Any discussion about bleeding hemorrhoids must first begin with a discussion about the two main types of hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids. These hemorrhoids are exactly what you might guess from the name alone, internal hemorrhoids are hemorrhoids located within the anal cavity and external hemorrhoids are ones that are located at the opening of the anal canal.

Both of these types of hemorrhoids can become bleeding hemorrhoids and vary in their severity. In the case of internal hemorrhoids, bleeding may be the only symptom present. With a bleeding hemorrhoid, you may notice blood on your tissue paper, in the bowel, or covering the stool itself. Because internal hemorrhoids remain “protected” in the anal canal, they aren’t being subjected to the air, pressure from sitting and rubbing from clothes, so on the whole, they are a lot less painful than external hemorrhoids.

But, just because an internal hemorrhoid isn’t causing you problems doesn’t mean you should ignore it, because left untreated, an internal hemorrhoid can turn into a more serious condition such as a prolapsed or strangulated hemorrhoid. A prolapsed hemorrhoid is when an internal hemorrhoid becomes so inflamed it is forced out the anal opening and a strangulated hemorrhoid is when this prolapsed hemorrhoid then becomes trapped there due to the contracting of the sphincter muscles. Both of these conditions are more serious than a simple than a bleeding hemorrhoid so it’s best to start treating your hemorrhoids immediately.

External hemorrhoids are also prone to be bleeding hemorrhoids, but unlike with internal hemorrhoids if you have external hemorrhoids you’ll have a lot more than bleeding to contend with. External hemorrhoids are more painful and annoying. Common symptoms are bleeding, itching, and pain. In some cases, the external hemorrhoid can actually be seen and felt as a small swelling near the anal opening. The thrombosed external hemorrhoid is one of the most painful types of hemorrhoids, this type of hemorrhoid occurs when a blood clot forms in the hemorrhoid. The pain can be very intense, plus this hemorrhoid looks pretty scary, it gets black and blue because the blood clot can be seen under the skin.

If you think you have bleeding hemorrhoids, it is very important to see a hemorrhoids doctor immediately. Any sign of anal bleeding warrants a complete medical exam and this may even include colonoscopy. The reason for this is to rule out any other causes of the bleeding or discomfort, because some serious medical conditions like cancer can also cause these symptoms. It is tempting to just start treating your bleeding hemorrhoids on your own and skip the doctor’s visit, but this is an important step that should not be avoided. Check out what causes hemroids to find out if you have any of the 10 main risk factors for developing bleeding hemorrhoids.

In the case of most bleeding hemorrhoids, they are mostly just embarrassing and annoying and not dangerous in any way. Most bleeding hemorrhoids don’t require surgery and are controllable with simple medications such as Venapro and lifestyle changes. So, start taking control of your health and schedule that doctor’s appointment today. The sooner you start hemroid treatment, the sooner you can start to feel better and avoid further complications.

Definition

A thrombosed external hemorrhoid is an external hemorrhoid that develops a blood clot in it. It can be moderately to extremely painful.

Causes

Hemorrhoids are a small bulge that forms in an anal vein, basically what happens is that the hemroid creates a sort of “harbor” where blood flow isn’t smooth and constant, the blood may begin to pool and slowly clot. This bad blood flow can be the result of poor circulation, extended periods of sitting or medical conditions. Here’s some more information about what causes hemroids.

Symptoms

In addition to the pain which in some cases can be excruciating, there may also be burning, itching and swelling in the impacted area. Perhaps the most frightening thing about the thrombosed external hemorrhoid is how it looks, the hemorrhoid may appear bruised turning purple and black and blue, the bruise like appearance is the blood clot under the skin.

Diagnosing

I have no doubt that most people, when they’re in enough pain, will see a doctor, but when it comes to colon health proper diagnosing is always important. With hemorrhoids it can be tempting to self diagnose just to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a doctor, but getting a properly diagnosing hemroids is an important part of the process. Some potentially deadly colorectal diseases like colon cancer can have the same symptoms of much less serious conditions such as hemorrhoids so these conditions need to be ruled out as a health risk. External hemorrhoids can be diagnosed with a simple visual exam as the hemorrhoids can be easily seen, but your doctor may still choose to do a more thorough exam like a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy in order to get a better view of your colon. With internal hemorrhoids, one of these more compressive exams will most likely need to be done as these hemorrhoids can’t always be seen visually. Check out hemroid picture for a quick visual.  

Treatment

Ideally you want to catch the thrombosed external hemorrhoid before it gets to the extreme pain stage, but once the pain set in, no doubt you will go running to your doctor. Sometimes thrombosed external hemorrhoids may clear up without any treatment, but usually they will need a little bit of care and treatment to reduce swelling and control pain. Depending on the severity of the clot, your doctor may recommend some home treatment options such as soaking in a sitz bath for 15 minutes about 2-3 times a day to help with swelling. An ice pack applied after the sitz bath or done separately can also help some patients with symptoms. Your doctor can also tell you which over the counter pain relievers are the best choice for this condition, ideally you want something that helps control pain as well as reduce swelling and promote better blood flow, both ibuprofen and acetaminophen are good choices.

If your thrombosed external hemorrhoid is serious enough, these home hemorrhoid treatment options may not be enough. At his point your doctor may choose one of the following options, simply removing the blood clot or removing the entire hemorrhoid. The benefits of just removing the clot are that it is an easier procedure, the clot is simply removed with a small incision in the hemorrhoid, this allows for less potential side effects. The down side of this option is that the hemorrhoid is still there. Totally removing the thrombosed external hemorrhoid calls for a hemorrhoidectomy which is the most serious of all the hemorrhoid procedures and surgical options. In the hemorrhoidectomy, the hemorrhoid is removed with a scalpel. The main benefit of the hemorrhoidectomy is that the whole hemorrhoid is removed, clot and all. Down sides include a slow recovery, more potential pain, an increased risk of short term or long term incontinence if the anal muscle tissues are damaged during the procedure.   Whether you are able to use home remedies to treat your hemorrhoid or need surgery, either way your doctor is going to recommend an improved diet with more fiber. This is a standard recommendation for all hemorrhoids not just the thrombosed external hemorrhoids. More fiber helps to reduce straining and makes going to the bathroom easier, this is the single best thing you can do in the long term to help manage your hemorrhoids.

After Treatment

If your home treatment option isn’t working or you experience any of the following symptoms after surgery you should contact your doctor:

• Difficulty urinating
• Intense pain
• Fever or chills
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Vomiting or nausea
• Excessive bleeding