When should I see a hemorrhoids doctor?
Be sure to see a hemorrhoids doctor before you start any hemroid treatment on your own, especially if you have any of the following symptoms, but haven’t been previously diagnosed with hemorrhoids:
- Anal bleeding
- Anal pain
- Swelling at the anal opening
- Anal discharge
- Dark black stools
- A fever combined with bloody stools
- Very thin stools
- Inability to pass stools
- Chronic diarrhea
- Chronic constipation
See a hemorrhoids doctor if you have any of the following symptoms and have already been diagnosed with hemorrhoids:
- Severe pain
- Moderate pain that doesn’t get better after one week of treatment
- If the hemorrhoids don’t start to improve
- Hemorrhoids prolapse (fall out of the anal canal)
- If the bleeding changes from bright red to a darker color
- Stools get darker
- If bleeding gets worse
Will I need a colonoscopy?
If you have external hemorrhoids your hemorrhoids doctor may only do a visual exam, but more likely than not you will need a colonoscopy or another type of colon exam. This is especially true if you have internal hemorrhoids, a colonoscopy may be the only way to identify the hemorrhoids.
Why do I need a colonoscopy?
The main reason is so the hemorrhoid doctor can give you a proper diagnosis, there are other colorectal diseases such as colon cancer, polyps, fissures, and fistulas that may have symptoms that are the same as hemorrhoids. It’s important to rule these diseases out as a possible cause of symptoms. Plus, in the case of internal hemorrhoids, this may be the only way that the doctor can see them. Everyone over the age of 50 years old should already be getting preventative colon screening exams done. This is because the incidence of colon cancer increases as we get older. Early screening and treatment has helped to lower the death rates associated with colon cancer making colonoscopies an important diagnostic tool.
What kind of doctor specializes in hemorrhoids?
Gastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in the digestive system from the mouth to the anal canal. After high school, training includes:
- 4 years bachelor’s degree
- 4 years medical school
- 3 years residency
- 2-3 years fellowship in gastroenterology
If the gastroenterologist specialized in a gastroenterology field like GI radiology, or hepatology, which is the study of the liver and the liver, pancreas and biliary tree, then an additional 2-3 years in the specialty field will also be required. Proctology surgery and gastroenterological surgery are not included in gastroenterology, these are surgical specialties. So, a gastroenterologist isn’t just a hemorrhoids doctor, they are much more than that, they are trained to treat diseases and disorders of the entire digestive system.
Before Your Appointment
Make sure you don’t let embarrassment keep you from getting the answers you have about hemorrhoids. A lot of medical professions recommend making a list of questions and bringing it with you, this way you don’t forget anything. Your doctor has seen and heard it all before, so don’t hesitate to ask her your most embarrassing hemroid questions. If you’re curious about what causes hemroids, natural hemroid treatments, bleeding hemorrhoids, diagnosing hemroids, hemorrhoid relief, Venapro, hemorrhoid surgery or avoiding the 3 common mistakes, now is the time to ask.
