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Hemorrhoids: the signs, what helps at home, and when to see a doctor
For anyone who has seen bright red blood on the toilet paper, felt a sore or itchy lump near the anus, or had pain when sitting; for anyone pregnant or just after a birth; for anyone who has tried a week of home care and is not better; and for the people who love them. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, part of the NIH) says hemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen and inflamed veins around the anus or in the lower rectum, that they affect about 1 in 20 Americans and about half of adults older than 50, and that you can most often treat them at home. This page passes on, by name, what NIDDK says: the signs of each type, and when to see a doctor or seek care right away; what causes them and what can come with them; the history, the exam and a look inside; treatment at home, in the office and with surgery; and fiber, liquids and toilet habits that help keep them away. It builds the words to say to a doctor, and prints a one-week note.
A word with a dotted line under it, like this, opens its official definition, quoted from a U.S. government glossary.
Right now
- A lot of blood from the rectum, or bleeding with fainting or feeling faint? Call 911 (ours). Do not drive yourself.
- Severe pain in the anus and bleeding from the rectum, especially with belly pain, diarrhea or fever? NIDDK says to seek medical care right away. Call your doctor now; if you cannot reach anyone, go to urgent care or an emergency room today (ours).
- Any bleeding from the rectum, or symptoms after 1 week of home treatment? NIDDK says to seek a doctor’s help. Bleeding may be a hemorrhoid, or a sign of another bowel disease.
- It is all too much, or you are thinking of ending your life? Call or text 988, any hour (ours).
More help
- The belly, on this site: GI bleeding · Constipation · Bowel control · Colon polyps · An upset stomach: find the right page.
- What bleeding can also be, as NIDDK names it: Crohn’s disease · Ulcerative colitis · Anemia (a complication NIDDK names).
- Day to day: My medicines list · Symptom diary · Get ready for your appointment · Pregnancy and a new baby.
- Care and costs: When you need a doctor and can’t pay · When a medical bill is too much.
- In a crisis: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
An upset stomach, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for throwing up, diarrhea, heartburn and constipation, on one list.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 17, 2026 on NIDDK’s Hemorrhoids pages (NIH): the overview, Definition & Facts, Symptoms & Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Eating, Diet, & Nutrition, all last reviewed in October 2016. NIDDK has no Spanish version of these pages; our Spanish page is our own translation. NIDDK names some over-the-counter medicines by their common names, and so do we; NIDDK also prints two brand names, which we leave out. Ours: 911 for a lot of blood from the rectum or bleeding with fainting; calling the doctor now, and urgent care or an emergency room if no one answers, for NIDDK’s “seek care right away” signs; not deciding on your own that bleeding is a hemorrhoid; asking a doctor or pharmacist which pain reliever and products are safe for you, and asking first when pregnant, breastfeeding or for a child; bringing a list of everything you take; the one-week note; 988 when it is too much; health centers when money is tight; and the order of the steps. What we left out: brands, doses, home remedies NIDDK does not name, research studies, and clinical pages for providers. This page saves nothing and loads no trackers.