Hemorrhoids are bulges that form in veins located in the anal region; these veins can be deep within the anal canal or at the anal opening. Once this bulge forms it can cause a variety of symptoms such as bleeding, itching, pain and swelling. Depending on how advanced the condition is, the bulge can be very small or it can become quite large. Surfing the web will reveal some scary pictures on just how enlarged these bulges can get, be sure to prepare yourself, these pictures can be grizzly. Without a doubt, early hemroid treatment is the key to making sure the swelling doesn’t continue to get worse.
It’s only once the hemorrhoids start exhibiting a lot of symptoms or become painful that surgery becomes necessary. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with diet and over the counter medications. It’s only once things get to a more advanced stage that prescription strength medications, office procedures and hemorrhoids surgery come into play. People with minor hemorrhoids can get significant hemorrhoid relief by eating more fiber; in fact the swelling of minor hemorrhoids may be reduced to the point that they no longer exhibit symptoms. Virtually all hemorrhoids patients will be advised to improve their diets, but once the hemorrhoids get more advanced this won’t be enough to totally eliminate symptoms.
If you do have any symptoms that you think are most likely related to hemorrhoids the safest course of action is to schedule a colon exam with your doctor. Everyone over 50 years old should already be getting regularly screen for colon diseases such as colon cancer and polyps that may become cancerous. But people with hemorrhoids symptoms also need to get colon screening done regardless of their age; this is due to the fact that hemorrhoids and these other colon diseases may have symptoms that appear similar.