For some people, hemorrhoids don’t cause symptoms. But for others, hemorrhoids can lead to itching, burning, bleeding, and discomfort, especially when you’re sitting down.
What are hemorrhoids, and why do they bleed?
Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are enlarged veins in the rectum and anus. There are two types of hemorrhoids:
- Internal hemorrhoids. These develop in the rectum.
- External hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids develop around the anal opening, beneath the skin.
Both internal and external hemorrhoids can become thrombosed hemorrhoids. This means that a blood clot forms inside the vein. Thrombosed hemorrhoids generally aren’t dangerous, but they can cause severe pain and inflammation.
In rare cases, thrombosed hemorrhoids can cause serious rectal bleeding due to ulceration (breaking) and necrosis (cell death) of the surrounding skin. This requires immediate medical attention.
Straining or passing a particularly hard stool can damage the surface of a hemorrhoid, causing it to bleed. Blood from a hemorrhoid will look bright red on a piece of toilet paper.
Internal, external, and thrombosed hemorrhoids can all bleed. In some cases, a thrombosed hemorrhoid can burst if it becomes too full.
Read on to learn more about why this happens and what you can do to get relief from pain and discomfort.
