Thrombosed External Hemorrhoid - You Do NOT Want One of These!

Hemorrhoids can be painfully unpleasant and cause a great deal of embarrassment. Sometimes people are so reluctant to address the issue of hemorrhoids that they can overlook a lot of helpful information. Many individuals are not aware that there are different types of hemorrhoid problems and they may not even understand the differences between internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids.

Internal/External Hemorrhoids-Do You Know the Difference?

Internal hemorrhoids occur in the rectal tissue, but they originate above an area known as the Dentate Line. This is an important point because even though the swelling and bulging tissues may be noticeable below this line of demarcation, these hemorrhoids are painless. Sometimes an individual may note that these swollen internal tissues can bleed or itch, but they will not create the pain that is the hallmark of external hemorrhoids.

The reason that these are not painful is because there is no nerve fiber involvement at their point of origin. These types of hemorrhoids are not visible to the naked eye unless prolapse is occurring. When one of these internal hemorrhoids becomes swollen it can be pushed out of the rectum by a bowel movement. Once this occurs it is described as a prolapsed (or fallen) hemorrhoid.

Internal hemorrhoids are assessed according to the following criteria:
Mildly distended hemorrhoids that have no prolapse are considered to be Grade I.
Internal hemorrhoids that are usually not visible, but can periodically prolapsed and then reduce spontaneously, without interference, are considered to be Grade II.

If an individual has to manually reduce (push the prolapsed hemorrhoid) back up inside the anal sphincter it is considered to be Grade III.
A Grade IV hemorrhoid is one that has prolapsed and cannot be reduced manually. At this stage some of the inner rectal lining might also become involved and can be seen in a prolapsed state as well. This is the point when surgery is usually considered.

Thrombosed External Hemorrhoid

External hemorrhoids occur nearer the anal opening, and these are the ones that are excruciatingly painful for many individuals. These can become so dilated with blood that a doctor may diagnose it as a thrombosed external hemorrhoid. This means that the blood has clotted within the vein. In some instances this could require an out patient surgical procedure to remove the clot.

When people have hemorrhoid problems they may choose to try medicated wipes, ointments or suppositories. These are designed to reduce inflammation and treat the itching, burning and painful discomfort that may be occurring. Sitz baths are another useful treatment that is safe to use and affords a little symptomatic relief.

But if you're suffering with a thrombosed external hemorrhoid, you're likely to need medical intervention. Check with your primary health care provider. Don't ignore it, hoping it will go away...it won't.