Hemroids 

External hemroids, however, are commonly associated with pain and itching as well as bleeding. Thus, most of the approximately 500,000 Americans who seek medical treatment for hemroids each year are afflicted with the external type of the swollen veins. Only about one out of ten of these individuals have cases that require surgery. Much more frequently hemroids are successfully treated with over-the-counter creams and suppositories, pain medications, cold compresses, and warm baths.

Hemroids generally form due to excessive pressure in the rectal area, which causes the walls of nearby veins to distend as the result of an increased influx of blood. This increase in pressure may occur due to a variety of activities, such as straining during bowel movements, lifting heavy objects, sitting for extensive periods of time, and severe coughing. Also, pregnant women often experience hemroids due to the intra-abdominal pressure caused by the presence of the growing fetus, and individuals suffering from chronic liver disease or tumors may experience them as a complication of their more serious condition.

Though usually considered a mild irritation, hemroids can become a relatively serious condition in some cases. For instance, if an internal hemroids is left untreated, it may swell to such an extent that it is forced outside of the anal opening, becoming what is known as a prolapsed hemroids. This condition can be extremely painful and becomes even worse if the blood supply to the hemroids is blocked by the sphincter muscle, resulting in a strangulated hemroids. Another severe variety of hemroids is the thrombosed hemroids, which is characterized by rupture of the distended vein and the formation of a blood clot.