Bleeding Hemorrhoids & What To Do About Them

Hemorrhoids are a medical condition in which the blood vessels in and around the rectal area are stressed or strained. This results in pain, itching, irritation, or other discomfort. Hemorrhoids, also called hemroids, sometimes cause bleeding, which tends to occur when one passes a stool. It may be alarming to see blood streaked in one’s stool, but it is important to remain calm. There are hemorrhoid remedies that can help.

Nature of the Condition

Bleeding is typically associated with internal hemorrhoids. This is because external hemorrhoids do not typically bleed. Even though most doctors associate bloody stools with internal hemorrhoids, there are other conditions that may behave in this manner, such as anal fissures and anal cancer. If you see blood during the passing of stool or at the end of a bowel movement, it is typically a case of hemorrhoids.

If the condition continues to worsen, hemorrhoids can become thrombosed, where blood becomes clotted inside the hemorrhoid. This leads to the hemorrhoid protruding from the anus. The resulting swelling is often accompanied by pain and itching. The bleeding occurring with hemorrhoids typically results from the squeezing motion and friction of straining to pass a hard bowel movement when one is constipated.

Very rarely does excessive bleeding occur. Also very rare is anemia associated and treated with hemorrhoids. If you feel extreme pain or have severe bleeding at any time, seek medical care immediately.

How to Tell if  you have Bleeding Hemorrhoids

The most obvious indicator of bleeding hemorrhoids is blood in the stool. There are additional indicators that let you determine whether it is blood from hemorrhoids or something else.

First, look at the blood and determine its color. Is the blood red, brown, or black? Blood from a bleeding hemorrhoid will always be red because it is fresh. If the blood is brown or black, it could be a more serious condition and you should see your doctor right away.

Never ignore or brush off rectal bleeding, even if it is due to a bleeding hemorrhoid. In all cases of rectal bleeding, see a doctor. This is because it could be a sign of a more serious condition, such as, anal fissures, torn tissue, or an infection. The doctor will use a scope to examine your rectum and colon in order to determine the origin of the bleeding.

Doctors can confirm whether the blood is in fact coming from a bleeding hemorrhoid or something more. They will also let you know if the treatment you are using is effective.

Bleeding Hemorrhoid Treatments

What can you do about bleeding hemorrhoids? Several types of hemorrhoid cures are available that can help you feel more comfortable in a very short period of time.

Over-the-Counter

One of the most available treatments to improve comfort is hemorrhoid cream. Creams and ointments can help reduce swelling, itching, and tenderness associated with bleeding hemorrhoids.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is an injection or series of injections inserted into the tissue of the hemorrhoid. These injections contain chemicals that help dissolve and remove hemorrhoids. But this treatment does not prevent the eventual recurrence of hemorrhoids.

Rubber Banding, or Surgery

In rubber band therapy, doctors cut off the blood supply to bleeding hemorrhoids. After the blood supply is cut off, the hemorrhoid should wither away, fall off, and be expelled during a bowel movement. While this procedure has a high success rate, it can be very painful because of the squeezing. More advanced cases of hemorrhoids may require surgery. However, a hemorrhoidectomy is typically a last resort after all other options have been tried. As expected, surgery is a risky procedure, only considered in cases of a severely bleeding hemorrhoid.