Acute hemorrhoids

When someone suffers from a condition called acute hemorrhoids, it means that the blood vessels in the lower rectum are swollen and lumps may appear in the anus area. These are external hemorrhoids. A person may also have internal hemorrhoids. They usually do not cause pain. However, the sufferer's anus may bleed. Hemorrhoids prolapse from the inside, but eventually they reach the anal area. They may be painless, but depending on the individual's symptoms, they may cause itching or pain. Learn more about acute hemorrhoids.

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Why does acute hemorrhoids develop?

This is a serious problem for human health. Acute hemorrhoids tend to develop against the background of chronic hemorrhoids, which can last for quite a long time. It can remain untreated and bother a person for months or even years. And then suddenly a person's condition can deteriorate sharply. This is a characteristic sign of acute hemorrhoids.

The most obvious symptom of acute hemorrhoids is pain in the anus and perineum, very severe pain. Its appearance can be a big surprise for a person who previously considered himself absolutely healthy. Or almost healthy. This means that the person either did not pay attention to the manifestations of external hemorrhoids, which we mentioned above, or internal hemorrhoids proceeded unnoticed, asymptomatically.

Risk factors for acute external hemorrhoids

In terms of risk factors, people with a family history of the disease (heredity) have a higher chance of developing the disease.

Another risk factor is weight. People who are overweight tend to suffer from acute hemorrhoids more often than others. This condition is very common among pregnant women. This is due to the weight of the baby, which increases the pressure on the intestines. There are over-the-counter medications and exercises that can be used to treat this condition.

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Risk groups for acute hemorrhoids

Acute hemorrhoids, according to doctors, occur more often in those people who noticed symptoms of chronic hemorrhoids, but tried not to pay attention to it and, even more so, not to go to the doctor. This worsened their situation and the course of the disease, which eventually turned into an acute form. In order not to expose yourself to such a risk, it is never too late to go to the doctor for an examination and change your lifestyle.

So, who is at risk, besides careless patients who forget to see a doctor?

Those at risk of suffering from acute hemorrhoids

• Those who have heavy physical workloads, sports or work, such as loaders, diggers, porters
• Those who often travel by car
• Those who often ride motorcycles and bicycles
• Those who enjoy horse riding

Such trips should be alternated with walking and physical exercise. Otherwise, hemorrhoids may worsen and instead of chronic, turn into an acute form.

Acute external hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids are usually very painful. The bumps form in the veins that are outside the anus. They can often crack and bleed. This is caused by a number of factors. One cause is straining that occurs when a person tries to have a bowel movement. Another cause is constipation or diarrhea. Constipation or diarrhea can be the cause of the disease, and this can contribute to the acute pain.

Another reason is that people have a habit of sitting for long periods of time.

Acute hemorrhoids are also caused by anal intercourse and various infections.

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Types of acute hemorrhoids

Doctors distinguish two types of acute hemorrhoids: one type occurs due to the fact that internal hemorrhoidal cones (nodes) have fallen out and are pinched by the anal ring, and the other - due to the occurrence of blood clots of internal or external nodes - that is, blockage of veins affected by hemorrhoidal blood clots.

Pain in acute hemorrhoids

When a person develops acute hemorrhoids, it can be immediately seen by the nature of the pain. These pains become simply impossible to feel during the act of defecation. When a person develops such pains, he may even stop eating in fear of the act of defecation. With hard work, sports, running, the pain can intensify. From this, the person becomes nervous, irritable, aggressive. It happens that a person's temperature rises, he is shaking with chills.

Nodes in acute hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoid nodes that protrude out of the anus tend to swell, become larger in size, and their color changes to bluish or purple. These nodes may not be repositioned at all or are repositioned with severe pain. If you touch the nodes even lightly with your fingers, it can be very painful, especially during a doctor's examination.

Regardless of what form of hemorrhoids it is - chronic or acute - the blood circulation in the hemorrhoid nodes is disrupted. And if these nodes are not treated, they can become covered with ulcers, sometimes they are very deep and painful. If the ulcers are not treated over time, the tissue can even die. This is called tissue necrosis.

