Having hemorrhoids is bad enough when they are mild. You may still have pain, itching, swelling, and tingling. Some people even feel like it is a burning sensation. Whatever your symptoms, taking care of them early can help prevent a more serious problem that can develop with external hemorrhoids – thrombosis.
An external hemorrhoid that becomes thrombosed can cause much more pain than you may have had so far. A thrombosed hemorrhoid occurs when a blood clot is caught in the hemorrhoid vein. This can cause severe pain and can actually block the rectum from being able to pass a bowel movement. Thrombosed external hemorrhoids can be life threatening, and require immediate medical attention. Usually the course of action is to have hemorrhoid surgery within 72 hours of getting the clot. If it is let go longer, the surgery may not work as well. Thrombosed hemorrhoids may be the most serious possible complication of external hemorrhoids.
Another possible complication of a hemorrhoid that is external is that they tend to bleed. Seeing blood on the toilet paper, in the water, or on your underwear can be quite scary. Passing it off as being from the hemorrhoid can be dangerous, even though it may be.
Rectal bleeding is not only a symptom of hemorrhoids, but can also signify an even more serious condition, such as colon or rectal cancer. If you notice even a little bit of bleeding, don’t assume anything. Have it checked out by your doctor. And if the bleeding happens more than once, request a test to make sure it is the hemorrhoid, and not a more serious problem. There have been cases where even the doctor assume bleeding was from a hemorrhoid, and it turned out to be cancer, so make sure you are thoroughly tested if the need arises.
Another thing about hemorrhoids is that if you don’t begin treatments right away, they can become more painful, affect more vein area, and be harder to get rid of. Whether your hemorrhoids are internal or external, using a hemorrhoid treatment will help you deal with the pain, itching, burning, and swelling, by treating the symptoms and reducing the inflammation.
The best way to make sure you don’t have any problems arise with your hemorrhoids is to take care of them as soon as you know you have them. Treating them soon can prevent thrombosed hemorrhoids and can also prevent them from lasting as long and giving you more pain and stress. Using something that is easy, goes along with your lifestyle, and will be something you remember to do regularly will be the best option.
Hemorrhoids may be a pain, but they don’t have to become even more painful and harder to deal with. Taking the steps to make sure they don’t become a bigger problem will help you avoid some unnecessary pain and suffering in the long run.