How Are External Hemorrhoids Treated?

If your bottom feels sore or itchy, or you see blood when you pass a stool, you may be one of the nearly 10.5 million Americans living with hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are caused by veins in your lower rectum and anus that become swollen due to pressure and straining when you have a bowel movement.

There are one million new hemorrhoid diagnoses each year. Although most of them resolve on their own over time and some over-the-counter remedies help with symptoms, sometimes hemorrhoids must be removed surgically.

Dr. Luis Quinones at Q&S Surgical in Decatur and Lithonia, Georgia, is a highly esteemed, board-certified general surgeon with years of experience treating hemorrhoids and their hard-to-endure symptoms. 

Dr. Quinones is always happy to talk with you about your treatment options, educate you on preventive measures you can take to minimize your chances of developing a hemorrhoid again, and create a completely customized treatment plan.

There’s more than one type of hemorrhoid

Some hemorrhoids develop inside your rectum, while external hemorrhoids develop around your anus, outside of your rectum. Internal hemorrhoids tend not to cause uncomfortable symptoms, but they can cause blood in your stool.

External hemorrhoids lead to pain, itching, bleeding, and swelling, and if one forms a blood clot, you can experience intense pain and even have a hard time sitting or walking. This is known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid and it may be accompanied by a palpable bump in your anal area. 

A hemorrhoid can also make you feel like you haven’t had a complete bowel movement when you go to the bathroom.

Since it’s the external hemorrhoids that cause more painful symptoms, they’re the ones that may prompt Dr. Quinones to recommend surgery.

The lowdown on hemorrhoid removal (hemorrhoidectomy)

Remember when we mentioned that about one million individuals develop hemorrhoids each year? Around 10-20% of them end up needing surgery to remove their hemorrhoids because over-the-counter treatments and preventive measures, like eating more fiber, haven’t offered relief. 

If Dr. Quinones advises surgical hemorrhoid removal — a hemorrhoidectomy — as your treatment path, don’t panic. You’re in the best hands. In addition to having a thrombosed hemorrhoid, Dr. Quinones may believe a hemorrhoidectomy is the best course to follow if:

• Your hemorrhoids have fallen from inside to outside of your anus (prolapsed)
• Your hemorrhoid is strangulated (its blood supply is cut off) — this is an emergency
• Your hemorrhoids keep coming back

The only solution for a strangulated hemorrhoid is hemorrhoidectomy, and even if you’re lucky enough to have hemorrhoids whose symptoms aren’t severe, multiple recurrences can have a very negative effect on your quality of life. This is why some choose to have the surgery even though their hemorrhoids aren’t considered severe.

What to expect from a hemorrhoidectomy

With a hemorrhoidectomy, it’s not the procedure but the recovery that some find challenging. 

When you undergo the procedure, you’ll be anesthetized and blissfully unaware of what’s going on. A hemorrhoidectomy is a fairly brief procedure during which Dr. Quinones removes your hemorrhoid and seals up your blood vessels. 

A hemorrhoidectomy is outpatient surgery, so you’ll be home the same day as your procedure. Full recovery typically takes 2-8 weeks, and the biggest complaint of patients after surgery is pain and sensitivity. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help, and Dr. Quinones prescribes pain medication as well.

You need to get plenty of rest and you may be prescribed stool softeners so bowel movements are easier and less painful to pass. 

Even though recovery from a hemorrhoidectomy can be uncomfortable, it’s more than worth it, because the hemorrhoid is permanently removed, and it can never come back and disrupt your life again. The surgery is a permanent solution you won’t regret. If you’re plagued with hemorrhoid discomfort, imagine being permanently free of it.

And remember, if you’re 45 or over, make sure you’re up-to-date with your colonoscopy screenings, since some of the symptoms of hemorrhoids, such as bleeding and feeling like you haven’t finished a bowel movement, are also colon cancer symptoms. 

To schedule an appointment and learn more about a hemorrhoidectomy for external hemorrhoids, schedule an appointment with Dr. Quinones today. You can call our office or click online to book.