By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
Haemorrhoids are so common that they can be characterised as a condition not an illness. Haemorrhoids are bulges of the mucous membranes of the intestine that are filled with blood. Bleeding and pains are typical signs. Once you have one haemorrhoid, more will follow – haemorrhoids are a lifelong nasty friend. Hard stool and pressing during visits to the toilet lead to the formation of haemorrhoids. You can treat most haemorrhoids yourself. In the case of heavy pains or repeated bleedings, you doctor can prescribe some crème and/or suppositories. In rare cases, surgery many be necessary.
Haemorrhoids are bulges of the mucous membrane in the rectum that are filled with blood. Constipation, diarrhoea, strong pressing in connection with visits to the toilet, hard physical labour and pregnancy can lead to the formation of haemorrhoids.
Bleeding all over the toilet bowl is a typical sign that a haemorrhoid has burst. It is like a balloon filled with blood that you prick. The blood splatters the entire bowl with blood. It looks violent but the bleeding stops as soon as the bulge is empty of blood.
Pains, slime, itching and irritation can also be signs of haemorrhoids. Sometimes you can feel a ‘bulge’ right next to the rectum. The bulge can be stuffed back into the rectum so that it does not hang around on the outside. If the bulge is big enough, it may become squeezed and this causes heavy pains near the rectum. In this case, the bulge is big and very sore.
