Hemorrhoids: Common Questions

Hemorrhoids: the questions people actually ask, answered from published guidance.

Key takeaways

• Typical symptoms: bright red bleeding on wiping, itching, discomfort, a lump
• Main contributor: straining and constipation
• Most useful single change: Treat constipation; it is the underlying cause for most people.
• Commonest mistake: Assuming all rectal bleeding is hemorrhoids.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.

What is Hemorrhoids?

Swollen blood vessels in and around the anus, sometimes called piles.

Why does it matter?

They are very common and usually settle with simple measures, and the danger is assuming any rectal bleeding is them.

Typical symptoms for Hemorrhoids?

Bright red bleeding on wiping, itching, discomfort, a lump.

Main contributor for Hemorrhoids?

Straining and constipation.

First-line management for Hemorrhoids?

Treat constipation, increase fiber and fluid.

Over-the-counter creams for Hemorrhoids?

For symptom relief, short-term use.

What is the single most useful thing to do?

Treat constipation; it is the underlying cause for most people.

What is the most common mistake?

Assuming all rectal bleeding is hemorrhoids.

When should I see a doctor?

See your doctor for any rectal bleeding, particularly if it is dark, mixed with stool, persistent, or accompanied by a change in bowel habits, weight loss or abdominal pain — colorectal cancer can cause the same symptoms. Guidelines recommend colorectal cancer screening from age 45. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for heavy bleeding with dizziness or fainting, and seek prompt care for severe anal pain with a hard lump.

Related topics

• Colorectal Cancer: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Cancer Awareness)
• Severe Bleeding: What the Evidence Actually Says (Emergency Care)
• Bruising and Bleeding: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Blood Health)
• Swollen Ankles: What Published Guidance Supports (Foot Health)

Where to go next

• Myths About Hemorrhoids, Checked Against the Guidance
• Starting Out With Hemorrhoids
• Hemorrhoids — the reference entry
• Digestive Health: The Complete Guide
• Food Intolerance: What the Evidence Actually Says
• What the Guidance Really Says About Probiotics

When to get help

See your doctor for any rectal bleeding, particularly if it is dark, mixed with stool, persistent, or accompanied by a change in bowel habits, weight loss or abdominal pain — colorectal cancer can cause the same symptoms. Guidelines recommend colorectal cancer screening from age 45. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for heavy bleeding with dizziness or fainting, and seek prompt care for severe anal pain with a hard lump.

Where this comes from

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Hemorrhoids
• US Preventive Services Task Force — Colorectal Cancer: Screening

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.