Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are enlarged veins in the anus and rectum that protrude out of the muscle wall due to several different causes which will be discussed in this article. As noted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases [1]
Hemorrhoids are common in both men and women. They affect around 1 in 20 Americans.
Approximately half of all adults that are 50 years and older have hemorrhoids. John F. Johanson and Amnon Sonnenberg [2] found one-third of the population found to have hemorrhoids went to a physician to be treated. Of that group, a whopping 1.5 million patients were treated with prescription hemorrhoidal treatments. These statistics show just how common hemorrhoids are for adults in the United States of America.
Straining
Things like childbirth, bowel movements, heavy lifting, weight lifting, etc. can cause people to bear down and strain. The act of straining entails an individual to push down on their rectal and anal muscles. This pressure can cause the blood vessels to be pushed against the anal or rectal tissue. If straining occurs for a long period of time, occurs with a lot of pressure, or both, then this can cause the vessels to be pushed through some layers of the tissue and bulge out.
