Female Hemorrhoid Symptoms

Hemorrhoid symptoms in women are pretty well the same as when the condition occurs in men. There is a common frequency however in pregnant women due to the changes that happen at that time and the article will explain below.

Although hemorrhoids can cause acute discomfort, they do not in themselves threaten life. There are a number of options open mainly involving shrinking them to make it less painful to eliminate waste. This article will also look at the treatments currently available.

To begin with we will examine the symptoms that are common to hemorrhoids in women and men.

With internal hemorrhoids, bright red blood on the stool or in the toilet boil or on the toilet paper after a bowel movement will be seen.

The anus area can also become extremely itchy and the skin irritated.

An external hemorrhoid can also be very uncomfortable and cause irritation and itching. Blood clots can form in an external hemorrhoid and they can form a hard lump around the anus which can bleed and be very sensitive.

A more advanced condition that often requires surgery is what is called a prolapsed hemorrhoid. This describes a condition where a lump of tissue becomes inflamed and starts to protrude from the anus.

With women who are pregnant, due to the many hormonal changes going on in their body, blood vessels can be affected which in turn leads to an enlarging of the veins in the anus.

Two complications can arise in pregnancy which affect hemorrhoids in women. First, constipation is common so this puts an extra pressure on the anus when waste is eliminated. Secondly, as the fetus grows, further pressure is put on the veins in the anal area.

A Common Problem

It is estimated that about 75% of the population will have hemorrhoids at some time during their lives and in most cases they come and disappear.

If the problem continues however and becomes very painful, a visit to the doctor may be necessary.

What Are The Solutions?

If the problem is limited, a doctor may prescribe an over-the-counter cream which you can obtain for your local pharmacy. The doctor might also give direction on dietary changes such as increasing the amount of fibre or give a medication to soften the stools to make bowel movements less stressful and painful.

There is a procedure the doctor can do there in the surgery called Rubber Band Ligation. It simply means putting a rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid. This stops the blood flow and without a blood supply the hemorrhoid will shrink.

The same thing can be accomplished through Sclerotherapy - an injection of a chemical solution which also shrinks the hemorrhoid.

Normally these procedures will solve the problem, for now. If however the case is extreme, surgery may be necessary. It is quite safe but it means the hemorroids are surgically cut out. A patient can normally be allowed home the same day.

Being conscious of a healthy diet and keeping up good exercise can often alleviate the problem of hemorrhoids as these two factors alone can help with easy bowel movements. Hemorrhoid symptoms in women and men require action to stop the condition getting worse.