Hemorrhoids Specialist

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anal canal that are typically harmless but may become painful.

Hemorrhoids can develop inside your anus or under the skin surrounding your anus, most often due to straining during a bowel movement. Pregnancy can also put pressure on the veins, causing them to become inflamed and enlarged.

Other common causes of hemorrhoids include:

• Obesity
• Heavy lifting
• Strenuous activity

You may also develop hemorrhoids if you have underlying gastrointestinal issues that cause frequent constipation.

What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?

In many cases, you can feel external hemorrhoids as a tender lump near your anus. If you have internal hemorrhoids, you may experience symptoms like anal pain or itching.

It’s also common to notice blood on the toilet paper after wiping or in the toilet after a bowel movement.

If symptoms of hemorrhoids become bothersome or you have significant rectal bleeding, you should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Long Island Gastro.

How are hemorrhoids diagnosed?

If you’ve never had hemorrhoids before, it’s important that you receive a diagnostic evaluation to confirm your symptoms related to hemorrhoids and not another underlying condition.

The team at Long Island Gastro provides comprehensive care for hemorrhoids, starting with a physical exam of your anus. In some cases, a procedure known as a sigmoidoscopy helps evaluate internal hemorrhoids.

A sigmoidoscopy uses a small instrument, known as an anoscope, which has a light and camera attached. Your Long Island Gastro provider inserts it into your anus to diagnose internal hemorrhoids and identify other issues that may be causing your symptoms.

How are hemorrhoids treated?

The team at Long Island Gastro provides customized treatments for hemorrhoids based on the severity of your symptoms. Often, hemorrhoids resolve on their own without treatment, but if you experience pain or need help treating constipation that causes hemorrhoids, you may need medications or topical ointments to improve your comfort.

If you have very painful hemorrhoids, your Long Island Gastro physician may recommend a procedure known as rubber band ligation, which involves the placement of a rubber band to cut off blood flow to the hemorrhoids. Without blood, hemorrhoids shrink and go away.

Other treatments are available, including chemical injections and surgery, to destroy hemorrhoids and alleviate pain. These treatments may be necessary when external hemorrhoids are large or internal hemorrhoids prolapse and protrude from the anus.

To learn more about your treatment options for painful hemorrhoids, request a consultation with the team at Long Island Gastro by phone or online today.