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Heredity and hemorrhoids

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Heredity and hemorrhoids – how much of this disease can be passed on from relatives? Similar physical features such as hair and eye color, bowel diseases and disorders can be passed on from generation to generation. Genes, units of hereditary material that contain coded instructions that act as a blueprint for the development of body cells and systems, can also trigger specific diseases that are passed on by inheritance.

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Heredity and digestive diseases

It has long been known that diseases such as Alzheimer's, depression, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancers of the breast, ovaries, colon, prostate, and skin are hereditary. Why is it surprising to most people that hemorrhoids can also be caused by heredity and hereditary factors?

Hemorrhoids are caused by the swelling of the veins in the anus and rectum, and can also be caused by factors such as aging, constipation, diarrhea, pregnancy, obesity, and diet and lifestyle habits. All of these health problems can be eliminated by using natural methods first and foremost – relieving stress and tension in the anal area, which will help the veins in the rectal area return to normal and the hemorrhoids will disappear.

Heredity, although it does not directly cause hemorrhoids, can be a factor. Weak veins can be a genetic factor and can aggravate hemorrhoids or contribute to their development. Weak veins can easily become damaged or dilated, causing a person to suffer from hemorrhoids.

What to do?

While there is nothing you can do about heredity, there are steps you can take to prevent hemorrhoids if you know you are genetically predisposed to developing the condition. Maintaining a healthy gut is one of the biggest steps you can take to prevent hemorrhoids, and there are several ways to achieve this goal.

High Fiber Diet

It is important to have a healthy bowel to help prevent constipation and diarrhea, the two main digestive disorders that contribute to hemorrhoids. Fiber foods make your stool softer, so you can have more frequent and easy bowel movements. Whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables are good sources of protein, or you can take supplements to enrich your diet. You may also want to avoid spicy foods, as they can upset your digestive system.

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Drink more water

Increasing your fluid intake can also promote good bowel health and prevent hemorrhoids. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day will help keep your body hydrated and prevent constipation.

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Physical training

Frequent exercise also promotes gut health. If you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, try taking a break every hour and walking for at least two minutes to get your blood flowing to your lower extremities.

Hygiene

Another simple method that can be used to prevent hemorrhoids is to keep the anal area clean and dry at all times. Irritation of the anal area can contribute to the development of hemorrhoids and aggravate existing ones. Use unscented toilet paper or wet wipes to clean the anus gently without abrasion or irritation.

If you have a family history of hemorrhoids, don’t despair. Heredity does not directly cause hemorrhoids, it just makes you more susceptible to the condition. Instead of being discouraged, use your knowledge to adopt a healthy lifestyle that will not only help you prevent hemorrhoids but will also improve your overall health.

Lifestyle and Hemorrhoids

Some of the common hereditary diseases include cancer, especially of the breast, ovaries, colon, prostate and skin, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and Alzheimer's disease, both early onset and late onset. These are just familiar diseases that are hereditary, but we are always surprised that the disease can be caused by our family genes.

But we do not always know that some hereditary factors can also cause hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are often caused by aging, pregnancy, diarrhea, constipation, obesity and a person's lifestyle. But other data points to genetic factors in the development of hemorrhoids in humans, as hemorrhoids occur due to increased pressure in the veins of the rectum, which causes blood to expand their walls or damage them.

Weak vein walls

Weak vein walls can be inherited and this can lead to the development of hemorrhoids. Frequent diarrhea and constipation can relieve pressure on the major veins. Straining during bowel movements can prevent normal circulation in the body, which weakens the vein walls, causing hemorrhoids. However, heredity alone may not always lead to hemorrhoids. There are also some other factors such as a sedentary lifestyle or low fiber in the diet that further aggravate the hereditary factor or hemorrhoids.

Nutrition

It is true that heredity can cause hemorrhoids, but only to a lesser extent. Lifestyle and diet play a more important role. But hereditary or not, you should always be armed with knowledge on how to relieve hemorrhoids and say goodbye to the unpleasant pain and discomfort that this disease brings.

