^

Health

A
A
A

Prevalence of hemorrhoids

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
 
Fact-checked
х

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Determine how many people suffer from hemorrhoids, it is very difficult, because not all people go to the doctor. For the same reason, it is not so easy to determine the actual prevalence of hemorrhoids in different countries. Doctors do this, relying on official data. And yet, in order to have an idea about this, it is important to get acquainted with the official information about this disease.

Hemorrhoids - is it embarrassing?

Hemorrhoids - is it embarrassing?

Many people are embarrassed to admit to their friends, acquaintances, and even more so to doctors that they have hemorrhoids. And meanwhile, this must be done necessarily, because many are silently suffering from pain in the anus, the nature of which is not clear. This may not be hemorrhoids at all, but cracks in the anus, weakness of the anal sphincter, cancerous tumor or something else.

Therefore, regardless of race, geography, social status of a person with a suspicion of hemorrhoids, you should immediately consult a doctor. At least in order to clearly understand the nature and cause of the disease. And then you can determine what method to treat it.

The prevalence of hemorrhoids

According to official data of the Ministry of Health, about 10% of people around the world suffer from hemorrhoids. These are those appeals that are registered. In countries where most patients are susceptible to this disease, it is Sweden, the United States, Japan, Germany. As for Ukraine and Russia, in these countries there are the largest number of complaints about hemorrhoids from residents of large cities, in particular, capitals. Doctors explain this by lack of mobility, sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition. Which is done on the go or people prefer fast food.

According to official figures, out of 6-10% of people in all of Russia with hemorrhoids, about 2% of Muscovites and up to 2% of Krasnoyarskers turn to doctors about this. As for St. Petersburg, there, this figure is above 2%. Those who live in rural areas, eat more natural products and move, performing various agricultural work, hemorrhoids are marked much less often - up to 1%.

Hemorrhoids among other diseases

Among diseases of the rectum, hemorrhoids are a permanent leader. This prevalence is up to 40%. And in 80% of patients with diseases of the rectum hemorrhoids - the main disease. At 20% - concomitant. At the same time, each of 12 patients needs urgent treatment - operational or stationary.

How does age affect hemorrhoids?

Most often this disease affects able-bodied people between the mark of 20-40 years, but there are cases when even children from two to six years old suffer from this disease. At the same time, they also had constipation. How does the incidence of hemorrhoids look like in percentage by age?

  • 15.5% of patients under 20 years old
  • 43.6% of patients from 21-30 years old
  • 25,6% of patients - 31-40 years old
  • 11,7% of patients - 41-50 years old
  • 3.6% - 51 years and older

At the same time, gradation in the age groups that suffer from hemorrhoids is the most visible.

Do all patients consult a doctor with hemorrhoids?

Doctors have determined in the course of interviews that not all people turn to a doctor for hemorrhoids, they suffer in silence. Here is a picture of appeals to doctors that emerges according to official data. To doctors with hemorrhoids apply:

  • 3.3% of patients under 20 years of age
  • 26.3% of patients from 21 to 30 years old
  • 31.5% of patients from 31 to 40 years old-
  • 26.2% of patients aged 41 to 50 years
  • 12.7% of patients 51 years and older

As we see, with hemorrhoids, no more than half of people at any age who suffer from this disease go to the doctor's office. This leads to a worsening of the course of this disease and complex consequences in the work of the gastrointestinal tract and rectum in particular. Based on these statistics, the doctors concluded that the person who is more likely to be hemorrhoids is men or women.

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

How does hemorrhoids affect gender?

Very often the opinion sounds that hemorrhoids are a male disease. According to statistics, this is indeed so. Given that most men generally do not like going to the doctor and being treated, the more they silently suffer hemorrhoids and turn to doctors only in extreme cases, when self-medication and wrong way of life leads to surgical intervention.

According to surveys, the percentage of men who consult a doctor with hemorrhoids is 77, and the percentage of women is 23. The ratio of men and women with hemorrhoids is higher by 1 to 1.4, since not all cases of this disease are registered. This situation allows us to conclude that you need to contact doctors immediately and take better care of your health.

You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.