When Should I Seek Treatment for Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are common, affecting about one-third of Americans and accounting for 4 million doctor’s office and emergency room visits every year. Also called piles, hemorrhoids can be internal or external and create symptoms ranging from mild to major. 

Dr. Lisa Perryman and the team at Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists in Parker, Colorado, provide expert-level care for hemorrhoid patients. While mild cases may be treated at home with over-the-counter consumer care products, there are many situations when you should seek treatment for hemorrhoids. 

Understanding hemorrhoids

The risk for hemorrhoids increases as you get older, affecting about 50% of people over the age of 50. Other risk factors include chronic constipation or diarrhea, physical straining, pregnancy, and low-fiber diets. 

Hemorrhoids develop in veins located both inside and outside the anus and rectal area. These veins can bulge and stretch under pressure in the lower rectum, leading to the symptoms that reveal their presence. 

When should I seek treatment for hemorrhoids? 

If you’ve never had hemorrhoids or are uncertain if your rectal issues are hemorrhoids, we advise you to seek care, as other conditions share similar symptoms. If you’ve previously had hemorrhoids and symptoms show no improvement after about seven days of home care, it’s time to call our office.  If you have any of the following symptoms, it’s important that you schedule an appointment as soon as possible. 

Anal bleeding

Cases of anal bleeding should never be ignored, even if you suspect that manageable hemorrhoids are the source. This is especially important if you have symptoms that aren’t consistent with hemorrhoids, including changes in stool color, consistency, or regularity.

Prolapse

A condition in which an internal hemorrhoid protrudes from the anus, prolapsed hemorrhoids carry an increased risk of serious complications.  One of these is strangulation, which causes  the blood supply to the tissue to become blocked, causing extreme pain. 

Thrombosed hemorrhoid

When a blood clot forms in a hemorrhoid, it’s called a thrombosed hemorrhoid. While these aren’t usually dangerous, they can cause extreme pain requiring specialist care. 

Discharge

In addition to bleeding, hemorrhoids can cause a mucus-like discharge. This results from inflammation of internal hemorrhoids and can cause dampness and underwear stains. The discharge itself may inflame skin in and around the anus. This leads to burning and itching sensations. 

Seek treatment for any case of hemorrhoids that causes persistent symptoms, severe pain, swelling, or irritation near the anus. 

Non-surgical hemorrhoid treatments

We offer several pain-free approaches to hemorrhoid treatment, including: 

• Excision of enlarged external hemorrhoids
• Infrared coagulation, a heat-based procedure to remove hemorrhoid tissue
• Rubber band ligation to treat internal hemorrhoids

At Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists, we’re experts in the diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhoids. Trust us to quickly deal with this often painful and inconvenient condition. Book your personal consultation today online or by calling our office directly.