Hemorrhoids occur when the veins around the anus or inside the rectum become inflamed or swollen. There are many known causes of this painful condition including pregnancy, strain to produce stool from either constipation or diarrhea, childbirth, lifting heavy objects, and sitting for long periods of time. Hemorrhoids can occur either internally or externally.

Internal hemorroids can be diagnosed by bright red spots or streaks of blood on toilet tissue or stool. Internal hemorroids are often small, swollen veins in the inside of the anal canal; however, they can become so large that they protrude outside of the anus consistently. Most often, you will not notice you have an internal hemorroid except for the spotting of blood. It is only when the internal hemorrhoids become so large that they bulge outside of the anus that they are squeezed by the anal and buttocks muscles, thus producing quite a bit of pain and discomfort.

When the blood supply to an internal hemorrhoid is cut off, extreme pain can occur. You may also notice mucus on the toilet tissue or stool if an internal hemorroid becomes protruded. On the other hand, external hemorrhoids are swollen veins near the anal opening. External hemorrhoids can often bleed. When the blood pools, a hard and very painful lump can occur. That is when terms such as thrombosed or clotted hemorrhoid are used to describe external hemorrhoids.

The treatments of internal hemorrhoids are often the same as the treatment of external hemorrhoids. Over-the-counter hemorrhoidal creams, fiber supplements, and stool softeners can all be used to help ease the pain and discomfort associated with internal hemorroids. Also, exercising, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables (introduce fiber slowly if you're not used to having any in your diet), and drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water daily will all help in keeping your digestive system functioning efficiently and effectively, which most often will ease your painful hemorrhoidal symptoms and prevent the recurrence.

Most likely, your doctor will not recommend surgery for the treatment of your internal hemorrhoids; however sometimes, there is no natural cures for hemorrhoids If you have tried other at home treatments and your condition does not improve, often surgery is the only option. It is only when hemorrhoids become very large and persist for days without any improvement from at home treatments that your doctor will most likely send you to a skilled proctologist to figure out the best treatment for you.

There are many surgical procedures available today, some being much less invasive than others with less painful and lengthy recovery times. Unfortunately, once you develop an internal hemorroid, even with treatment, the recurrence rates are high. The best you can do is to try to prevent the recurrence with proper diet and exercise to maintain a healthy digestive system.