The symptoms of hemorrhoids and rectal cancer are very similar, and doctors can’t diagnose them based on symptoms and stool tests alone. Rectal examinations and proctoscopies are the way to go. The two examinations are not only impossible to do by yourself, but they are also unpleasant to do, so it is wise to leave it to your doctor. Hemorrhoids originate from pressure Why do you have hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids are formed when the pressure in the veins in the pelvic and perianal tissues is too high, leading to blood pooling and thrombosis in the rectal veins, which in turn causes the veins to dilate. Therefore, hemorrhoids can be caused by all the factors that block rectal venous reflux and cause blood stagnation and venous dilation in rectal veins. For example, prolonged sitting and standing, prostate enlargement, and large pelvic tumors. Both diarrhea and constipation can cause tension in the abdominal muscles and increase the venous pressure in the rectal canal, which can result in hemorrhoids over time. The hemorrhoids caused by huge pelvic tumors are also due to the pressure of the tumor on the veins. Similarly, hemorrhoids caused by pregnancy, especially in the second six months of pregnancy. This feature of the enlarged uterus and the fetus inside the uterus that puts pressure on the pelvic veins is the same as that of a large tumor. And the strong pressure that pushes the fetus out of the body during natural childbirth can make hemorrhoids even worse. This is why hemorrhoids are more prevalent in women. Of course there are other factors (such as endocrine changes during menopause, etc.) that play a role. Internal and external symptoms are different There is a difference between internal and external hemorrhoids. Those that occur inside the anal canal are internal hemorrhoids, while those around the anus are external. Some people are unfortunate enough to have a mixture of both internal and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are mainly painless intermittent bleeding after a bowel movement and prolapse of the hemorrhoid mass. External hemorrhoids, on the other hand, are discomfort in the anus, easily moist and unclean, and if a thrombus or subcutaneous hematoma forms here, then there will be severe pain. Also, don’t think that you can skip the hospital for external hemorrhoids. It is best to go to the hospital for both internal and external hemorrhoids, and let the doctor decide whether you need surgery or whether they can subside on their own. Treat it right, find it early and treat it early. In addition, since the age of onset of rectal cancer has also increased, there are many cases of rectal cancer in young and middle-aged people, so it is better to go to the hospital in order to be sure. Hidden rectal cancer Rectal cancer often has no obvious symptoms in the early stage, which is the significance of physical examination in the early diagnosis of rectal cancer. Symptoms will appear only when the cancer tumor breaks down or becomes infected (when the cancer tumor has grown to a certain extent). When the cancer breaks down, the first symptom is blood and mucus on the surface of stool, or pus and blood stool. The appearance of the stool is also important. Because the cancer invades the intestinal canal and causes narrowing, the stool will become deformed and thin, and if it progresses further, symptoms of intestinal obstruction, such as abdominal pain and bloating, will appear. Hemorrhoids, however, do not. We have seen many clinical cases where people come to surgery for hemorrhoids, only to find out that they have advanced rectal cancer after examination. There is no way to identify whether it is hemorrhoids or cancer just by relying on symptoms such as blood in the stool and changes in bowel habits. Moreover, if you are a patient with hemorrhoids, you may not care about these symptoms. However, if you find sudden changes in bowel habits (time, frequency, etc.) or unexplained weight loss, you must be alert to the presence of rectal cancer. Although hemorrhoids are said to be more prevalent in women. However, men who have hemorrhoids should pay more attention because the incidence of rectal cancer is higher in men than women.