Rethinking What We Know About Hemorrhoids

Although hemorrhoids are responsible for considerable economic cost and personal suffering, they have received surprisingly little research attention. In the United States, hemorrhoids are the third most common outpatient gastrointestinal diagnosis with nearly 4 million office and emergency department visits annually. The etiology of hemorrhoids is speculative. A low-fiber diet and constipation have historically been thought to increase the risk for hemorrhoids, but not proven. Symptoms commonly attributed to hemorrhoids include bleeding, pain, pruritus, fecal seepage, prolapse and mucus discharge.

https://ift.tt/2Gc8fqA