What is hemorrhoids and what is the recommended hemorrhoid treatment for those suffering from the illness? You may have come across the term, and you may already know what it generally means. But let us look deeper into the this illness that is actually a very common ailment around the world.

So what is hemorrhoids? It is an illness defined by the enlarged veins in our rectum. It develops from the two veins that drain blood from the lower rectum and anus. There are two set of veins that are involved here: the internal veins and the external veins. The internal veins can swell to form internal hemorrhoids, and the external veins can swell to form external hemorrhoids. From the terms itself, internal hemorrhoids cannot be seen (unless it's a severe case) while external hemorrhoids can be seen around the anus.

Hemorrhoids is usually caused by constipation and strained bowel movements. These causes can lead to the increased pressure in the veins which will make them swell. Other causes of the illness are pregnancy and liver disease. These can also cause increased pressure in the hemorrhoid veins.

So how do we know that we have hemorrhoids? The most straightforward symptom of the ailment is a painless bleeding when on your bowel movement. When you see blood on your stool or on the toilet paper, or when you see blood dripping from your anus, then most likely you have hemorrhoids.

There are severe cases of the illness, of course. There is what we call prolapsed hemorrhoids, which is caused by the swelling of the internal veins and which extends through the anus. You will be able to feel the hemorrhoids from the outside. Oftentimes you can just push it back through the anus. Otherwise it will get more swollen and will be trapped outside the anus. When this happens, the you will have to consult with a doctor to know what to do next. You may also get itching in your anus, a condition called pruritis ani.

Another severe form of the ailment is thrombosed hemorrhoids. This is a painful version, resulting from the swelling of the external veins. This is because of the blood clot that increases the swollen vein to get bigger and give more pain. It becomes even more painful when you're on your bowel movement, or even when you're just sitting down for a long period of time. You should also go for a consultation with your doctor regarding the treatment for this ailment.

Just remember that when it becomes painful, or when there is a moderate amount of bleeding from the hemorrhoids, go directly to a doctor. You should go to the doctor for any rectal bleeding, as a matter of fact, as this is most obviously not a sign of good health in any scenario. It may turn out to be inflammatory bowel disease or a kind of cancer. It is always best to make sure. If it is indeed a bad case of hemorrhoids, then have your doctor explain to you the different kinds of hemorrhoid treatment available to you.