Can Hemorrhoids Burst, Rupture, Or Pop?

Hemorrhoidal tissue in the human body consists of blood vessels, muscles, and connective tissues.

Enlargement of hemorrhoidal tissue due to various reasons cause the disease known as hemorrhoids or piles.

Along with tissues, the blood vessels in the walls of the rectum also swell up.

For many reasons, excessive pressure and muscular stress make hemorrhoidal tissues enlarge. This condition also causes severe pain, inflammation, itching, and bleeding in the rectum and anus.

Internal hemorrhoids sometimes develop into clotted blood pools that become thrombosed and eventually erupt.

Severe external hemorrhoids lead to the formation of hard lumps around the antrum, which cause a lot of pain and irritation.

Hemorrhoid lumps comprise hard blood clots formed inside eroded skin tissues and enlarged veins.

Prolapsed hemorrhoids occur when internal hemorrhoids protrude and project outside the rectum.

This article will look at specific pile conditions such as hemorrhoid bursts, ruptured hemorrhoids, and popping hemorrhoids.

What is a hemorrhoid burst or ruptured hemorrhoid?

According to a report published by the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), “Painless rectal bleeding or prolapse of anal tissue is often associated with symptomatic internal hemorrhoids.”

Different types of hemorrhoids can burst when the hemorrhoidal tissues have enlarged and stretched to their maximum.

A PubMed Health report suggests that continual straining to have a bowel movement causes them to stretch and swell. Both internal and external hemorrhoids can open up and bleed.

The inflamed and swollen tissues of the rectum and blood vessels may rupture when stretched or pressurized. The pressure from the hemorrhoid banding treatment could also lead to it. This can cause severe pain and bleeding.

Burst piles make fresh red blood ooze out from broken veins in the walls of the rectum.

On a positive note, the rupturing of piles helps quickly reduce pain, itching, irritation, and swelling. It relieves the tension experienced by fully enlarged blood vessels and hemorrhoidal tissues.

Your ruptured hemorrhoids can cause a lot of embarrassment, especially when they occur in public places.

In most cases, bleeding from a burst hemorrhoid can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. However, it can ooze out a lot of blood depending on the severity of the disease.

It is not life-threatening, but you must avail yourself of medical solutions to manage the issue.

Rectal bleeding can also be a symptom of another disease, such as colorectal or anal canal cancer.

In any case, immediate medical attention is desirable; It is best to consult a proctologist if you have ruptured hemorrhoids.

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Symptoms

How will you diagnose ruptured piles?

The general symptoms of hemorrhoids are swelling, burning, pain, and intense itching near the anus. For some, they don’t cause any symptoms associated with hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids can be annoying for most people.

If you notice clear, red blood suddenly oozing out from the anus, it indicates blown-out piles.

It usually happens with internal hemorrhoids when the hemorrhoidal tissues have enlarged to burst.

Unlike external hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids are difficult to diagnose as they often do not produce pain, itching, or irritation. The most visible symptom of an internal hemorrhoid is rectal bleeding during rupture.

Causes

According to a report published by Hayward Medical School, “Hemorrhoids are distended blood vessels that form either externally (around the anus) or internally (in the lower rectum).”

The report further suggests that the swollen blood vessels in the rectum are at the nick of bursting with any pressure exerted on them.

The piles can erupt during a normal bowel movement or when pushed on.

It happens when swollen veins and tissues in the rectum experience excessive pressure.

The wall of the veins in the rectum becomes weak for reasons such as inflammation, infection, fatty tissue, constipation, uncomfortable bowel movements, medications, or lifestyle issues.

A pile flare-up is a small tear in the blood vessel walls that releases blood into the rectum.

Tearing blood vessels can easily happen, especially when hard stools make the bowel movements strain and stretch them.

Sitting on the toilet or in office chairs for a long time can also exert pressure on hemorrhoidal tissues, which leads to the rupture of the swollen blood vessel.

Pregnant women often suffer from ruptured hemorrhoids because of the heavy pressure from the baby in the womb.

Obese people who get hemorrhoids are also highly vulnerable to pile bursts because of the pressure from the heavy fat mass surrounding the abdominal and rectal regions.

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Can Hemorrhoids Burst

Can hemorrhoids pop?

Prolapsed hemorrhoids may protrude hemorrhoidal tissues outside the anus canal. It retreats after the bowel movements or after some time.

External hemorrhoids can form lumps of varying sizes. They are painful and itchy.

Most patients are tempted to pop the lumps or protrusions because of the sheer anal pain and irritation they cause.

So you might also be asking, “Can hemorrhoids pop?”

