If you suffer from hemorrhoids, you are not alone. Almost half of men and women have hemorrhoids by the time they reach 50 years of age. Although many people suffer, few are willing to talk about them. People who experience hemorrhoids may feel symptoms that can be a minor inconvenience or even up to a major source of pain and discomfort. Usually, most cases of hemorrhoids vanish within a few days but occasionally, hemorrhoids be far more serious and should be treated by a physician as soon as possible.

There are several different ways a person can get hemorrhoids. If you have a desk job where you remain sitting for most of the day, you are at risk. Sitting in one position for an extended period of time puts pressure on rectal muscles so you should try to get up at least once every hour and be sure to change positions on your chair.

Pregnant women often get hemorrhoids which can be very uncomfortable. Usually this is temporary and they go away after the pregnancy. Some other causes of hemorrhoids include chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, severe coughing, and even heavy lifting. It is nearly impossible to avoid all of these situations for your entire life and this is why so many people end up with hemorrhoids.

People can suffer with one of two kinds of hemorrhoids: external or internal. External hemorrhoids are painful and frequently occur with an itchy, painful burning sensation. External hemorrhoids are very uncomfortable and should be treated as soon as possible by a physician. Although, some people may feel embarrassed about discussing hemorrhoids with their doctor, the hemorrhoids won't heal by themselves. If you don't discuss them with your doctor, you are only torturing yourself. Even worse, without treatment, they can turn into thrombosed hemorrhoids which are extremely painful.

Internal hemorrhoids are not painful or itchy, you may not even be aware that you have them initially. Because they are located inside the rectum, you can't feel them, but you may see is blood in the stool or in the toilet bowl. Internal hemorrhoids can share some of the same symptoms as colorectal cancer. If you think you may have internal hemorrhoids consult with your doctor immediately.

Treatment of hemorrhoids is fairly simple. External hemorrhoids can be treated with the use of topical creams or ointments. This helps to shrink the hemorrhoids as well as relieve pain, burning, and itching. A warm bath is also helpful. However, it isn't enough just to treat the hemorrhoids. If you don't address the reason you got them in the first place they will keep coming back.

It's usually fairly easy to determine the cause of the hemorrhoids, but it may be a combination of things. For example, if you are stationary at a desk job, and you don't eat enough foods with fiber in your daily diet, both factors could be causing your hemorrhoids. You should discuss the situation with your doctor - something as simple as getting fiber in your diet could cause a big improvement.

Hemorrhoids are not something that people like to talk about but now that you know how easy it is to get them and how many people actually have them, seeing your doctor about hemorrhoids shouldn't seem so bad. Dealing with your hemorrhoids and the causes of them will help you to avoid the painful and uncomfortable situation of them recurring throughout your life.