Hemorrhoid Surgery

When my brother died back in January, I asked one of my aunts that were at the wake where my cousin (her son) was. Now remember, I live in a Southern city, so my aunt in her “southern drawl” said, “Oh, he’s got the hemorrhoids so bad he couldn’t come. In fact, he’s having surgery tomorrow for them.” At that moment, even through my grief, I had to laugh inside thinking my cousin would be mortified if he knew his mom was out in public discussing his, ummm, delicate situation.

What exactly is a hemorrhoid? According to medlineplus.gov, “Hemorrhoids are swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. They are either inside the anus or under the skin around the anus. They often result from straining to have a bowel movement. Other factors include pregnancy, aging and chronic constipation or diarrhea.
Hemorrhoids are very common in both men and women. About half of all people have hemorrhoids by age 50. The most common symptom of hemorrhoids inside the anus is bright red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. Symptoms usually go away within a few days.”

I do not personally have hemorrhoids, so I don’t know how they feel, but from what I hear, they can be quite bothersome. As a surgical nurse, I have seen hemorrhoid surgery, though, and believe me, it is not a pretty site. A patient has to be in the prone (on stomach) position, with their bottom exposed. The buttocks usually have to be separated with some kind of tape to hold them apart so the surgeon can get to the area without fighting through fleshy butts! Sometimes, the surgeon just pushes them back in, or other times they actually cut off the offending item, sew it up, and put a dressing on.

I found this downloadable information product that may be helpful to some people. I have not personally read it and cannot support or reject its claims, but go here to see the information if you are interested Click Here!