Vascular & Interventional Associates
Hemorrhoids
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What are hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins inside the anus (internal hemorrhoids) or around the rectum (external hemorrhoids). Everyone has veins in these areas, and they typically don’t cause problems. However, they can become enlarged and painful if you have gastrointestinal issues like constipation or diarrhea or regularly sit for extended periods.
Hemorrhoids usually present mild symptoms, but if they regularly cause you pain or affect your quality of life, treatment is crucial.
Find out if you are a candidate
What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoid symptoms include:
- Itching or irritation in the anal region
- Pain and discomfort
- Swelling around the anus
- A hard lump near the anus
Sometimes, hemorrhoids bleed. For instance, if you have hemorrhoids, you might notice blood in the toilet bowl or on your toilet paper after a bowel movement.
How are hemorrhoids diagnosed?
Your Vascular & Interventional Associates provider reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms, including when they started and if they get worse at certain times, like after having a bowel movement.
Next, they complete two exams:
Digital examination
During this exam, your provider carefully inserts a gloved finger into your rectum. This lets them check for abnormal growths.
Visual inspection
If a digital exam doesn’t provide enough information, your provider looks at the lower part of your rectum and colon with an imaging tool, like an anoscope or proctoscope. This lets them rule out other issues that present symptoms similar to those of hemorrhoids.
How are hemorrhoids treated?
The Vascular & Interventional Associates team treats hemorrhoids using a conservative, patient-centered approach. Depending on the number of hemorrhoids you have and the severity of your symptoms, your provider could suggest:
- Eating high-fiber foods
- Soaking regularly in a warm bath
- Taking over-the-counter pain relievers
- Applying a pain management cream, like hydrocortisone or lidocaine
If your symptoms are severe, your provider recommends hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE). HAE is an outpatient procedure. During treatment, your provider uses X-ray imaging to guide a catheter –– a thin hollow tube –– to the small arteries that supply your hemorrhoid with blood.
Once the catheter is in position in the artery supplying the hemorrhoid, your provider injects tiny beads and coils into the affected area. These objects block blood flow to the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrink and die. This results in significant reduction of symptoms related to the hemorrhoids.
Call the nearest Vascular & Interventional Associates office today to schedule hemorrhoid treatment, or book your appointment online.