Hey there Good Buddy! We've talked about many aspects related to those nasty hemorrhoids of yours...
symptoms, home care, nutrition and so on.
Now we want to look at the worst case scenario...
complications.
What could go wrong? I don't want to scare you...
as though hemorrhoids could scare a road warrior! Seriously though, I want you to realize that hemorrhoids, though the "butt" of many jokes, are no laughing matter.
The complications can be serious...
your hemorrhoids may be serious and need to be dealt with and not ignored.
First, a warning...
if your doctor has not told you that you have hemorrhoids and your "piles" do not respond to hemorrhoid treatment, make an appointment with the physician.
There are serious causes of rectal pain and bleeding that need to be ruled out.
A complication, by definition, means that an undesirable event has occurred unexpectedly.
When we think about hemorrhoids, we think of pain, burning, itching, bleeding, and other miserable things.
We don't usually think about complications.
Let's do it now: 1) Constipation: Though infrequent and hard stools are one of the major causes of hemorrhoids, they are also a complication of hemorrhoids.
This is a situation of "the worse it gets, the worse it gets".
Once the hemorrhoids have developed, constipation often worsens because of the reluctance to move the bowels because of pain and bleeding.
This delay in turn causes the stool to get even harder which aggravates the hemorrhoids even more...
and the cycle has begun.
2) Thrombosis: This is a clot that has developed in an external hemorrhoid.
An external hemorrhoid is located on the outside of the anus and is visible to the naked eye.
They're visible, often as purple balls, and give you the feeling that you're sitting on something.
A thrombosed hemorrhoid may resolve itself but if it is extremely large or painful, it may need to be lanced.
3) Excessive bleeding: Some bright red blood is often seen with hemorrhoids.
However, of you are spurting blood or if there is a constant dripping of blood, you may require medical help to stop the bleeding.
Depending upon the amount of blood loss, bleeding can often be dealt with in the office though you may need to be treated at an out-patient surgical facility.
4) Sepsis: This is a condition in which germs from the rectal area have entered the blood stream and caused a generalized body infection.
This is serious and needs immediate attention.
If you develop sudden bleeding or pain, see your MD before the situation worsens.
5) Prolapse: It is not uncommon for some of the internal hemorrhoid to protrude through the anus, especially during bowel movements.
The tissue usually re-enters the bowels after the stool is completed, either spontaneously or with gentle prodding.
However, if the prolapse is large and does not re-enter the bowel, it may become "raw" causing increased risk of infection.
6) Strangulation: This occurs when the prolapse mentioned in point number four becomes twisted or squeezed causing it to lose blood supply.
This is an extremely dangerous condition and requires immediate attention lest the tissue die and cause other serious complications.
7) Fissures: These cracks or tears occur from trauma associated with hemorrhoids and most often precipitated by constipation.
Fissures can become inflamed and infected.
8) Fistulas and abscesses: Canals, or abnormal connections, may develop between tissues.
In the case of hemorrhoids, the most likely "tunnel" would occur between the anus and the surrounding skin.
An abscess is an accumulation of pus and is usually associate with infection.
These complications are not common.
However, dear trucker, they are listed in hopes of encouraging you to care for your hemorrhoids now and with all the resources available to you.
Hemorrhoids seldom go away on their own.
Deal with them before they get out of control! Happy hemorrhoid-free truckin'!