Hemorrhoids may burst themselves, but you should not pop hemorrhoids like pimples.

Popping them can aggravate the inflammation and damage the veins and tissues. Let the natural burst happen, which creates only small tears in the veins.

But if you pop hemorrhoids, it may create deep wounds and increase inflammation. Hemorrhoid treatment is always best left to the doctor.

Can you pop a thrombosed hemorrhoid?

Thrombosed hemorrhoids are those that become prolapsed, bulging, and painful.

Thrombosed piles will burst on their own and ooze out blood.

You need not pop a thrombosed hemorrhoid as you would with a boil or a pimple.

The hemorrhoids will pop and bleed when they become too much blood or pus.

Hemorrhoids are the most painful and annoying when they are full-blown and about to burst.

In most cases, the patients will seek medical intervention to shrink the piles before they burst. So we rarely hear of piles bursting.

Should you attempt to pop a hemorrhoid? 

You may think of popping the hemorrhoids if they have become severe bumps. However, it should be done by a doctor instead of you.

Trying to pop thrombosed piles by yourself with a pin or needle might make the problem even worse.

A trained and experienced physician can help you the most in getting rid of prolapsed or enlarged hemorrhoids.

Ways to manage ruptured hemorrhoids

Ruptured hemorrhoids can cause bleeding for some time. They may cause anal bleeding whenever they are hurt by stretching or external pressure.

You can use the same medications used for external hemorrhoids, like creams or medicated wipes, to manage them.

If you’re bleeding from burst hemorrhoids, you should stay in bed with your feet elevated on pillows.

Try to lessen the symptoms of piles bursting by taking a sitz bath in warm water.

Use moistened soft towels to gently wipe the bleeding hemorrhoids instead of dry toilet paper. Keep the area clean.

An ice pack or cold compress helps reduce the pain and brief bleeding periods.

Most hemorrhoid patients suffer from mildly swollen piles that resolve themselves within a week.

Your doctor may prescribe pain relief medications associated with hemorrhoids.

Mild hemorrhoids can be fully cured with simple natural remedies and by making proper adjustments in diet and lifestyle habits.

If you have burst or severely swollen hemorrhoids, you should seek the assistance of a physician to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Some of the popular prescription treatments for ruptured hemorrhoids are:

  • Sitz bath to ease the pain
  • Consuming fiber-rich foods or supplements
  • Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory ointments for piles
  • Rubber band ligation
  • Sclerotherapy
  • Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory ointments designed for hemorrhoidal problems
  • Infrared or electrocoagulation ligation to cut off the blood supply
  • Doppler-guided artery ligation (THD)
  • Stapling or surgical removal of prolapsed internal hemorrhoids (PPH).

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Frequently Asked Questions 

Can surgery help ruptured hemorrhoids?

Surgery is not an option to treat hemorrhoid bursts. The hemorrhoids may become chronic after the burst, but they start healing within a day or two.

Surgery is rarely required in this case. However, surgery may be needed if the hemorrhoids swell and fresh bumps erupt after the burst.

Should you see a doctor for burst hemorrhoids?

You should see a doctor if you have rectal bleeding from burst piles.

Most patients who visit a doctor for hemorrhoid problems are often diagnosed with other health issues that need immediate attention.

The fresh red blood oozing from the rectum is probably the result of ruptured hemorrhoids.

However, rectal bleeding can also be caused by many other serious health issues. Diarrhea, anal fissures, Crohn’s disease, rectal ulcers, rectal prolapse, rectal trauma, anal cancer, colon cancer, and others can cause rectal bleeding.

Your physician can diagnose properly through physical examination and analysis of symptoms.

What are the post-treatment concerns for burst piles? 

After you have healed ruptured hemorrhoids, it is necessary to have follow-up treatments and care.

Some of the following recommendations will reduce the chance of recurring hemorrhoidal inflammation:

  • Make the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes.
  • Manage and maintain your body weight according to the BMI index.
  • Do a medical checkup as soon as you notice any symptoms of hemorrhoids in you.

Is blood in my stool a serious health issue?

The presence of blood in the stool indicates an underlying health issue.

Do not panic if you notice some traces of blood in your stool occasionally. Most often, it is only a trivial health issue caused by constipation or hard lumps of stools.

Drops of bright red blood oozing out of the anus strongly indicate an internal hemorrhoid burst.

A bleeding hemorrhoid is not a severe health issue. With proper medication and care, the symptoms of hemorrhoids quickly subside within a week.

However, if you notice light red, brownish, or pink-colored blood in your stool, this may indicate stomach ulcers or various types of internal cancers. Seek immediate medical assistance in such cases.

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