Posts Tagged ‘hemorrhoids treatment’

Are Hemorrhoids Dangerous?

Even the calmest person can plunge into a state of frenzy at the sight of blood in the rectum. It is never a pleasant experience to see blood coming from any part of the body but when it appears in the anus or stools it can be cause for alarm. More often than not if you do experience bleeding in this region it can be attributed to hemorrhoids. The next question would of course be, are hemorrhoids dangerous? We will explore the answers to this question in this article.

Hemorrhoids form when the clusters of veins found in the rectum and anus become swollen and distended. Hemorrhoids are usually associated with chronic constipation and anything that causes strain on the bowels such as the pressure caused by a growing baby during pregnancy. Rectal muscles that become weakened with age can lead to bulging or prolapsed hemorrhoids.

The good news is that hemorrhoids are rarely dangerous. In fact most cases can be treated successfully at home with the help of natural hemorrhoid treatments, sitz baths, over the counter creams to take care of the itching and by the inclusion of the recommended daily fiber intake in the diet for a more long term solution. The dangers of hemorrhoids mainly  involve serious discomfort, pain and risk of inflammation.

While the appearance of blood can be alarming it is most likely a result of the tearing of a hemorrhoid vein wall during a bowel movement. The increased pressure within the veins brought on by adding strain during a bowel movement can cause it to burst and this is the reason for the blood you see. Now, that said you should take note that sometimes, just sometimes, bleeding from the rectum can be a sign that something more serious is going on down there.

Some diseases such as those related to anorectal conditions which result in the formation of fissures, abscesses and fistulas can all exhibit symptoms that are similar to hemorrhoids. Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease and sexually transmitted diseases such as anal warts, herpes, syphilis, Chlamydia and gonorrhea also display symptoms of anal bleeding, itching and pain which can also be attributed to hemorrhoids. Finally polyps and cancer also show symptoms which can be mistakenly diagnosed as hemorrhoids by the inexperienced. These symptoms usually show up in the advanced stages of cancer and will be detected by a doctor with the help of a colonoscopy.

The mention of these related diseases is not meant to cause further alarm. They are however meant to communicate the seriousness with which you should view symptoms of prolonged bleeding and pain in the rectum. You should seek medical attention from a doctor who treats hemorrhoids to receive a correct diagnosis if you are not one hundred certain that you are suffering from hemorrhoids and to identify any possible dangers of hemorrhoids based on their type and age. Untreated hemorrhoids have more risks associated with them as blood clots entering blood circulatory system and then dangers associated with surgery if they are allowed to develop into latter stages.

Ahemorrhoids dangerousre Hemorrhoids Dangerous?

If you are certain that hemorrhoids are the cause of your bleeding, discomfort and pain the question still remains, are hemorrhoids dangerous? They are not and usually with proper treatment using creams, natural remedies and some important lifestyle changes that involve diet and exercise you will be able to get rid of hemorrhoids. In very cases surgery might be recommended as a last resort by doctors who treat hemorrhoids.

What Doctor Treats Hemorrhoids

If you’re silently suffering the pain of hemorrhoids thinking that no one understands your pain, think again! The fact that “hemorrhoid cure” and its various misspellings and other associated phrases such as “treat hemorrhoid from home” are searched for on Google more than 12 million times monthly says quite a lot about this common disorder. If you use this fact to make the assumption that people like you, and me, would rather just cure hemorrhoids at home then you’d be quite correct. Natural hemorrhoid treatment methods are most of the time hemorrhoids sufferer’s best friend. Most sufferers will find one right solution that would cure the problem for good all without the embarrassment of explaining every detail to your doctor.

There comes a time though when you have to bite the bullet and get yourself checked out by someone who knows more about hemorrhoids than most of internet hemorrhoid guides. Your question would then be “what doctor treats hemorrhoids?” Before I pose the somewhat complicated answer to that question though let me first tell you when you need to consider seeing your doctor about your hemorrhoids.

When your slight discomfort, swelling and minimal rectal bleeding becomes moderate or severe pain and heavy bleeding that lasts more than one week, or that small lump seems to have a life of its own and when internal tissue bulge from the anus then it is time to pick up the phone and call your doctor. Better yet get in your car and head straight to the emergency room. The time for home treatments and watchful waiting is over.

What Doctor Treats Hemorrhoids? Who Do You Call?

The General Physician

You’ll be happy to find out that your general physician should be your first stop. Explain your symptoms to him and after an examination he most likely will prescribe some medication, recommend some dietary changes, suggest sitz baths and pat you on your hand while giving you a reminder to return for a follow up visit.

If your symptoms are really severe and if your general physician suspects something more serious is in the works he would then refer you to a proctologist.

The Proctologist

A proctologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the rectum and anus. The proctologist will examine the area and look for any potential problems and will make the examination of hemorrhoid symptoms as painless as possible both physically and psychologically.

Once the examination is complete the proctologist will either prescribe medication, natural remedies or he might refer you to a colorectal surgeon for surgery. If he suspects that there are intestinal complications that go beyond the visible hemorrhoids he will refer you to a gastroenterologist.

The Gastroenterologist

Always be prepared for the possibility that your problem could be more than hemorrhoids. If your proctologist feels that the intervention of a gastroenterologist is required then he will step in and perform several examinations to determine the root of the problem. If your complications do not go deeper than your lower intestinal tract then the proctologist will refer you directly to a surgeon.

The Colorectal Surgeon

The sole purpose of the colorectal surgeon is to perform the surgical procedure on your colorectal region that will get rid of your hemorrhoids once and for all. Once the procedure is completed he will refer you back to the proctologist for post surgical care.

The simple answer to the question what doctor treats hemorrhoids, is that it all depends on the severity of the hemorrhoids itself. From general practitioners to proctologists, gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons they all have a part to play in helping you cure hemorrhoids.