When you have hemorrhoids, at times it may seem like you’re the only one in the world with this embarrassing painful condition, but this is far from the case. Millions of people get hemroids each year, it’s just that most people find them too embarrassing to talk about even with close friends and family. Hemorrhoids can happen at any age, but they become more common as we get a little older. One of the reasons that they may become more common as we get older is because aging leads to a loss of muscle definition that is an inevitable part of the aging process. So what does this have to do with hemorrhoids? Well, the anal canal also has muscles which hold the anal canal walls in place. These canal walls are full of anal veins, if these muscles weaken slightly, this may put strain on the anal veins. But this is just one possible theory for why hemorrhoids become more common as we get older. Other things that can create a risk factor for hemorrhoids include pregnancy, obesity, anal sex, diarrhea, constipation and high blood pressure. Anything that puts stress on the anal veins can create a risk for hemorrhoids.
So, how can you tell if you have hemorrhoids? For people with internal hemorrhoids, it may be harder to identify a hemroid even exists; this is because this type of hemorrhoid may be entirely pain free, but bleeding may be seen while passing stools. External hemorrhoids are usually quite easy to identify because they can be irritating, itchy and may even be seen or felt at the anal opening. External hemorrhoids may also exhibit bleeding as a symptom. Getting properly diagnosed is important when it comes to colon diseases; this is because anal pain, swelling or bleeding may also indicate a more serious health risk such as colon cancer. So, don’t try to self diagnose you symptoms even if you think your symptoms are just hemorrhoids.
