Hemorrhoids: Internal and External cases
Hemorrhoids are a common and painful problem caused by the swollen veins in the anal canal. Veins can swell on the inside of the anal canal producing internal hemorrhoids.Veins can also swell near the opening of the anus to produce external hemorrhoids. One person is able to have both types at the same time. The symptoms and treatment depend of which is the case.
One of the main causes for hemorrhoids is the excessive pressure applied on the veins in the pelvic and rectal area. To help control bowel movements, tissue inside the anus usually fills with blood. If you strain to move stool, the big amount of pressure causes the veins in this tissue to swell and stretch, which ends up producing hemorrhoids.
Diarrhea or constipation also may cause to straining and can augment pressure on veins in the anal canal, causing in this way hemorrhoids.
In the case of internal hemorrhoids, you may find bright red streaks of blood on toilet paper or bright red blood in the toilet bowl after you have a normal bowel movement. You also may find blood on the surface of the stool. Internal hemorrhoids can be painful if they bulge out and are squeezed by the anal muscles, and they can be very painful if the blood supply to the hemorrhoid is cut off. If hemorrhoids bulge out, you also may see mucus on the toilet paper or stool.
External hemorrhoids can bleed, and then the blood pools, causing a hard painful lump. This is called a thrombosed, or clotted hemorrhoid.
