You are at the beginning of your ‘hemorrhoid journey’ and you are worried that you might have them, but you don’t know what do hemorrhoids feel like. Don’t, worry, you are at the right place.

When I had my first experience with hemorrhoids, I had no idea what they are or how to be sure that I had hemorrhoids and not something else. To be honest, the first time I saw blood in the toilet, I was scared to death. My first thought was “it must be cancer”. But I guess that’s what most people think if they are seeing blood in the toilet for the first time.

Well, the good news is, don’t worry, it’s not cancer. You are probably experiencing a hemorrhoid rupture where the skin around the area tears and releases a small amounts of blood. Keep reading to learn more about what are hemorrhoids and how do hemorrhoids feel like.

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids or piles, as they are also know, are a swollen or enlarged veins around the anal area and rectum. There are two types of hemorrhoids that you can have:

External hemorrhoids – are hemorrhoids that are visible if you place a mirror at your behind, and are usually more painful and prone to bleeding.

Internal hemorrhoids – are hemorrhoids that are on the inside of the poop canal (rectum) and you can not see or touch them. They are less painful, and you can tell you have these hemorrhoids by finding blood spots on your toilet tissue.

What do external hemorrhoids feel like?

With external hemorrhoids, you literally feel like you have a small grape stuck between your cheeks. Depending on the severity, there is no misreading the feeling.

From personal experience, I can feel them the most after going for number 2, since this process enlarges them.

If you are not sure, take a mirror and place it on the ground. Take a look as soon as you finish ( #2) and you’ll be able to see an extra bits of skin hanging, or if they are inflamed, you’ll see a pea or grape size balls right near the anus.

On touch, external hemorrhoids feel soft and uncomfortable. You can try to gently press, and you’ll see that they’ll retract, but come back soon after.

Check out this article to see how to push hemorrhoids back in.

What do internal hemorrhoids feel like?

Internal hemorrhoids are much harder to spot. They are on the inside, and you can not, nor should you try to touch them. They can get itchy and usually are noticed by seeing blood spots on your toilet paper.

In most cases, blood spots on the toilet paper are signs of internal hemorrhoids, however, if this is your first time, I’d suggest seeing a doctor for professional diagnose.

To sum up

Chances are, every third or fourth person around you have hemorrhoids. They are not a serious disease, or dangerous. You can not die from hemorrhoids. However, at the first symptoms of hemorrhoids, have it looked up by a doctor to make sure you know what it is and what to do. You can have either external or internal hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids are visible on the outside, and soft on touch. Internal hemorrhoids are inside your rectum and you can tell you have them when you see blood on your toilet paper.

FAQ

Can I touch hemorrhoids with finger?

You can touch only external hemorrhoids using your finger after thoroughly washing the area. Internal hemorrhoids are not visible and can not be touched.

What happens if you pinch a hemorrhoid?

Pinching a hemorrhoid will worsen its symptoms and you might experience more pain then before, so DON’T do it.

Can I just push my hemorrhoid in?

You can try push them in only if you have external hemorrhoid. You can not push internal hemorrhoids in.

Can I drain my own hemorrhoid?

Popping or draining the hemorrhoids by your self can only cause more complications, bleeding and possible infection. Don’t do it.

Do hemorrhoids get worse if you touch them?

Over doing it with can make them worse. Only do the necessary cleaning and stay away.