Internal haemorrhoids occur when the veins inside the rectum become irritated and swell. Haemorrhoids are also known as piles. The rectum is the part of the body that connects the anus to the colon. Internal haemorrhoids can cause bleeding, but they aren’t known for being painful. Haemorrhoids are common in everyone and become more common as you get older. They do take some time to start showing signs, which is why they are uncommon in children.
Many people with internal haemorrhoids don’t know that they are there. Since internal haemorrhoids aren’t painful, they often go unnoticed. One sign that you may be experiencing internal haemorrhoids is the presence of blood on toilet paper, in your stool, or in the toilet. Blood from internal haemorrhoids is bright red. If it’s another colour, consider that something else may be going on.
Straining that puts pressure on the lower legs or stomach can irritate the veins in the rectum, causing internal haemorrhoids.
Some common causes of increased pressure on the rectal veins include:
The biggest factor for the development of internal haemorrhoids is age. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop haemorrhoids.
Your doctor will diagnose internal haemorrhoids by digital examination and potentially, visualisation of the haemorrhoids.
First, your doctor will put a lubricated, gloved finger in your rectum and feel for any abnormal growths. Internal haemorrhoids are often hard to feel. Your doctor may suggest an examination using a flexible tube called an anoscope that can be used to examine the rectum if they can’t feel anything during the digital examination.
Complications of internal haemorrhoids include:
It should be noted that complications from internal haemorrhoids are extremely rare.
Internal haemorrhoids can often be treated at home by slowly adding high-fibre foods to your diet, taking a warm bath every day, using haemorrhoid cream, and taking over the counter pain medication.
There are some procedures available for internal haemorrhoids that cause long-term bleeding and persistent pain.
These include:
Many of these treatments can lead to complications. This doesn’t happen often, but it can occur. Your doctor will be able to help you come up with the best treatment plan for your unique situation.
It’s wise to use preventative measures against haemorrhoids in everyday life, not only to stop haemorrhoids from occurring less often, but to minimise any symptoms.
Some easy ways to prevent haemorrhoids and severe haemorrhoid symptoms include eating foods that are high in fibre, drinking a lot of water, taking fibre supplements if you struggle with constipation and frequent haemorrhoids, stopping yourself from straining when trying to have a bowel movement, going to the bathroom as soon as you feel the need to pass a bowel movement, exercise frequently, and avoid sitting for long periods of time.