What Caused My Thrombosed Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoid symptoms vary depending on location. External hemorrhoids cause the most discomfort, especially when they become thrombosed, which means your hemorrhoid has formed a blood clot.

Thrombosed hemorrhoids make activities like sitting an absolute nightmare, and you may wonder what caused the painful condition.

At Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center, our hemorrhoid expert, Dr. Betsey F. Clemens, has more than two decades of experience diagnosing and treating anorectal conditions like thrombosed hemorrhoids. 

We want you to know more about your thrombosed hemorrhoid, what may have caused it, and how we can treat it. 

About your thrombosed hemorrhoid 

The blood vessels located in your anus and rectum ease the passage of stool through your anal canal. Any increase in pressure on these blood vessels causes them to stretch and enlarge, resulting in a hemorrhoid.

Hemorrhoids are either internal, found inside the rectum, or external, located under the skin around your anus. Thrombosed hemorrhoids occur when blood pools in your external hemorrhoid and clots, creating a hard and painful lump.

You may experience pain and itching with external hemorrhoids. But when your external hemorrhoids are thrombosed, they cause severe pain, inflammation, and swelling. 

The causes of thrombosed hemorrhoids

So, what caused your already uncomfortable hemorrhoid to go from a 5 to a 10+ on the pain scale? Unfortunately, it’s not always clear what causes someone to develop thrombosed hemorrhoids.

We theorize that the blood clot may develop if you sit for long periods of time in the bathroom or struggle with constipation. According to Michigan Medicine, thrombosed hemorrhoids may also occur spontaneously, with no known underlying cause.   

What to do when you have thrombosed hemorrhoids

Though very uncomfortable, thrombosed hemorrhoids aren’t a serious health concern. It’s possible your thrombosed hemorrhoid may resolve on its own within a week or so.

But as noted by the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons, many people with hemorrhoids suffer far too long with their pain before they get help.  

To ease your pain quickly, we perform an external thrombectomy. During the in-office procedure, Dr. Clemens makes an incision at the site of your hemorrhoid and drains the blood. 

Though simple and effective, we only recommend an external thrombectomy if your thrombosed hemorrhoid is no more than three days old. All the more reason to stop the suffering sooner rather than later.

If we can’t perform the in-office procedure, we may recommend other treatments to ease your discomfort, such as sitz baths and stool softeners. You may also want to invest in a hemorrhoid pillow so you can sit without discomfort. 

We may not know what caused your thrombosed hemorrhoids, but we can provide treatments to ease your discomfort. Contact our office by calling 636-228-3186, or by scheduling an appointment online today.