What is external hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are a common disease, and external hemorrhoids are one of the more severe types of hemorrhoids. In most cases, external hemorrhoids occur on the outside of the anus and can be seen but cannot be pushed back inside. They rarely bleed but cause pain and a sensation of a foreign body. Clinically, external hemorrhoids can be divided into connective tissue external hemorrhoids, varicose external hemorrhoids, inflammatory external hemorrhoids, and thrombosed external hemorrhoids, each with different symptoms.
The differences between external hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids, and mixed hemorrhoids:
1. Internal Hemorrhoids: Occur above the dentate line of the anal canal. Internal hemorrhoids generally do not cause pain, but the main symptoms are bloody stools and prolapse of the hemorrhoidal mass. In severe cases, there may be spurting bleeding, and the prolapsed hemorrhoidal mass cannot be spontaneously reduced. Other symptoms include difficulty defecating, feeling unclean after bowel movements, and a sense of fullness. Based on the severity of the lesion and clinical manifestations, internal hemorrhoids can be divided into three stages: Stage I involves bleeding during defecation without prolapse, and the mucosa above the dentate line appears nodular; Stage II involves bleeding or spurting blood during defecation, prolapse of the hemorrhoidal mass that reduces spontaneously after defecation; Stage III involves prolapse of the internal hemorrhoids during defecation or when coughing, exerting effort, or under increased abdominal pressure, requiring manual reduction.
2. External Hemorrhoids: Located below the dentate line, with pain and swelling as the main symptoms. There are varying sizes and shapes of skin tags around the anus. Depending on their pathological characteristics, they can be classified into varicose, connective tissue, thrombosed, and inflammatory types. Among them, inflammatory external hemorrhoids are the most common, characterized by protruding anal skin folds, redness, swelling, heat, pain, edema, and obvious congestion. There is tenderness upon palpation, worsening pain during defecation, and a small amount of secretion. Some patients may also experience systemic discomfort and fever.
3. Mixed Hemorrhoids: Have the dual characteristics of both internal and external hemorrhoids. Clinically, the main symptoms include prolapse of the rectal mucosa and skin, a sense of heaviness, pain, and repeated infections.
Hazards of External Hemorrhoids:
Modern medical research shows that as the duration of the disease progresses, the difficulty of cure significantly increases, and failure to treat promptly can lead to a series of hazards and diseases.
1. Long-term bleeding can lead to anemia.
2. The prolapse of the hemorrhoidal mass outside the anus can increase secretions, leading to anal itching or anal eczema. Female patients may also develop gynecological diseases.
3. Pain during defecation, holding back from defecating due to pain, leads to a vicious cycle that may eventually result in liver and kidney diseases, anal fissures, and colorectal tumors.
4. Believing that any rectal bleeding or discomfort around the anus is caused by hemorrhoids, people may overlook serious conditions such as intestinal tumors (colorectal cancer), thus missing the optimal treatment window. According to relevant statistics, over 90% of early-stage colorectal cancer patients were misdiagnosed as having hemorrhoids.
Treatment for External Hemorrhoids:
For the treatment of external hemorrhoids, options include medication, injection therapy, and surgical treatment. Currently, the most commonly used method is surgery, among which HCPT minimally invasive surgery is considered one of the best methods for treating external hemorrhoids by the medical community.
HCPT Minimally Invasive Surgery: Under a fully computerized high-frequency capacitive field, charged ions and dipole ions oscillate at high speed between the two poles to generate heat. This causes ion depletion and dehydration in the diseased tissue, leading to necrosis and detachment of the affected tissue within a short time, achieving an ideal therapeutic effect for hemorrhoids.
HCPT Minimally Invasive Surgery treats hemorrhoids in just 10-20 minutes. Under electronic anoscopy, the doctor has a clear view of the affected area, allowing for precise localization of the lesion. This ensures more refined and thorough treatment. The procedure has advantages such as no incision, minimal bleeding, less pain, quick recovery, no recurrence, single-session minimally invasive treatment, and no need for hospitalization.