When most people find a lump in the anal region, they automatically think hemorrhoids are the reason, but there are many other diseases of the rectum that come into consideration when trying to make such an evaluation.
Remember, only a doctor can prescribe your illness, after he asks a series of questions to make sure that the itching and burning you are experiencing, is indeed piles or hemorrhoids.
Pain in the anus can occur through inflamed hemorrhoids nodes, but also an Anal thrombosis or an abscess may be the cause.
In facts, there are literally 100's of reasons for this type of condition, including stress, infections and stomach-related medical problems.
Specific attention should be paid by you for traces of blood on the toilet paper or stool, as in the worst case scenario, a tumor may be responsible for your pain.
During a medical examination for hemorrhoids, the patient must lie down so that rectum can be easily reached by the doctor.
Sometimes he asks the parties to lay down on the side and legs (Sims' position).
Or, the patient lies on his back and places his legs right and left.
There is also a scenario, where the patient kneels on the examination table and stretches the buttocks in the air (knee-elbow position?.
It is important that the posture is relaxed, so that the whole experience is not too unpleasant for the patient.
Then, the doctor will feel and inspect the anal region.
First, the physician examines the colon starting from the outside.
He will be looking for such signs as inflammation, skin irritation, tearing and greatly enlarged hemorrhoids.
Most doctors will also use an endoscope, to see the intestines, and inspect for any abnormalities such as lumps or scarring.
If the doctor can make no definite diagnosis, then one can also get a detailed endoscopic examination, which requires an empty the bowel.
This will obviously require a day or maybe two of fasting where the patient usually takes before a laxative, or, if an enema.
For an endoscopy, the doctor can use various tools, depending on what he wants to see.
Usually, they will use a proctoscope for the front areas of the anus.
The device is a tube with a handle, 6-15 cm long.
The opening of the front is beveled, sometimes located in the middle of a small window.
Through the tube, the physician can push a lamp and other devices.
This allows a proctoscope to extract tissue samples or deserted hemorrhoids.
If this proctoscopy and rectoscopy provide no cause for the symptoms, the doctor may do a sigmoidoscopy.
In this method he is able to see the bottom of the large intestine by introducing a flexible endoscope.
The doctor enters a colonoscopy within the intestine, looking at the entire large intestine for the transition into the small intestine.
This is done by a flexible hose, which sits at the head of a miniature camera.
Additional tests may exclude fungi and allergies, and other possible infections.
Remember, Hemorrhoids can be at worst relieved and possibly cured altogether.
Always look for a natural solution and always take steps to prevent them happening in the first place.