What Causes Hemorrhoids – Why Do They Occur?

Hemorrhoids, scientifically, are veins in the rectum and anus that get swollen for a number of reasons. But for many people who experience having them, they represent a nightmare that doesn’t stop when they wake up in the morning. They bring them to work and pretty much all places they go to every day which is not only annoying but can also be very painful and unnerving. It’s for this reason many scientists are tasked to find out what causes hemorrhoids and find a solution for them.

Causes of hemorrhoids

Swelling and inflammation are the body’s natural reaction to infection and over-accumulation of substances like blood or any other type of body fluids. Piles formation is an example of this. The following are the piles causes:

-          Too much strain during bowel movement. The rectum and anus are composed of muscle tissues that contract and relax to help facilitate excretion of solid waste from the body. This process is done by channeling blood to and fro these tissues. Normally, the body can sense how much pressure it takes to spill out stool thus the term “nature’s call”. But things can go awry when we consume food stuff that hardens the consistency of our stool. As a result of this, the process of bowel movement is slowed down forcing us to compensate by exerting more pressure on the rectum and anus. Muscle tissues are designed to withstand strain up to a certain level but when this is done on a regular basis, tissue walls eventually collapse trapping blood inside resulting in hemorrhoid formation.

-          Besides bowel movement one of the causes is prolonged sitting puts the same level of stress and pressure on rectal muscles. This is why majority of individuals who suffer from piles belong to office workers who stay seated in their cubicles for long hours.

-          Lifting heavy objects ranks high in the list of the causes. This action puts a lot of strain on the lower back muscles and the legs which can involve the rectum and anus as well. Factory and industrial workers are prone to piles because of this.

-          Pregnancy can cause hemorrhoids in women as the baby’s weight puts a lot of strain in the pelvis area which also affects the muscles of the rectum and anus. It’s also aggravated during labor as they push hard to give birth.

-          Vices like smoking and drinking are often linked to hemorrhoids because the active substances found in cigarettes and alcoholic drinks greatly affects blood circulation. They also weaken tissue linings which make it easier for nerve endings to rupture at the slightest pressure.

People should learn and understand about the causes in order to avoid getting them.  There are several options for treatment easily available but nothing works as effective as preventing hemorrhoids from forming in the first place.


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