Hemorrhoids are commonly discussed but rarely diagnosed at home. Most people panic the first time they see any blood in their stool; over time the panic wears off, and hemorrhoids become the de facto diagnosis for any kind of itching or discomfort south of the border.
But accuracy is important here, especially since the symptoms of hemorrhoids can easily mimic those of more serious disorders such as anal dysplasia and anal cancer. Understanding precisely what causes hemorrhoids, and how they can present under different circumstances, is an important part of getting the best care for your particular symptoms.
How do we diagnose hemorrhoids? The process is as simple as understanding which symptoms are most closely associated with hemorrhoids, and ruling out those which do not fit the bill. Once you have a solid checklist in hand, you can begin to apply the process of elimination to ensure that you are getting the best possible treatment for your complaints.
This is especially important during pregnancy, a time when hemorrhoids can appear fairly quickly and without warning in otherwise healthy women who have no history of symptoms in this area. As this piece recently described the telltale signs of this disorder:
Two types of hemorrhoids can occur during pregnancy — internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids can cause painless, light-colored blood around your stool or on your toilet paper after wiping. Occasionally, these internal hemorrhoids can protrude, and you will feel soft swollen masses when wiping. External hemorrhoids can cause painful, hard lumps around your rectum.
Getting this right is one of the fastest and easiest ways to protect your body, and your baby’s body, throughout the course of your pregnancy. If you have any questions about what you’re seeing and whether your symptoms should be cause for concern, please don’t hesitate to contact the Proctology Institute for better care throughout your pregnancy.
