What exactly are hemorrhoids, anyway?

What kind of illness are
hemorrhoids?

"Hemorrhoid" is a general term that refers to all kinds of anus illnesses, and can be categorized into three major types: hemorrhoids (piles), anal fissure, and anal fistula.
The most common types among these are hemorrhoids (piles) and anal fissure, which can be treated with general hemorrhoid medicine. Hemorrhoids (piles) are categorized as internal hemorrhoids (hemorrhoids inside the anus) and external hemorrhoids (hemorrhoids outside the anus) depending on the location of the affected area.

Three major types

How do hemorrhoids occur?

In order to understand hemorrhoids, you should first learn about how the rectum and the anus works.

he anus consists of a combination of two different tissues

The anus consists of a combination
of two different tissues

The anus is actually closed during the early stages of fetal development. The intestine, which goes down from the mouth as baby grows in the womb, connects with the depression that forms in the skin of the bottom, becoming a single path that then forms the anus. This connected boundary line is called "dentate line", and above the line is where the mucous membrane is found, whereas below the line is where the anal epithelium is found.
The venous plexus is a group of capillaries located on the inside and near the exit of the anus. Sensory nerves (nerves that feel pain) do not pass through the venous plexus of the rectal mucous membrane above the dentate line; however, they do pass through the venous plexus of the anal epithelium, which is below the dentate line.
As explained above, the anus is very delicate, consisting of two different kinds tissue, veins and nerves and tissue with elastic properties.

What are the main causes of hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are mainly caused by constipation, diarrhea, excessive pushing during bowel movements, and sitting for a long period of time. For example, if your stool becomes hard due to constipation, it puts pressure on the anus during bowel movements, which can tear the skin resulting in anal fissure, or blood can congest in the veins of the venous plexus in the anus, resulting in hemorrhoids.

What are the main causes of hemorrhoids?

The 3 major types of hemorrhoids

There are three major types of hemorrhoids: hemorrhoids (piles), which are wart-shaped swellings, anal fissure which are tears in the skin of the anus, and anal fistula which is pus tunnels between the rectum and skin near the anus.
Among hemorrhoids, there are internal hemorrhoids, which form on the inside of the anus, and external hemorrhoids, which form on the outside of the anus. Because there are no sensory nerves passing through the tissues of the rectal mucous membrane, internal hemorrhoids which form on the inside of the anus do not cause pain. However, because there are many sensory nerves passing through the skin below the dentate line, anal fissure and external hemorrhoids formed outside of the anus do cause pain. You can identify the general position of hemorrhoids if you do or do not have pain.
Bacteria can invade the indentations of the dentate line, resulting in infection and pus-filled tunnels, which are called anal fistulas.

The image is roughly divided into three types of image

Which types of hemorrhoids are most common?

Among hemorrhoids (piles), anal fissure, and anal fistulas, about half of hemorrhoids among both men and women are hemorrhoids. The most common among men are hemorrhoids, followed by anal fistulas, then anal fissure. On the other hand, the second most common among women is anal fissure, followed by anal fistulas. Because internal hemorrhoids which form on the inside of the anus generally do not cause pain, many people have them without noticing it, only to be surprised by sudden bleeding.

Statistics of Men hemorrhoids

Statistics of Women hemorrhoids

Cases from the Coloproctology Center at the Social Insurance Central Hospital（Tokyo Yamate Medical Center) from 1960 to 2004
※ Includes illnesses other than hemorrhoids.
Source: Tatsuo Teramoto (edited) (2007), On the Forefront of Anal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment - SHINDAN TO CHIRYO SHA Inc.

Where are hemorrhoids formed?

They can form on the inside or outside of the anus. If the outside of the anus is painful and swollen, people tend to be aware of this area only, however, there could also be hemorrhoids on the inside as well, so make sure to take care of both areas.

What kind of illness are hemorrhoids?

How do hemorrhoids occur?

In order to understand hemorrhoids, you should first learn about how the rectum and the anus works.

What are the main causes of hemorrhoids?

The 3 major types of hemorrhoids

Which types of hemorrhoids are most common?

Where are hemorrhoids formed?

What kind of illness are
hemorrhoids?