Hemorrhoids Specialist
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Y. H. Salem, MD, FACS
Acid Reflux and General Surgeon & Varicose Vein Specialist located in Huntington Beach, CA & Anaheim, CA
An estimated 10 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids each year, experiencing symptoms such as bleeding during bowel movements, discomfort in the anal area, and painful lumps. Dr. Y.H. Salem regularly diagnoses and treats hemorrhoids at his locations in Foothill Ranch, Huntington Beach, and Anaheim, California, with in-office banding procedures and outpatient surgery to alleviate pain and restore optimal health. If you’re one of the millions of Americans dealing with hemorrhoids, call or schedule an appointment online today and begin treatment.
Hemorrhoids
What are hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are enlarged, bulging blood vessels in and around your anus and lower rectum. Hemorrhoids arise when veins around your anus stretch due to pressure. In cases where the stretching and pressure persist, the weakened vessels protrude and form painful lumps.
There are two types of hemorrhoids: external and internal. The label refers to their location. External hemorrhoids are blood clots that form in the anal skin, leading to the sudden appearance of a painful anal mass. Internal hemorrhoids develop in the anus beneath its lining. Your individualized treatment plan depends on the type and severity of your hemorrhoids.
How do I know if I have hemorrhoids?
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids include:
- Bleeding during bowel movements
- Protrusion of skin during bowel movements
- Itching in the anal region
- Pain in the anal region
- Sensitive lumps
Your symptoms depend on the location and severity of your hemorrhoids.
What causes hemorrhoids?
Pressure can stretch out the veins around your anus, causing them to bulge or swell. Hemorrhoids, or swollen veins, can arise from increased pressure in the lower rectum as a result of:
- Complications of obesity
- Complications of pregnancy
- Straining during bowel movements
- Long periods of time sitting on the toilet
- Chronic diarrhea
- Chronic constipation
- Anal intercourse
- Low-fiber diet
Also, as you age, you’re more likely to develop hemorrhoids because the tissues that support the veins in your rectum and anus become susceptible to weakening and stretching.
How do you treat hemorrhoids?
Initially, Dr. Salem may recommend lifestyle modifications and home remedies to address your hemorrhoids and relieve painful symptoms. These can include a combination of increasing your fiber intake, using topical treatments, taking oral pain relievers, and avoiding dry toilet paper.
In more severe cases where hemorrhoids don’t respond to nonsurgical treatment, he performs in-house hemorrhoid banding procedures to obstruct blood to the swollen vein. During banding procedures, Dr. Salem applies general anesthesia or topical anesthesia to your rectum. He uses minimally invasive techniques, which involve an anoscope, a thin tube with a light at the end, to guide the placement of bands that constrict blood flow. Typically, this process only takes a few minutes, unless you have multiple hemorrhoids to band.
Dr. Salem also performs an outpatient procedure called a hemorrhoidectomy to remove hemorrhoids. During a hemorrhoidectomy, he makes small incisions near the tissue around the hemorrhoid. Dr. Salem ties off the swollen vein inside the hemorrhoid carefully eliminates the hemorrhoid with special surgical tools. He then sews up the surgical area and dresses the wound.
If you notice that you’re bleeding during bowel movements, the most common symptom of hemorrhoids, call or schedule an appointment online today and learn more about your treatment options.
