Hemorrhoids Symptoms

One of the more unpleasant hemorrhoid symptoms is itchiness. Sufferers are very tempted to scratch but need to try to resist this as scratching only makes the symptoms of hemorrhoids worse.

Other symptoms of hemorrhoids show up as the pain and discomfort from the so called “piles” which may appear at the opening of the anal passage after you have been straining when having a bowel movement. These piles can resemble soft lumps in bunches. There is also a mucus covering to these bunches or piles and this can become damaged quite easily from a bowel movement so that bleeding can start. This bleeding is a bleeding hemorrhoid symptom.

The hemorrhoids that occur outside the rectum are called external hemorrhoids and these involve the veins around the anus. They can be itchy or painful and they do sometimes crack and bleed.

One of the more unpleasant hemorrhoid symptoms is if an external hemorrhoid becomes cut off from its blood supply. A clot can then form in the hemorrhoid and the person suffers from very severe pain. When such a blood clot forms, one can usually feel a tender lump on the edge of the anus and see bight red blood on the toilet paper or even in the toilet after a bowel movement.

Internal hemorrhoids are those that occur inside the rectum. Often when these internal hemorrhoids are small and deep inside the rectum, the hemorrhoid symptoms may be so mild that you are unaware of their presence.

Some internal hemorrhoids can become prolapsed hemorrhoids and the symptoms of prolapsed hemorrhoids are so clear cut that medical practitioners use a grading system to classify them as follows:

• Grade 1 hemorrhoids project into the anal canal. While they often bleed, they do not prolapse.
• Grade 2 hemorrhoids may protrude beyond the anal verge due to straining when passing a bowel movement but then reduce again when straining ceases.
• Grade 3 hemorrhoids protrude spontaneously or without straining. They require manual reduction. That is they need to be gently pushed back into the anal canal.
• Grade 4 hemorrhoids are chronically prolapsed and cannot be reduced. At this stage, they contain both internal and external components and may present with acute thrombosis or strangulation.

The best treatment for hemorrhoids, and the symptoms of hemorrhoids, is often a combination of a change in your habits or lifestyle together with either over-the-counter products or natural medications. If you can persevere with this combination, the chances are extremely high that you will successfully treat your hemorrhoid condition and hemorrhoid symptoms.