When Do Hemorrhoids Require Medical Intervention?

There’s nothing quite like the irritation of hemorrhoids. The swollen hemorrhoid tissue in the anus or lower rectum affects up to 75% of adults at some point. And while they aren’t always painful, they can bring severe pain and make going about your daily life and tending to your restroom needs pretty difficult.

At Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists in Parker, Colorado, proctologist Lisa A. Perryman, MD, offers nonsurgical treatment options for hemorrhoids for symptoms that are severe, recurrent, or just don’t seem to let up.

In this blog post, we explore the basics of hemorrhoids, including when to consider coming into our office for treatment.

Types of hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids vary in type and symptoms. If your hemorrhoids formed in the tissue that lines your anus and lower rectum, you have internal hemorrhoids. This type of hemorrhoid may cause no symptoms at all. In fact, they’re usually painless. In some cases, though, they lead to bleeding after you’ve had a bowel movement. 

Hemorrhoids that develop below the sensitive skin that surrounds your anus cause the most discomfort. As the skin on top of it swells, you’re likely to experience pain. The pain may be severe and arise quite suddenly. You might also notice or feel a lump near your anus.

When to see a doctor about your hemorrhoids

Some hemorrhoid symptoms remain mild and diminish on their own or with home-care steps, such as applying an over-the-counter cream or taking sitz baths. 

You can also lower your risk for future flare-ups by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, exercising regularly, and avoid straining when you pass stool.

Signs a trip to our office might be in order include:

• Bleeding from your rectum, especially if you notice quite a bit or the symptoms persist
• Mucousy discharge or feeling as though you can’t completely empty your bowels
• Prolapse, meaning your internal hemorrhoids have protruded outside of your anus
• Severe or persistent pain, swelling, or irritation

Hemorrhoid medical treatment

Thankfully, we can treat even severe hemorrhoid symptoms with appropriate medical care. 

At Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists, Dr. Perryman offers several pain-free nonsurgical treatments for hemorrhoids, including: 

• Rubber band ligation, during which she places a small rubber band around an internal hemorrhoid
• Infrared coagulation (IRC), which delivers controlled heat energy from an infrared light to cut off the blood supply to a hemorrhoid
• Excision, which involves removal of an enlarged external hemorrhoid

If you have particularly large or painful hemorrhoids, Dr. Perryman may suggest surgery. During this procedure, she uses surgical techniques to remove external and internal hemorrhoids to help you experience immediate relief.

To learn more about hemorrhoid treatment or get the care you need in the greater Denver area, call us at Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists or schedule an appointment through our online booking feature.