What To Do If Your Hemorrhoid Bursts

How to deal with hemorrhoids that bursts?

1. Take a sitz bath
2. Take the proper painkillers
3. Consult a doctor

Finding blood coming out of your anus, whether it’s during bowel movements or not, is a scary experience. There could be many causes for this, but this is what you should expect to happen if your hemorrhoid bursts. Most cases of hemorrhoids go away on their own, especially if they’re not thrombosed and treatment was promptly applied. Because it is often a cause of panic, patients still need to be aware of what to do if your hemorrhoid bursts.

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins around or inside the rectum and anus, caused mainly by excessive pressure. Because of the swelling, lumps form around the area, which can sometimes cause bleeding, pain, and discomfort. There are several types:

• Internal Hemorrhoids – These are hemorrhoids that form inside your rectum, above the dentate line.^1,2
• External Hemorrhoids – When hemorrhoids form around the anal opening, below the dentate line, they’re called external hemorrhoids.^1,2
• Thrombosed Hemorrhoids – Thrombosed hemorrhoids form when a blood clot occurs within a hemorrhoid, whether they’re external or internal.^1,2

Thrombosed hemorrhoids are the ones that often cause plenty of discomforts, especially if they’re on external hemorrhoids. They are also the ones prone to bursting.

Why do hemorrhoids burst?

Thrombosed hemorrhoids are very painful because they are filled with blood. When there is too much buildup, the hemorrhoid finally bursts. Before it happens, the thrombosed hemorrhoid will cause extreme pain, so most patients seek treatment before it even bursts. If it does burst, you’ll feel some instant relief from the pain and pressure, but it will start bleeding.¹

If you experience bleeding without pain relief, then the hemorrhoid is just bleeding but it hasn’t burst.

What to do if your hemorrhoid bursts

Most cases of bursting hemorrhoids don’t need treatment right away. The most important step is to just ease the area, relieve any pain, and keep it all clean. Here are some steps you can take to achieve this:

Take a sitz bath

A sitz bath is known to help relieve pain and keep the anal area clean.³ It is done by soaking the affected area in warm water. Here’s how you can take a sitz bath:

• Fill a basin, your bathtub, or other containers with about 3-4 inches of warm water, not hot enough to cause you any pain.¹
• Submerge the affected area for 15-20 minutes.¹
• If you’re in a bathtub, try hanging your legs over the edge to make sure the area is fully submerged.¹
• After the bath, gently and completely pat the area dry. Don’t scrub or rub as it may exacerbate the problem.¹

Some people like to add salts, oils, and lotions to their baths. Don’t do that especially if you’re bleeding because it may cause inflammation in the anal region.³

This is definitely helpful when your hemorrhoid bursts, but it should also be done regularly even before that to ease the pain and swelling. Regular sitz baths will help heal your hemorrhoids quicker.

Take the proper painkillers

If something’s causing more pain as your hemorrhoids burst, you can take the proper painkillers to ease the pain. If your doctor has prescribed some pain medication for you, then that’s the safest thing to take. If not, you can try over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen. Try to avoid ibuprofen as this may cause more bleeding.³

Consult a doctor

There are some cases when a consultation with the doctor is needed, and sometimes even emergency treatment is required. Any bleeding coming from  the anus should be examined by a doctor, especially if it lasts more than 10 minutes.¹ If you’re not aware that you have hemorrhoids, you should avoid self diagnosing and consult a doctor to see if any other problems are causing your anal bleeding such as Crohn’s disease or colon cancer.

You should also take note of the amount of blood that comes out. If there is enough blood to turn the toilet water red, the bleeding might not be normal for a burst hemorrhoid.³ You should also watch out for blood clots and severe pain.

Here’s a list of things that should worry you and think about a consultation with the doctor:

• Any anal bleeding if you’re not aware of your hemorrhoids (to at least confirm)¹
• Bleeding for more than 10 minutes^1,3
• Large amounts of blood³
• Passing of blood clots³
• Severe pain³

Key Takeaway

It isn’t a common occurrence, but it’s still important to know what to do when your hemorrhoid bursts. Try not to panic and start taking the necessary steps to make sure you’re okay: take a sitz bath, take the proper medication if needed, and consult your doctor.

Hemorrhoids usually burst when they’ve been thrombosed for a long time, usually when they’ve been given almost no relief. Thrombosed hemorrhoids are painful, but there’s a way for you to avoid that: treating your hemorrhoids as early as possible. And one of the most effective medications you can take for hemorrhoids is Diosmin + Hesperidin (Daflon 1000). It is an MPFF medicine designed to strengthen your veins and treat hemorrhoids, and it is available nationwide.