Dr. Esteban Kosak 
Hemorrhoids (also called piles) are swollen blood vessels located in the lowest segment of the rectum and anus. The estimation is that hemorrhoids affect nearly five percent of the population worldwide.
Hemorrhoids are a normal assemblage of blood vessel tissue, smooth muscle, and connective tissue in the lining of the anus, constituting three columns around it. They are necessary for healthy individuals as they serve as cushions that support several functions in normal defecation.
Still, although hemorrhoids are normal or even essential body structures, the term “hemorrhoids” also refers to a disease that, in this case, is swelling of these blood vessels. It is important to note that, although similar, hemorrhoids are not varicosities as swollen veins. The evidence nowadays indicates that due to the blood’s color and chemical composition. When people bleed because of hemorrhoids, is blood typical from arteries rather than veins.
Classification of hemorrhoids is external and internal according to several characteristics. Internal hemorrhoids are above the dentate line in the anus and do not produce any pain unless they protrude outside of it. On the other hand, external hemorrhoids are below the dentate line, and indeed they can cause pain in the patient. Yet, external hemorrhoids cause no pain until they thrombose. When this occurs, they become acutely painful.
Nowadays, what exactly causes hemorrhoids remains unknown; some causes are considered, such as constipation or a low-fiber diet. Regarding symptoms, they include bloody stools, painful or itchy anus, and more. This disease’s symptoms can bother greatly; still, complications usually are not life-threatening.
General doctors, surgeons, and gastroenterologists can apply treatment for hemorrhoids. Several of them are available when first-line therapy as diet and defecation techniques counseling fails. The formal recommendation is to apply rubber band ligation because it is the most effective. Although surgery is also very effective, it is painful and could cause complications.
This tool is a Hemorrhoids Symptoms Checker. It gathers the most important signs, symptoms, and risk factors for this disease.
Doctors diagnosing hemorrhoids is a clinical judgment most often than not. That is to say; doctors ask questions, and then just by examining the body, they can conclude that someone has hemorrhoids. Still, doctors sometimes require to do further exams to discard possible underlying life-threatening diseases (i.e., colon cancer) and assess internal hemorrhoids.
This tool has questions that aim to detect the most important signs, symptoms, and risk factors of hemorrhoids. Therefore, it will tell anybody who uses it the likelihood of their symptoms because of this disease.
Remember that this tool does not replace a doctor’s assessment or the necessary imaging exams and medical procedures. Despite this, the tool will talk about the likelihood of your symptoms because of this bothering condition. Using the tool is free and would only take a few minutes.
- Question of
Do you have 45 years or more?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you are pregnant?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does anyone in your close family has been diagnosed with hemorrhoids? Do you tend to sit for long periods while in the toilette (more than ten minutes)? Or, Do you tend to be receptive to sexual anal intercourse? (If your answer is yes to any of these questions, click yes)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have obesity? (please search in google the “BMI formula,” and with your weight and height, it will calculate that diagnosis)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have bright red blood in your stools?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does the bright red blood drip, squirt into the toilet bowl, or appear as streaks on the toilet paper?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does this blood instead of red look dark and/or mixes with stools?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does your anus itch?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have painful bumps in your anus?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do these bumps look blue or purple in the surrounding of your anus?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does this pain in the anus worsen with straining, rubbing, or cleaning around your anus?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Began this anal pain after an episode of physical exertion, straining with defecation, diarrhea, or a recent change in your diet?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have pink bumps in your anus and feel pain while defecating?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do these pink bumps in your anus appear when you are straining defecating (or any other straining body movement), and when you stop pushing, do they disappear?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do these pink bumps in your anus appear when you are straining defecating (or any other straining body movement), and when you stop pushing, they do not disappear, but you can put them back in your anus with your hand?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Are these pink bumps in your anus always there without you even straining while defecating, and you cannot push them back into your anus with your hands?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have 40 years or more? Do you have bloody stools? And, Do you have one family member diagnosed with colon cancer? (If your answer is yes to these three questions, click yes)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Have you recently had bowel movements (habit) changes? (i.e., your feces becoming narrower and harder)
- Yes
- No
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