If you happen to’ve by no means had a hemorrhoid, think about your self fortunate—and don’t be shocked in case your luck runs out sooner or later. About 40% of adults get these swollen blood vessels in or round their rectum, and whereas they don’t at all times trigger signs, once they do, it may be very, very disagreeable.

When Shivana Pemberton, 31, of Auckland, New Zealand, has a flare-up it’s so painful that she will barely stroll, notably after having a bowel motion. “The final time after I went to the bathroom and I did a poo, I bled a lot I needed to have my husband bathe me,” Pemberton tells SELF. “I couldn’t even stroll to the bathe myself. He needed to actually carry me…as a result of I couldn’t do something. It was terrible.”

Not everybody has hemorrhoid signs that excessive, however it could possibly occur. Right here’s a primer on why you may get these painful, infected blood vessels and the primary signs to search for.

What causes hemorrhoids?

The blood vessels that line your anus are there for a purpose and may help “keep good anorectal well being,” Pooja Singhal, MD, an American Gastroenterological Affiliation spokesperson, tells SELF. They mainly cushion your anal sphincter—a hoop of muscle mass that basically is a marvel of anatomical engineering should you cease to consider it—to maintain stuff from leaking out whilst you go about your day. However once they get irritated or swollen, that’s an issue. “Hemorrhoids are very, quite common,” Dr. Singhal says. Girls usually tend to report having them, however males could get them simply as typically (or perhaps much more), some analysis suggests.

Something that will increase stress in your stomach, like being pregnant, weight lifting, or medical circumstances like liver illness or hypertension may cause hemorrhoids, as can power diarrhea, constipation (all that pushing!), or sitting on the bathroom greater than is strictly vital.

Falen Gotler, 40, made that mistake and it led to her first run-in with hemorrhoids in her 20s. “I simply sat on the bathroom too lengthy and it’s humorous now as a result of I’m like, That is ridiculous that I did that,” she tells SELF. “However on the time I used to be youthful and didn’t know any higher.” Whether or not you’re simply chilling, studying, or scrolling via your telephone, spending an excessive amount of time on the can is unhealthy for, nicely, your can. “If you’re sitting on the bathroom…that simply places a variety of stress and results in swelling,” Dr. Singhal says.

What are the signs of hemorrhoids?

Right here’s what to search for should you assume you may need this downside:

1. Rectal bleeding after you poop

This one is a biggie. Hemorrhoids are well-known for inflicting shiny crimson blood in stool, notably after a bowel motion. The excellent news is that the bleeding itself tends to be painless (although the swollen veins should not). You would possibly see it on the bathroom paper after wiping, coating your poop, and even filling the bathroom bowl. (That is one which freaks individuals out probably the most, however we’ll get to what to do should you’re frightened one thing extra severe is happening in a second.)

2. A swollen lump in or round your anus

Hemorrhoids might be inner (inside your rectum) or exterior (forming bumps beneath your pores and skin close to the anus). Hemorrhoids are typically known as piles, which is expounded to the Latin phrase pila, for “ball.” If you happen to’ve ever felt these bumps, you’ll perceive that title. Both sort can prolapse, which means they bulge outdoors your bum gap. They might finally return inside (it’s okay to softly push them in should you can) or they might hold down, like one particular person on Reddit described as “a bunch of grapes” and never go away. (Usually, hemorrhoid signs are inclined to flare-up after which subside, however it may be exhausting to foretell whenever you’ll really feel higher. “Mine usually final 5 days after which the following day the ache’s simply gone,” says Pemberton.)

3. Itching

This occurs as a result of the irritation and irritation can launch histamine, which is the naturally occurring urge-to-scratch chemical. Different issues that may make this sensation worse are mucus or bits of poop that bought missed when wiping. You may need fixed itching all through the day, Dr. Singhal says, or it would worsen whenever you poop as a result of the stress within the space will increase. Friction (scrubbing too exhausting with rest room paper, for instance) or extra moisture within the space could make your butt really feel much more itchy.

4. Ache

This symptom varies relying on what sort of hemorrhoid you could have. There are usually two kinds of sensations, Dr. Singhal says. One tends to be boring and milder and is attributable to the swollen and uncomfortable blood vessels. The opposite is fairly excessive, “like extreme ache the place they will’t stroll and sit.” Little blood clots can typically type in these swollen blood vessels on the skin and trigger what’s known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid, which leads to extreme, unrelenting ache. Whereas they aren’t harmful, they might “require pressing analysis to get aid,” Dr. Singhal says. A health care provider can take away them, though they might resolve on their very own (should you can stand to attend that lengthy).

5. Journeys to the lavatory which can be disagreeable, to say the least

In case your signs ramp up whenever you go No. 2, that might be an indication too. “I dread going to the bathroom,” Pemberton says. “You’ve bought an uncovered vessel and then you definately’ve bought poo passing throughout it and it’s simply so painful.” You may additionally typically really feel like one thing—on this case, a swollen vein—is prolapsing, or bulging out of your physique, whenever you poop. “When individuals are passing stool, there’s [sometimes] tissue popping out whereas they’re defecating,” Dr. Singhal says.

What to do should you’re frightened it’s one thing extra severe.

It’s pure to your well being nervousness to go off the charts after you look down at a rest room bowl stuffed with shiny crimson blood. Simply do not forget that this symptom may imply a variety of various things. Some are comparatively innocent or simple to repair, such as you’ve been consuming meals—for instance, beets—that may stain every little thing crimson and idiot you into considering you’re bleeding.