HEMORRHOIDS SYMPTOMS - BOWEL-HEALTH

Importance of the specialist visit

If it is true that hemorrhoids are the most common disorder of the rectum and anus, it is equally true that the characteristic symptoms of this pathology are common to many other diseases. Dermatitis, manifestations of systemic pathologies, tumors, fissures, cysts, fistulas and sexually transmitted diseases are just some of the situations that could mistakenly convince the patient that he has hemorrhoids. Even the doctor cannot at first glance trace the appearance of certain symptoms to hemorrhoids. Only a thorough diagnostic examination, such as anoscopy, will be able to establish with certainty of the presence of haemorrhoidal disease. Anoscopy is an inspection visit that allows you to see exactly what happens in the anal tissue, excluding far more serious diseases.

Undergoing a proctological examination therefore allows a sudden diagnosis, while taboos, do-it-yourself remedies and advice from friends are not only often ineffective, but can even further aggravate the situation.

Symptoms

For further information: Hemorrhoid Symptoms

Common symptoms of hemorrhoidal disease include bleeding, itching, prolapse, swelling, and discharge. However, in some cases, hemorrhoids can be completely asymptomatic.

Bleeding, present in about 80% of cases, is undoubtedly the most frequent disorder.Generally it appears in a mild form that draws the patient's attention due to the presence of red streaks in the stool or the leakage of a few drops of blood in the moments following defecation. The hemorrhage coming from the colon is characterized by a dark red color , while the rectal and anal one, typical of hemorrhoids, is distinguished by a more intense color (bright red).

Itching and the sensation of discomfort and burning in the anal area are other very common symptoms in hemorrhoid sufferers. It is not generally a very intense pain but a sense of heaviness at the anorectal level, a sort of annoying discomfort with which the patient very often lives in silence.

The onset of the disease occurs in many cases in the form of rather mild signs, such as the presence of traces of blood on toilet paper. Over time these problems can evolve into a more serious form, remain unchanged or regress definitively.

In the advanced stages the problem takes on more serious connotations, turning into a particularly disabling discomfort that also interferes with normal daily activities such as walking or cycling.

The pain is not directly linked to the haemorrhoidal disease but to its complications and arises whenever the varice becomes inflamed due to trauma or microbial infections and whenever a blood clot forms (thrombosis).

Prolapse is a symptom that occurs when the hemorrhoids come out of the anal canal, for example under exertion (cough), or during defecation. Depending on whether the hemorrhoids return spontaneously or remain outside, we speak respectively of internal and external hemorrhoids.

Despite the strong discomfort created, hemorrhoids are generally not dangerous for the health of the individual. In an advanced stage of the disease, however, complications related to excessive bleeding (anemia and thrombosis) may arise.