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External haemorrhoids are haemorrhoids that affect veins outside the anus. These haemorrhoids can cause bleeding, cracking, and itching.
External haemorrhoids are different from internal haemorrhoids in two important ways: the first and most obvious difference is where they are located – external haemorrhoids, as the name suggests, are on the outside of your anus. Internal haemorrhoids are on the inside.
The second difference is the very nature of external haemorrhoids; they develop under the skin in a nerve rich sensitive area around the outside of the anus.
This is an important distinction because it explains why external piles are more likely to be painful than internal piles.
External piles are located on the outside of your anus – you will be able to see them. They look like small pink lumps and generally come with more complications than internal haemorrhoids.
As mentioned, they are likely to be more painful, but if you think about the fact that they are located outside of your anus, you’ll appreciate that external piles form an obvious barrier to your natural bowel movements.
External piles are more prone to becoming inflamed and swollen if you constantly strain when you open your bowels. They become itchy, sore and from time to time become quite uncomfortable.
One of the other complications with external hemorrhoids, is that blood clots can develop in them. These are called “thrombosed hemorrhoids” and can look purple and bruised. The clot will naturally dissolve but until it does it can make the hemorrhoid very pain
The most common cause of external haemorrhoids is repeated straining while having a bowel movement. Haemorrhoids develop when the veins of the rectum or anus become dilated or enlarged and can be either “internal” or “external.” External haemorrhoids are usually found beneath the skin that surrounds the anus.
Using over the counter ointments creams can help reduce any irritation by effectively numbing the area. The active ingredient in these treatments is a steroid called hydrocortisone. The percentage of hydrocortisone is very small, but you shouldn’t use the ointments for longer than advised on the packaging.
Regular warm baths or soaking in a Sitz bath can help relieve the symptoms of external piles. If the irritation gets really bad, then using ice packs around the area can bring immediate relief.
For extreme pain that may be caused by thrombosed piles, over the counter pain killers are the only option for temporary relief.
As with any sort of haemorrhoid, a change to a high fibre diet will help keep the haemorrhoid from becoming inflamed. This is due to the healthy, regular bowel movements that are promoted through a healthy diet.
In the case of external haemorrhoids the treatment to eradicate them will be of a surgical nature. Wren Healthcare, does not provide treatments for external haemorrhoids. However, it may well be, that what you think are external haemorrhoids, may actually be prolapsed internal haemorrhoids. If they are in fact prolapsed internal haemorrhoids, then the treatment options include non-surgical procedures such as electrotherapy.
Electrotherapy treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment that can eradicate your internal piles and for most people, enable you to get back to your life on the same day. If your external haemorrhoids turn out to be prolapsed internal haemorrhoids, then a discreet call to one of our nurses will get you on the first steps to saying goodbye to your piles.
Internal haemorrhoids are actually swollen veins and their support tissues, situated in the lower part of your rectum. Sometimes the blood vessels and associated tissues become weak and stretch so thin that they bulge and become irritated
Internal haemorrhoids can “prolapse.” If they prolapse, they become swollen and protrude outside your rectum. They can be quite uncomfortable when this happens and are more likely to be prone to bleeding.
A thrombosed haemorrhoid, is the medical term for a haemorrhoid that has become swollen due to a small blood clot within the haemorrhoid. The word ‘thrombosis’ means clotting.
If you suffer with haemorrhoids, then understanding how the medical profession grades the different sizes and nature of your piles could be vital in how you approach the treatment of your specific condition.
Electrotherapy is a non-invasive non-surgical treatment that can be used to treat internal piles and, for most people, enable you to get back to your life on the same day. Please get in touch to discuss your treatment options with a specialist nurse.
No preparation (e.g. no enema)
No anaesthesia
Treatment is carried out in the comfort of your own home
Non-invasive — no cutting or needles
No need to travel to clinic or hospital — our nurses come to you.
Each treatment takes 10-30 minutes
90% of patients who shared their experience resumed normal activities the same day
Many of our patients are cleared after one treatment.
Speak with our nursing team...
to discuss your symptoms and treatment options
0333 305 8964
Our nurses are available Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm
Suffering with haemorrhoids? Need some advice? View our lifestyle booklet for advice on diet, exercise, hydration to help manage your symptoms.
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