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Bacteria in hemorrhoids

When ulcers form on the nodes, bacteria and pathogens can penetrate into these ulcers – the affected tissue. They have the ability to penetrate into damaged hemorrhoidal tissues in the anal area, where they multiply very quickly. Therefore, inflammatory processes occur in the anus, often with the release of pus.

If a person has caught on in time and started treatment, then these symptoms and unpleasant situations can be avoided. Even preventive measures, when a person has changed the types of his activities, physical activity and diet, can help to avoid the development of hemorrhoids and trauma to which the rectum is exposed.

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Complications after acute hemorrhoids

These complications can be very dangerous and painful. Most often, untreated hemorrhoids lead to pus and inflammation of the anus and even the perineum. It is very difficult to bear these pains and discomfort from this condition. The person becomes incapacitated. The pain is often unbearable. He cannot eat, sleep, work, or go to the toilet. The skin of the perineum becomes bright red. It is hot when palpated and very painful.

In this condition, defecation cannot take place, and then the body is poisoned - that is, it is filled and infected with toxins. In this case, the patient's body temperature can be from 38 to 40 degrees, the person simply burns out, while also experiencing excruciating pain. The heart begins to work unevenly, heartbeats become too fast and frequent. Breathing is also frequent and difficult. The person becomes weak, his energy and vitality from the pain he has endured dries up. He needs additional energy just to get up and walk.

This energy can be obtained from food, but a person cannot eat because his appetite is zero. And then the body becomes exhausted, which deprives a person of all his vital forces. Sometimes this exhaustion comes quickly, and sometimes it takes months, and all this time a person is deprived of the opportunity to live a full life.

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Sepsis

Sepsis occurs as a result of complicated acute hemorrhoids. When pathogenic microbes penetrate the affected tissues of hemorrhoids, they do not stop there. The human protective barriers are broken, and pathogenic organisms very quickly end up in the blood. Patients. Who are weakened as a result of the disease. And also the elderly are most susceptible to the effects of sepsis.

In case of sepsis (purulent infection, severe condition of the body) the patient becomes intoxicated, which is very difficult to bear. This condition is typical for hemorrhoids in advanced situations.

To cure sepsis, surgical intervention is most often used. Intravenous injections, drips, and antibiotics are needed, and treatment takes a lot of time and effort.

To cope with such a dangerous disease as sepsis, the efforts of one doctor are often not enough. Therapists, proctologists, surgeons, cardiologists, and nephrologists all take part in saving the patient's life. And yet, the patient often cannot be saved. His life is under great threat and can end at any moment, despite all the efforts of doctors.

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Consequences of acute hemorrhoids

Acute hemorrhoids may not be limited to sepsis, even if his life was saved. Sometimes complications can lead to relapses of this disease, lead to fistulas of the anus and vagina. They can often be removed only by surgical intervention. And even then, the activity of the rectum may not be fully restored. Therefore, if the slightest signs indicate hemorrhoids, it is imperative to consult a doctor for diagnosis of hemorrhoids in order to avoid negative health consequences in the future.

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How to deal with this?

A simple home remedy for acute hemorrhoids is to take a sitz bath for 10 minutes. Ice packs can also be applied to the affected area. Pain relievers such as aspirin can be very helpful. There are also various corticosteroid creams that can be used to reduce swelling and relieve pain.

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Why see a doctor?

If you have failed to protect yourself from risk factors and your health has worsened, then you need to know what symptoms indicate the presence of acute hemorrhoids. This may be general weakness, more severe pain in the anus. The period of pain relief may come temporarily if you start using suppositories, tablets, ointments, sitz baths. But this does not mean that you do not need to seek help from a doctor, because when the symptoms of hemorrhoids stop (temporarily), they may appear again.

Prevention

Acute hemorrhoids can be avoided by eating a balanced diet that is high in fiber. And always drink plenty of fluids. This is a good remedy because the combination of high fiber foods and water can prevent constipation, which is the cause of acute hemorrhoids.

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