Most hemorrhoids begin inside the rectum, where bulging blood vessels can grow undetected, and without pain. Generally people only realize that they have hemorrhoids if they find blood in the toilet, or if they start to experience physical symptoms such as itching or pain.
When hemorrhoids grow larger, they may begin to protrude further, sometimes even crossing the line of the anl opening. Protruding hemorrhoids such as these are called prolapsed hemorrhoids, and they can cause a lot of itching, pain, and general discomfort.
This illustration describes what may happen next, a process known as thrombosing, which is when blood clots form within these vessels. This is a problem that you’ll almost certainly notice throughout the day:
If an external hemorrhoid prolapses to the outside (usually in the course of passing a stool), you can see and feel it. Blood clots sometimes form within prolapsed external hemorrhoids, which can cause an extremely painful condition called a thrombosis. If an external hemorrhoid becomes thrombosed, it can look rather frightening, turning purple or blue, and could possibly bleed. Despite their appearance, thrombosed hemorrhoids usually are not serious though they can be very painful.
Treating external thrombosed hemorrhoids is what we do best at the Proctology Institute of Los Angeles. If you have experienced one or more of these symptoms and want some assistance recovering your natural shape and comfort, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Maz, the best hemorrhoid doctor in LA.
