ABOUT HEMMORHOIDS
- About 75% of people will experience hemorrhoid-related problems in their lifetime.
- About 50% of the general population over the age of 30 experience Grade 1 and Grade 2 hemorrhoid-related problems occasionally.
- 4% – 5% of the general population experience hemorrhoid-related problems.
Hemorrhoids are swollen or inflamed veins of the anus or lower rectum.
Hemorrhoids can be internal or external.
Internal hemorrhoids usually become noticeable due to painless rectal bleeding, while external hemorrhoids develop around the anus and are painful.
Epidemiology
CLASSIFICATION OF HEMORRHOIDS
GRADE I
INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS DO NOT PROTRUDE FROM THE ANAL CANAL, BUT THEY MAY CAUSE OTHER SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS BLEEDING OR ITCHING.
GRADE II
THE FIRST STAGE OF HEMORRHOIDAL PROLAPSE IS THE STAGE THAT THEY PROTRUDE FROM THE ANAL CANAL, BUT RETRACT BACK INTO THE BODY UPON COMPLETION OF THE BOWEL MOVEMENT.
GRADE III
HEMORROIDS PROTRUDE OUTSIDE THE ANAL CANAL DURING BOWEL MOVEMENTS; THEY DO NOT RETRACT AND USUALLY REQUIRE MANUAL REPLACEMENT INTO THE ANAL CANAL. GRADE 3 HEMORROIDS USUALLY BLEED MORE FREQUENTLY AND IN GENERAL IT IS EASIER TO BECOME INFECTED.
GRADE IV
HEMORRHOIDS PROTRUDE FROM THE BODY ALL THE TIME. IF PUSHED BACK IN, THEY WILL REAPPEAR SHORTLY. IF IT IS A SEVERE FORM OF HEMORRHOIDS, THEY SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY A PHYSICIAN. THEY BLEED MUCH MORE EASILY, ARE PRIME TARGETS FOR INFECTION, AND MAY DEVELOP AN INTERNAL BLOOD CLOT, ALSO KNOWN AS THROMBOSIS.
Treatments available for hemorrhoids
TOPICAL TREATMENT
The effect of topical ointments is only temporary (a few hours) and application is not easy (frequent application is required, 2-3 times a day on average). Complete elimination of symptoms is not achieved and most of the times only external hemorrhoids are successfully treated.
SURGERY
In addition to postoperative pain and the high cost of surgery, hemorrhoids will recur in most patients (about 70%) in the future.