Hemorrhoid Causes
Hemorrhoid Causes
There are different factors that cause hemorrhoids; and knowing these factors in advance can help us prevent this condition from occurring in our system. Here are some of them.
1. Genetics
Hemorrhoids may be acquired by an individual through genetics. A father who has weak rectal veins on the lower rectum can easily pass it on to his son or daughter. Though this has been a proven case by medical experts, hereditary hemorrhoids are very rare.
But aside from the physical characteristics we inherited from the earlier generation, it is possible that some of the habits and lifestyle we got from them may also trigger hemorrhoids from happening -- like the habit of smoking in the bathroom during bowel movement might be something we have learned from our parents.
2. Straining Bowel Movement
The number one cause of hemorrhoids is straining bowel movement. Keep in mind that our rectal area is not equipped with valves that can handle extra pressure in our veins. Too much straining during bowel movement can cause these veins to swell up that will eventually lead to hemorrhoids.
It is common to get hemorrhoids when you force yourself during constipation or diarrhea. The design of the toilet too is said to be a bad bathroom habit that leads to this condition. Smoking during bowel movement or reading magazines and newspapers makes us stay in the position longer than necessary which leads to hemorrhoids.
3. Pregnancy
Pregnant women are prone to hemorrhoids than any other individuals. The extra weight they carry during pregnancy increases the pressure on the rectal veins, which causes it to swell up and resulting to hemorrhoids.
Keep in mind, however, that not all pregnant women acquire hemorrhoids when they are still pregnant. There some cases that they got it after childbirth, especially with natural birthing that involves a lot of straining and pushing. Constipation after childbirth may also cause this problem.
4. Western Diet
A Westerner's diet is filled with sugar, starch, animal protein -- virtually less or no fiber. Asian and African countries however are mostly on a high-fiber diet, which includes rice, fruits, vegetables, and so on.
People who eat a lot of fiber rarely suffer from hemorrhoid; which is why Western countries tend to get them a lot. Less fiber diet tends to end up with stools that are hard to release from the system, where an individual needs to force the stool out with a lot of straining. Because of today's rapid Westernization, quite of lot of hemorrhoid cases have been sprouting up worldwide -- and that is because of the food we eat.
5. Postponing Bowel Movement
There are times that we need to postpone going to the bathroom for many reasons -- either there is no toilet nearby that we can use or in the middle of a very important meeting. This is not harmful, unless done regularly.
The longer the fecal matter stays inside the digestive system, the harder it becomes. Hard stools are not easy to bring out and this involves a lot of straining and forcing just to get rid of it. Again, to much strain on your veins can cause hemorrhoids.
6. Diarrhea and Constipation
Diarrhea is the body's natural way of getting rid of bacteria in the digestive system. Contaminated food containing bacteria can be very harmful to our body and the best way to get rid of it is as fecal matter. The only problem with this condition, however, is that our digestive system will continue to release watery stools until there are no more problems in it.
Constipation, on the other hand, is the opposite of diarrhea. This is characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty in removing fecal matter from your digestive system.
Despite being total opposites, both diarrhea and constipation can cause hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids in diarrhea is caused by too much straining or continuous straining during bowel movement, which is a few times every hour, that can damage our rectal veins. In constipation, stool that remains longer in the digestive systems becomes hard; requiring a lot of force to expel from the body -- thus leading to hemorrhoids.
7. Excessive Physical Exertion
Lifting heavy objects is a cause of hemorrhoids. If you check out surveys, individuals who acquire this condition are those who are into hard labor as their job description -- construction workers lifting heavy objects are on the top of the list. The pressure when you carry heavy objects is evident to all parts of the body -- straining up every piece of organ in your body, including the rectal walls all the way down to your anus.
It would be safe to ask why weightlifters rarely get hemorrhoids. It is simply because they have too much animal protein in their body to help them grow in mass and bulk up. Even if they carry too much weight over their heads for a prolonged period of time, the protein in their system will make for an easy bathroom break.
02.07.2009. 15:13