Hemorrhoid Bleeding: How Much Is Normal?

Hemorrhoid bleeding is a common occurrence among people with hemorrhoids. Regardless, this is still a big concern for a lot of people, especially since any sort of bleeding can seem alarming. But when it comes to hemorrhoid bleeding, how much is normal? And when should you seek medical attention?

What Are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids refer to the veins found in a person’s rectum. What this means that everyone has hemorrhoids.

However, when people use the term “hemorrhoids,” they usually refer to the condition wherein these veins are swollen. This can happen as a result of a number of things, but the usual culprits are

• Pregnancy
• Straining when passing stool
• Constipation

When these veins swell, they get bigger and distended. For the most part, if the hemorrhoids have not yet reached this point, no medical attention is required typically.

However, if the patient experiences severe pain when sitting or passing stool, then consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Why Do Hemorrhoids Bleed?

It’s also possible for hemorrhoids to bleed and rupture, especially if they have thrombosed. A thrombosed hemorrhoid essentially means that there is a blood clot inside the vein.

If the thrombosed hemorrhoid fills up with enough blood, then it can expand, and possibly rupture, causing bleeding. This is especially painful for patients with external hemorrhoids.

Though, most people don’t even notice that their hemorrhoid has ruptured. Usually, the first sign is if it causes them intense pain, or they see blood in their stool. For patients with internal hemorrhoids, this bleeding is usually painless.

This can be a frightening situation, however, since most people aren’t used to seeing bright red blood in their stool. Typically, it usually isn’t a cause for concern. This is because most of the time, the amount of blood in the stool is very minimal.

Hemorrhoid Bleeding: How Much Is Normal?

When it comes to hemorrhoids, light bleeding is a normal occurrence. It usually happens when a person with hemorrhoids passes hard stool or strains when they pass stool.

Patients might notice some drops of blood when they wipe or the water in the toilet looks red. The latter can sometimes be misleading, as only a small amount of blood is needed to color the water in the toilet. So it’s not uncommon for people with hemorrhoids to get worried.

However, what’s not normal is if you experience moderate to heavy bleeding from your hemorrhoids. This is especially worrisome if the bleeding doesn’t stop or if you experience significant pain along with the bleeding.

The blood from hemorrhoids are also usually bright red. If you notice darker colored blood, it is best to consult a doctor. Remember, the sooner you seek treatment, the better the prognosis. So don’t hesitate to go to the hospital if you’re worried about your condition.

What Can You Do About It?

There are a number of things that you can do in order to stop hemorrhoid bleeding. Try the following:

• Soak in a tub of warm water to help alleviate the pain.
• You can also use a sitz bath or a bathtub designed for soaking the hips and buttocks.
• Using a hot water bottle can also work in relieving pain from hemorrhoids.
• Suppositories and hemorrhoid ointments can also help in relieving pain and swelling.
• Be sure to have enough fiber in your diet, to help improve your bowel movements.
• Staying hydrated is also important in making sure you don’t experience constipation.
• Keep your anus clean and make sure that it’s always dry.

If the pain doesn’t go away, or worsens, consult your doctor. They might recommend procedures such as rubber band ligation or a hemorrhoidectomy to completely remove the hemorrhoids through surgery. These are common forms of treatment, and have very low risk and side effects.

Learn more about Hemorrhoids here.