Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are an incredibly common medical condition and yet it is something which is rarely talked about. It is believed that 50% of Americans have this condition by the time they reach the age of 50 and yet only 500,000 of these people seek medical help for the problem. Of these, between 10 and 20% require surgery to have their hemorrhoids removed. Hemorrhoids are caused by the veins in the rectum and anus becoming swollen. The location of the piles can be internal or external and the symptoms vary dependent on this. If the hemorrhoids are internal, they can go undetected as pain receptors are not present internally. The only evidence of the problem can be blood in the bowel movements as they pass through the area. External piles are widely known to resemble a bunch of grapes and can be extremely painful for the sufferer. Of the two types, it would appear that internal hemorrhoids are the better of the two to have as you may not even know it. However, external piles can be easily treated whereas internal piles, when left undetected, can result in more serious complications. If an internal hemorrhoid becomes severely […] read more