Hemorrhoid Surgery

Improve your day-to-day comfort and well-being with hemorrhoid surgery at OSF HealthCare in Northern and Central Illinois. You'll receive care from kind and experienced professionals. Minimally invasive surgical options are available for a speedy recovery.

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen and irritated veins in the anus and rectum. You may also hear them called piles. Internal hemorrhoids appear inside of the rectum, and external hemorrhoids appear around the anus. Causes of hemorrhoids include:

Anal intercourse
Difficulty or straining during bowel movements
Lifting heavy items
Low-fiber diets
Obesity
Pregnancy
Sitting for long periods, including sitting on the toilet

Hemorrhoid Symptoms

Hemorrhoids aren’t dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable. Some symptoms of hemorrhoids include:

A hard lump near the anus
Bleeding from outside the anus
Bright red, painless blood during bowel movements
Itching and irritation around the anus
Pain or swelling around the anus

Some hemorrhoid symptoms are similar to those of more serious illnesses. If you experience bleeding during bowel movements, alert your doctor as soon as possible.

Surgical Treatment Options

You can often treat hemorrhoids with diet and lifestyle changes, over-the-counter medication or non-surgical treatment. But if these options don’t work, your doctor may refer you to a specialist in general surgery for a procedure.

During this surgery, your doctor removes the hemorrhoid tissue. You’ll receive local anesthetic to numb the area. This treatment is the most effective way to treat recurring or stubborn hemorrhoids.

This procedure is also called a hemorrhoidopexy. Your doctor uses surgical staples to block blood flow to internal hemorrhoids, which stops any pain or bleeding. Recovery from this procedure is usually easier and less painful than hemorrhoid removal. However, your hemorrhoids have a higher chance of coming back after hemorrhoid stapling.

This procedure is minimally invasive, which means you recover faster and have less pain than you would with traditional hemorrhoid surgery. Your surgeon uses an ultrasound to find the arteries connected to your internal hemorrhoids. The surgeon cuts off the blood flow to the hemorrhoid using a clip or tie. With no blood flow, the hemorrhoids shrink and your symptoms go away.

Schedule a Surgical Consultation

Ask your primary care doctor for a referral to schedule a surgical consultation with the experienced general surgery team at OSF HealthCare. Need a primary care provider? Browse our directory.

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