Mr Russell Hodgson
Copyright © 2017 Mr Russell Hodgson HPB and General Surgeon, Melbourne, Australia
Appointments/Enquiries: 9456 9511
Specialist HPB and General Surgeon
Haemorrhoids are lumps in your anal canal that when big enough can also protrude from your anus. They are formed from extra blood vessels and tissue that grow from the internal part of the anus. They are more common in pregnancy, older people, and people who regularly get constipated or strain repetitively. They cause a wide variety of symptoms including bleeding, itchiness, pain, discomfort at feeling a lump, and the constant feeling of being unclean and soiling of underwear. When blood clots within the haemorrhoid, often called a thrombosed haemorrhoid, this can be excruciatingly painful and can take up to a week to settle.
The treatment of haemorrhoids is as varied as the types of symptoms. Often by the time someone is referred to a surgeon they have tried a variety of creams which serve to try and shrink the haemorrhoid and are often quite good for the symptom of itchiness. Most bleeding from the rectum/anus should be investigated to ensure that the bleeding source is definitely that of haemorrhoids and not from the colon. Haemorrhoid banding is a procedure that can have good success in reducing or completely stopping bleeding, can be done in conjunction with colonoscopy, and has the advantages of being essentially pain free and can also be repeated. Sometimes, when the lump is too big to shrink, surgery is the only option. Russell can discuss all the options with you and help to decide which investigations and treatments are best for you.
