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Hemorrhoids

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids (also called piles) are swollen veins in the lowest part of your rectum and anus.  These clumps of veins sometimes stretch when they’re under pressure, and may swell or bulge, turning into hemorrhoids.  Increased pressure on your lower body can come from several sources:

  • Straining during bowel movements
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Being overweight
  • Pregnancy or childbirth
  • Lifting heavy things

What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are usually not serious, but they can be unpleasant.  There are two types of hemorrhoids:
  1. External hemorrhoids form around your anus
  2. Internal hemorrhoids form in your lower rectum
Hemorrhoids are more common as you get older.  You’re also more likely to get them if your parents had them.

How are hemorrhoids treated?

Dr. Meyerson will do a sigmoidoscopy to look in your anus and lower colon with a flexible lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope to determine if you have external or internal hemorrhoids.

For external hemorrhoids, Dr. Meyerson performs an in-office procedure called rubber band ligation, which puts a small rubber band around the hemorrhoid to cut off the blood supply until it shrinks.

For internal hemorrhoids, there are four options:

  1. Rubber band ligation: Treats one hemorrhoid at a time
  2. Infrared photocoagulation: Uses an infrared photo coagulator to shrivel the hemorrhoid
  3. When a painful blood clot forms in a hemorrhoid, that is a thrombotic hemorrhoid, and can usually be treated in the office.
  4. Outpatient Surgery: When an internal hemorrhoid stretches and pushes outside the anus, that’s called a prolapse.  It can be treated with outpatient surgery.