Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, is a condition in which the veins swell up and cause pain. This occurs in the rectal and anal region with internal hemorrhoids developing inside the rectum, and external hemorrhoids forming outside the rectal area. While recognizing hemorrhoid symptoms will aid in faster treatment, being informed about what causes hemorrhoids, will help you prevent the condition altogether!
If the cause is genetics, you will be predisposed to developing the condition and you should be more likely to experience them at some stage in your life. Luckily, understanding the environmental reasons will help you to identify the causes and take actions to cure and prevent hemorrhoids.
This leads us to the main factor – lifestyle. Most common reason for getting hemorrhoids is wrong behavior and lifestyle. The solution here is the same – factors that contribute to the development of hemorrhoids are mostly the little things we do every day and actually they are easy to handle. For treating hemorrhoids wrong habits have to be changed and eliminated.
Hemorrhoids do not care about gender and age. People of all ages can be affected, but due to age-related fatigue, hemorrhoids become a typical health issue for people around the age of 50. By that age, about half of adults are suffering or have suffered the discomforting hemorrhoids symptoms like itching and bleeding.
Mainly they are caused by constant or repeated pressure on the rectal or anal veins which will affect the blood flow and make the veins swell. This disruption of blood flow to anal cushions will lead to bulging and will result in prolapse of internal hemorrhoids or blood clotting in external hemorrhoids.
Therefore, pressure in the lower rectum is the key factor and the most common issue that causes hemorrhoids. There are a lot of lifestyle-related issues and everyday habits we have, that can cause this pressure.
Here in this following section, we have listed 14 main reasons and causes that can cause you to get hemorrhoids, so read through and make necessary corrections!
While this may sound strange it is actually one of the main reasons. The sitting position on the toilet is unnatural for our body and strains the anal area. Therefore, do not read the newspaper on the toilet or scroll through the news feed on your phone. Keep your stool soft and easy to pass and do it quick!
Pregnancy is considered a major cause for the development of hemorrhoids. During pregnancy, the uterus becomes larger and the increased size and weight causes stress on the rectal area, which leads to bulging of veins in that area. This may also create health problems for women after childbirth.
Hemorrhoids can also develop as a result of suffering from frequent bouts of diarrhea. During diarrhea, the rectum and anus are exposed to constant pressure and pain that can aggravate the condition. Sneezing or coughing during this time can make the pain worse.
People who suffer from inflammation may be at a greater risk of experiencing hemorrhoids. This common health disorder may also be triggered by strained bowel movements where the individual needs to push harder for the bowel movements to get going. This forceful action can cause the veins in the rectal area to bulge and inflame. The same also increases pressure on the walls of blood vessels in the area, resulting in bleeding of the rectal region.
Age may also be a factor when it comes to hemorrhoid development. Although they can develop in people of all ages, ranging from children to youngsters and adults, they are more common for older individuals, from the ages of 45 to 65.
People who follow a sedentary lifestyle life paired with unhealthy dietary habits are also more prone to developing hemorrhoids. This includes sitting for most of your day and consuming a lot of junk food. This combination is a direct precursor to obesity.
Obesity itself increases the risk of external and internal hemorrhoids as it increases pressure on the blood vessels of the excretory system.
Correct nutrition is important for our body – besides giving us energy, keeping us fit and happy it also contributes to the consistency of our stool. Adding more fiber to our food will keep it all balanced. Read more about correct nutrition.
Drinking water and other healthy fluids is essential. Our body needs water and this keeps also our stool soft and easy to pass and therefore avoiding straining and damages while passing stool.
This is very much related to previous reasons. If you do not exercise regularly, eat unhealthily and are overweight you will be more likely to get hemorrhoids. Being fit will avoid staining, keep correct muscle tone and your body tissues on top of the game. Exercises For Hemorrhoids.
While this may sound counterintuitive, but too much exercise can also serve as a reason for hemorrhoids development. Especially affected is weightlifting and other sports that include lifting heavy objects and include straining.
This same applies to jobs that include lifting heavy objects, like boxes during the working day or at home.
As mentioned earlier, it is also likely that an individual experiences hemorrhoids because someone in their immediate family or parents suffer from the same.
Anal intercourse is another cause of hemorrhoids. Forceful thrusting in the anal region can damage the blood vessels, further leading to bleeding from their severed parts and formation of lumps in the area.
Among these causes, there isn’t much you can do about your genetic makeup or age. However, modifying others such as daily routine and lifestyle habits will help in reducing the incidence or even better – avoiding hemorrhoids development beforehand.
If you experience any of these symptoms then you should definitely read our article about hemorrhoid treatment. Go HERE.