When to Visit a Doctor for a Colon Exam

When it comes to hemorrhoids, most people find it a little embarrassing to discuss and want to avoid going to the doctor at all costs. However, your long term colon health may hinge on getting properly diagnosed. Symptoms associated with a hemroid such as anal bleeding, swelling and anal pain may also be similar to the symptoms of other colon or rectal diseases, and this makes a doctor’s exam essential.

If you have yet to be diagnosed with hemorrhoids, then you should always talk to a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Anal bleeding
• Any swelling or bulge at the anal opening
• Black or tar like stools
• Discharge from the anus
• Anal pain
• Not being able to pass stools
• Chronic constipation
• Chronic diarrhea
• Pencil thin stools
• Not being able to pass stools
• A fever and bloody stools at the same time

If you have already been examined by a doctor and diagnosed with hemorrhoids you should could still consult a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Intense pain
• If you have moderate pain that doesn’t clear up after 7-10 days of treatment
• When internal hemorrhoids fall out of the anal canal (this is called prolapse)
• If the hemorrhoids show no signs of improvement
• Any change in blood color, such as from bright red to a deep red
• Any change in stool color, such as from brown to black
• If the anal bleeding gets worse

A hemorrhoids doctor will usually do a visual exam and a colonoscopy to diagnose hemorrhoids and other colon problems. The colonoscopy allows the doctor to get an excellent view of the colon and take tissue samples if anything unusual is found. Colonoscopies are a recommended preventative measure that doctors recommend for everyone over 50 years old. Since the incidence of colon cancer increases as we get older, this makes regular colon screening the best possible measure for early detection and treatment. It’s recommended that people with a family history of colon cancer start getting screened as young as 40 years old.