According to official figures, up to 10-15% of the adult population suffer from hemorrhoids. According to statistics, men tend to suffer from it more, but women seek medical help more often, probably because they treat health more carefully.
Apart from unpleasant and humiliating experiences, this disease is dangerous because of numerous complications like iron-deficiency anemia, thrombosis, infringement haemorrhoid, etc.
Hemorrhoids Causes
Hemorrhoids is a disease, which appeared in humans as a retribution for being orthograde. Neither cats, nor dogs or horses ever face such a problem. Gravity acts on the whole body of these animals uniformly, so blood does not stagnate in the hind legs and the lower intestine. However, in orthograde humans, gravity increases the load on the these vessels. Depending on the profession and lifestyle, the risk of this disease is very fluctuating. No wonder hemorrhoids is considered a professional disease of the people with a sedentary or standing lifestyle – drivers, programmers, accountants, teachers. Long-term constipations promote the development of hemorrhoids, as well as pregnancy and childbirth, which create a strong intra-abdominal pressure.
Hemorrhoids Symptoms
- blood discharge from the rectum after defecation;
- streaks of blood in the stool;
- loss of nodes in the anal canal;
- pain and irritation in the anal area .
Hemorrhoids Treatment
Hemorrhoids diagnosis and treatment is the task of a proctologist. Depending on the complaints and patients’ clinical history the following examination is performed.
- A digital rectal examination is performed in all patients and is the main method of diagnosis of hemorrhoids and other proctologic disease.
- Sigmoidoscopy is the most common, accurate and reliable method for examining the rectum and the lower part of the sigmoid colon. It is performed using a sigmoidoscope.
- Anoscopy is the study of the anal canal and lower rectum using the anoscope (rectal mirror).
- Colonoscopy is an endoscopic examination of the colon.
- Barium enema is an X-ray examination of the colon.
- Stool analysis for foreign inclusions, remnants of undigested food and mucus.
- Fecal occult blood test.
- Blood test is done to determine anemia (decreased hemoglobin levels in due to chronic bleeding).
What to Do if You Have Hemorrhoids?
If you notice the symptoms of hemorrhoids, consult with the proctologist as soon as possible. Do not delay seeing a doctor for a long time, since hemorrhoids has a number of serious complications. It is important that you should fight chronic constipation by adhering to a high-fiber diet (fruits, vegetables, bran, etc), regular exercise and various laxatives.
How Can a Doctor Help You?
To reduce pain and inflammation in the rectum, rectal suppositories, gels, and ointments are used. However, the main treatment is surgical. Depending on the severity and intensity of bleeding different surgical methods may apply.
Hemorrhoids Complications
The most dangerous complication of hemorrhoids is acute thrombosis of hemorrhoidal veins, when the inflammation is developed. This disease is characterized by sharp pain, which becomes permanent. Not only defecation, but also walking becomes painful. Such patients require emergency hospitalization.
