NHS Choices Condition
Content supplied by NHS Choices
Haemorrhoids occur due to an increase pressure in the blood vessels in your anus (back passage) and rectum (end of the large bowel).
This is often because of straining when trying to pass a stool. The blood vessels in and around your anus become swollen and inflamed.
Others factors that can increase your chances of having haemorrhoids include:
- being overweight,
- being constipated on a regular basis - often due to a lack of fibre in your diet,
- prolonged diarrhoea,
- regularly lifting heavy objects,
- pregnancy - where you experience increased abdominal pressure on your pelvic blood vessel, causing your blood vessels to enlarge (the haemorrhoids often disappear after giving birth), and
- if you are over the age of 50.
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here
Bookmark with