem hemorrhoids can cause.