Hemorrhoid Treatment in Johnson City, TN

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen and enlarged blood vessels in the lower areas of the rectum or anus. Sometimes they are referred to as “varicose veins of the anus or rectum.” There are two different types of hemorrhoids: external and internal.

• External Hemorrhoids: Occur when there is increased pressure in the blood vessels around the anus, causing them to be swollen and inflamed. When a blood clot (thrombosis) develops in external hemorrhoid it becomes hard (pea size to grape size) and painful.
• Internal Hemorrhoids: Develop within the anal canal. They are generally painless but tend to bleed during a bowel movement. At times they protrude outside of the anus during bowel movements. However, these can become very painful if the hemorrhoid completely prolapsed and cannot be pushed back inside.

The board-certified general surgeons at Premier Surgical Lawson Group specialize in the treatment of internal and external hemorrhoids. To learn more about the cause of hemorrhoids and your treatment options, please call (423) 975-5650 to schedule your consultation at our general surgery center in Johnson City, TN today.

What are the Treatment Options for Hemorrhoids?

The majority of hemorrhoids can be treated with minimally invasive non-surgical procedures. Our physicians offer a full range of state-of-the-art treatment options for hemorrhoids.

Non-Surgical Treatments: Relatively painless with little or no time away from work.

• Ligation or the Rubber Banding Treatment:  Once our physicians confirm that the source of bleeding is hemorrhoid and not a more serious problem, a rubber band is placed over the hemorrhoid, cutting off its blood supply.
• Infrared Photocoagulation – a non-surgical office procedure that uses infrared light to cause scar tissue which cuts off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid. This is usually effective at the very earliest stages of internal bleeding. Unfortunately, too many hemorrhoid treatment centers that are not staffed by the colon and rectal specialists use this repeatedly as the only form of treatment. This treatment is used on less than 10% of our patients as it is not the most effective treatment procedure.

Surgical Treatments: When non-surgical options fail the following surgical options will be used to treat hemorrhoids.

• Hemorrhoidectomy: Surgically removing the hemorrhoids.
• Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH): An outpatient procedure during which protruding tissue is lifted and replaced in its original position.
• Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization (THD): An outpatient procedure that uses ultrasound guidance to cut off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid.

Is there a link between hemorrhoids and cancer?

There is no relationship between hemorrhoids and cancer. However, the symptoms of hemorrhoids and cancer are very similar. That is why it is extremely important to have the symptoms investigated by a physician who is trained in colon, rectal, and digestive diseases.