Three out of four adults will experience hemorrhoids at some point in their life. Caused by the swelling of the rectal veins in or around the anus, hemorrhoids can certainly cause discomfort, itchiness, and pain. The good news is, not all hemorrhoids are painful. Some are completely painless and may cause little to no symptoms at all.
Doctors often receive questions like, “Do all hemorrhoids hurt?” or “Can hemorrhoids be painless?” from patients who are concerned that they have hemorrhoids and simply don’t realize it. First of all, when it comes to hemorrhoids, if there is no pain or discomfort, chances are there is no reason to worry either. Some small internal hemorrhoids, for example, are rarely even noticeable – making them the most common type of painless hemorrhoid. Some people have them for years without knowing it. In fact, internal hemorrhoids actually help contribute to your continence function. If an internal hemorrhoid begins to protrude from the anus, however, it can then become an issue. A protruding internal hemorrhoid can cause any number of problems, including bleeding, swelling, and discomfort during bowel movements, as well as an intense itchy feeling that lasts throughout the day. Internal hemorrhoids are not typically painful because they form in an area where there aren’t any nerve endings.
External hemorrhoids, however, can be more obvious as they form just inside or on the outer rim of the anus, and can be associated with pain.
The bottom line is, while your hemorrhoids may be painless now, they are likely to get worse as time goes by. If your hemorrhoids aren’t bothering you, then you may not require any medical attention, but if you experience symptoms at all (itching, bleeding, pain, swelling), it may be time to contact a doctor. Hemorrhoids rarely go away on their own and even though you can manage symptoms with at-home remedies, they typically continue to worsen until you see a doctor who can present you with a variety of treatment options, such as the CRH O’Regan System. Designed to get rid of hemorrhoids quickly and painlessly, this treatment can remove any and all symptoms for good. If you know you’ve got hemorrhoids, your doctor can get you on the fast track to recovery.
