External Haemorrhoids / External Hemorrhoids

External haemorrhoids are very common. They are not one disease like the internal ones but a multitude of separate entities.

1. THE ATTACK OF PILES or PERIANAL HAEMATOMA also called THROMBOSED EXTERNAL HAEMORRHOID
   
   
   
   Whilst straining or soon after this the patient experiences pain and swelling appears in the anal region. He or she has ruptured a blood vessel which has bled under the skin causing a painful blood blister. The treatment is simple. After a numbing local anaesthetic the blood is evacuated by the doctor causing immediate relief.
   
   
2. SKIN TAGS
   
   
   
   These are not significant but sometimes disturb the patient causing mild irritation. They are often the result of an untreated "attack of piles". No treatment is needed. Removing these tags is usually painful and merely cosmetic.
   
   
3. TAGS DUE TO FISSURES
   
   
   
   Fissures are painful problems. The tag below such a fissure may seem, to the patient, to be responsible for the pain. As soon as the fissure is cured the tag becomes insignificant.
   
   
4. PROLAPSING ANAL POLYP
   
   
   
   These are normally in the anal canal like the one shown above but can come out and disturb the patient. If necessary they can be removed with a small operation.
   
   
5. LARGE INTERNAL HAEMORRHOIDS / PROLAPSED INTERNAL HAEMORRHOID
   
   
   
   Very large internal haemorrhoids can project externally. The treatment, like the treatment of smaller haemorrhoids, is simple and pain free. A small rubber ring is placed around each haemorrhoid removing its blood supply. This causes the haemorrhoid to shrink and fall off.
   
   
6. Anal Warts / Genital Warts
   
   
   
   These are not haemorrhoids. They result from infection with the wart virus which is spread by direct contact, often sexual in nature. Warts are difficult to treat because they tend to come back after removal. Another problem is that they may be associated with AIDS and rarely cancer.
   
   
7. EXTERNAL HAEMORRHOIDS OF PREGNANCY
   
   These can be troublesome during the last stage of pregnancy. Fortunately they usually disappear after the birth of the baby and require no treatment. Internal haemorrhoids of pregnancy are best treated after the babies birth.

WARNING

EXTERNAL HAEMORRHOIDS are often associated with other problems in the bowel and investigations by your doctor may be necessary. This would involve inspection of the bowel which can be partial (sigmoidoscopy) or total (colonoscopy).

Return to Colonoscopy Information for Patients