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.