In order to be successful in treating hemorrhoids, you must keep in mind that you need to take an active part in the treatment process, and there are no quick fixes and methods that will cure hemorrhoids immediately. Therefore, pay more attention to your eating and exercise habits and lifestyle to get rid of hemorrhoids.

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Genetics and External Hemorrhoids

If your father or grandfather suffered from male pattern baldness, you or your siblings may suffer from it too. If your Uncle Nick had diabetes, you may suffer from it too. If your mother suffered from high blood pressure, your doctor should check your blood pressure more often. Some health problems that run in your family may be passed on to you or cause you to be genetically more susceptible to them than people who do not have such problems in their families.

The same can be said for internal and external hemorrhoids. If your parents or grandparents had problems with hemorrhoids, then you may be genetically predisposed to them. Does this mean you must have external hemorrhoids? No, it just means that you can use preventative measures to make sure you stay as healthy as possible.

If you are genetically predisposed to the problem of external hemorrhoids, you should take good care of your eating habits and bowel health, consider your nutritional needs, water intake, and monitor the health of your circulatory system.

Risk factors for hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are most often caused by either constipation or poor circulation. Constipation can irritate your veins, causing them to swell significantly. As a result, you may have hemorrhoids, which are painful.

Poor blood circulation can also cause hemorrhoids. After all, hemorrhoids are vein problems. If you take good care of your heart and blood pressure, you can avoid hemorrhoids, even if you are genetically predisposed to them due to poor circulation.

What you need to tell your doctor

Other things you can include in your hemorrhoid control program include telling your doctor about your family history of hemorrhoids.

He will help you understand your ailment and try to find potential problems that can be prevented in time. He may also suggest things you can do to treat or prevent external hemorrhoids.

Be proactive

On the other hand, if you warn someone who suffers from hemorrhoids, you can help them. Your loved ones may also be genetically predisposed to hemorrhoids. By sharing this sensitive and personal information, you can help them avoid the pain and suffering they may experience without knowing enough about the symptoms and treatment of hemorrhoids and without knowing that it can be passed on genetically.

Being genetically predisposed to something doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get those problems. It just means you should be aware of your increased risk and can take the necessary precautions to avoid health problems.

Hemorrhoids in numbers (according to 2012 data)

Have you ever thought that you fall into the category of people who are more likely to develop hemorrhoids? We don’t want to scare you, but it’s important to be aware of hemorrhoid statistics. People who suffer from hemorrhoids are not alone.

In America

It is estimated that 50 percent of Americans suffer from hemorrhoids by age 50 (only a small percentage require treatment). About 10.4 million people in the United States suffer from hemorrhoids. There are 1 million new cases of hemorrhoids each year in the United States alone, with 10 to 20 percent of cases requiring surgery.

Up to 23 million people, or 12.8 percent of the U.S. adult population, have symptoms of internal hemorrhoids. About 1.9 million people received outpatient medical care for symptomatic internal hemorrhoids using outpatient therapy.

Hemorrhoid Statistics for Men and Women

For people over age 45, 24.9 percent of hemorrhoid cases occur in women, compared to 15.2 percent in men. Research on hemorrhoids shows that men are more likely to seek medical attention than women. Women are more likely to suffer from hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

Race and hemorrhoids

Due to a lack of data, it is unclear how hemorrhoids affect people based on race, but it is known that Caucasian people, whose cuisine is rich in spicy foods, are more likely to seek medical attention.

Genetics and hemorrhoids

Some people have a genetic predisposition that makes them more likely to get hemorrhoids. This does not mean that they will necessarily suffer from hemorrhoids, it just means that they are more likely to get hemorrhoids in their lifetime. For these people, it is very important to take preventative measures to avoid hemorrhoids.

Age and hemorrhoids

The likelihood of a person suffering from hemorrhoids increases as a person gets older. Hemorrhoids usually develop after the age of 30. However, it is quite possible to get hemorrhoids at any age, due to tension, constipation, heavy lifting and similar stresses that we subject our body to.

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