How Much Do You Know About Hemorrhoids?

Essentially, they're varicose veins around your anus or lower rectum.

They're most common between the ages of 45 and 65. And if your parents had hemorrhoids, you're more likely to get them.

Both chronic constipation and chronic diarrhea can lead to hemorrhoids. So can overusing laxatives and enemas. Any activity that causes you to strain or puts more pressure on the veins in your bottom -- including pushing hard during bowel movements and lifting heavy things -- can also cause hemorrhoids.

Pain, itching, swelling, and bleeding during bowel movements usually go away within a few days. But these symptoms can be similar to colorectal cancer, although the two conditions aren't linked. If you have rectal bleeding or severe pain, you should see a doctor to rule out anything more serious.

It comes from the Latin "pila," meaning "ball." The term "hemorrhoid" comes from the Greek "haema" (blood) and "rhoos" (flowing). In the Middle Ages, they were known as St. Fiacre's curse. Hemorrhoids may have been treated as early as 2250 B.C. in Babylon.

External hemorrhoids, under the skin around the anus, can get painful and itchy. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless, but they can push outside your body (called prolapse) and hurt and itch, too.

A "sitz bath" can help ease the pain of hemorrhoids, and applying ice packs can reduce swelling. Witch hazel can soothe the itching; apply it directly with cotton swabs or as an ingredient in a cream or ointment. Other helpful over-the-counter treatments include corticosteroid creams, hemorrhoid creams, and pain relievers.

Pregnant women have more pressure in their abdomen, as well as hormonal changes. They're also more likely to be constipated. Their hemorrhoid symptoms usually disappear after childbirth.

Simple lifestyle changes can lower your chances of getting hemorrhoids. Fiber in your diet can help prevent constipation, which lessens the strain and pressure on your rectum when passing stools. Drinking plenty of water and regular exercise also can improve digestion and make going easier.

In a process called ligation, a doctor places a small rubber band around an internal hemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply. After a few days, it falls off. Internal hemorrhoids can also be destroyed with chemical injections.

Doctors may use surgical staples as part of a procedure to cut away internal hemorrhoidal tissue or to shrink external hemorrhoids. They can use heat or electrotherapy, too. Large or prolapsed hemorrhoids may need to be removed with an operation called hemorrhoidectomy.