Be sure to see a hemorrhoids doctor before you start any hemroid treatment on your own, especially if you have any of the following symptoms, but haven’t been previously diagnosed with hemorrhoids:

• Anal bleeding
• Anal pain
• Swelling at the anal opening
• Anal discharge
• Dark black stools
• A fever combined with bloody stools
• Very thin stools
• Inability to pass stools
• Chronic diarrhea
• Chronic constipation

 

See a hemorrhoids doctor if you have any of the following symptoms and have already been diagnosed with hemorrhoids:

• Severe pain
• Moderate pain that doesn’t get better after one week of treatment
• If the hemorrhoids don’t start to improve
• Hemorrhoids prolapse (fall out of the anal canal)
• If the bleeding changes from bright red to a darker color
• Stools get darker
• If bleeding gets worse

Will I need a colonoscopy?

If you have external hemorrhoids your hemorrhoids doctor may only do a visual exam, but more likely than not you will need a colonoscopy or another type of colon exam. This is especially true if you have internal hemorrhoids, a colonoscopy may be the only way to identify the hemorrhoids.

Why do I need a colonoscopy?

The main reason is so the hemorrhoid doctor can give you a proper diagnosis, there are other colorectal diseases such as colon cancer, polyps, fissures, and fistulas that may have symptoms that are the same as hemorrhoids. It’s important to rule these diseases out as a possible cause of symptoms. Plus, in the case of internal hemorrhoids, this may be the only way that the doctor can see them.  Everyone over the age of 50 years old should already be getting preventative colon screening exams done. This is because the incidence of colon cancer increases as we get older. Early screening and treatment has helped to lower the death rates associated with colon cancer making colonoscopies an important diagnostic tool.

What kind of doctor specializes in hemorrhoids?

Gastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in the digestive system from the mouth to the anal canal. After high school, training includes:

• 4 years bachelor’s degree
• 4 years medical school
• 3 years residency
• 2-3 years fellowship in gastroenterology

If the gastroenterologist specialized in a gastroenterology field like GI radiology, or hepatology, which is the study of the liver and the liver, pancreas and biliary tree, then an additional 2-3 years in the specialty field will also be required. Proctology surgery and gastroenterological surgery are not included in gastroenterology, these are surgical specialties. So, a gastroenterologist isn’t just a hemorrhoids doctor, they are much more than that, they are trained to treat diseases and disorders of the entire digestive system.

Before Your Appointment

Make sure you don’t let embarrassment keep you from getting the answers you have about hemorrhoids. A lot of medical professions recommend making a list of questions and bringing it with you, this way you don’t forget anything. Your doctor has seen and heard it all before, so don’t hesitate to ask her your most embarrassing hemroid questions. If you’re curious about what causes hemroids, natural hemroid treatments, bleeding hemorrhoids, diagnosing hemroids, hemorrhoid relief, Venapro, hemorrhoid surgery or avoiding the 3 common mistakes, now is the time to ask.

Why see a hemorrhoid doctor?

If you experience any bleeding, pain, itching, or discomfort around the anal region then it is quite possible that you have hemorrhoids. It can be tempting to self diagnose and start treating your symptoms without first consulting with a doctor but this definitely not advised and may present some serious health risks. There are several other colorectal conditions such as colon cancer, irritable bowel symptoms, fistulas, polyps, fissures, infections, Crohn’s disease, plus some other less common medical conditions that may present with symptoms very similar to those experienced by people with hemorrhoids.

What exams would a hemorrhoid doctor use to diagnose hemorrhoids?

Besides a visual exam, the two most commonly performed colon exams are:

Colonoscopy

The colonoscopy is the most comprehensive colon exam, using a long flexible tube with a fiber-optic video camera and a light, the gastroenterologist is able to get an excellent view of the colon. Colonoscopes also can perform additional functions such as removing polyps that may become cancerous. It can also be used for surgical procedures such as taking samples or passing surgical instruments like scalpels during procedures.

In order for the doctor to get the best possible view of the colon, usually a one day preparation is needed leading up to the procedure. The preparation process involves a liquid diet with a heavy laxative; expect a day spent within arm’s length of a bathroom. Most people who have had a colonoscopy say that the prep portion of the procedure is worse than the actual exam. The procedure is done while the patient is conscious but a mild sedative and/or pain reliever may be administered to make the patient more comfortable. The procedure usually takes less than an hour but your doctor may keep for a bit after the procedure to make sure there are no complications. Even with a mild sedative your doctor may advise you to arrange a ride home.

Sigmoidoscopy

This procedure is similar to the colonoscopy but only allows the hemorrhoid doctor to view the lower portion of the colon as the sigmoidoscope is just over 2 feet long while the entire colon is about 5- 6 feet long. This procedure takes about 10 – 20 minutes and also required a day of preparation leading up to the procedure.

What is a hemorrhoid doctor?

Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine that involves the study of the digestive system from where food and drink enter the body through the mouth to the where waste leaves the body through the anal canal. Doctors who enter the field of gastroenterology are called gastroenterologists. Typical training includes a 4 year Bachelor’s degree, followed by 4 years of medical school, 3 years residency in internal medicine and then training is finished up with a 2 -3 year fellowship in gastroenterology. So depending on the program, a gastroenterologist has about 13 years of training after high school.
If a doctor then chooses to become a specialist in a gastroenterology field such as GI radiology, gastric medicine, hepatology (the study of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree), or GI oncology (the study of cancer of the digestive system) then an addition 2- 3 years in the chosen specialty will be added on to the training period. The field of gastroenterology does not include surgery; gastroenterological surgery and proctology surgery are considered branches of general surgery.

Conclusion

Consulting with a hemorrhoid doctor is important to correctly diagnose your hemorrhoids while ruling out other problems. Although a lot of people balk at the thought of a colon exam, it’s an important part of the diagnosing process and not as bad as you might expect, there is a minimum of discomfort. A colon exam does present some minor health risks, but the risks of not getting examined are usually far greater so consult with a hemorrhoid doctor at the first sign of symptoms.