Hemorrhoids are small lumps made from blood vessels, in and around the anus and lower rectum, that have become swollen. Hemorrhoids can be either inside your anus (internal) or under the skin around your anus (external). Sometimes they don't cause symptoms, but at other times they cause itching around your anus, discomfort, and bleeding. Other symptoms include:
- Anal pain, especially while sitting
- Bright red blood on toilet tissue, stool, or in the toilet bowl
- Pain during bowel movements
- Tender lump(s) near your anus
Hemorrhoids are very common — you have a 50 percent chance of getting hemorrhoids before the age of 50, and nearly three out of four adults will have hemorrhoids at some point in their lives.