Does the surgical removal of external hemorrhoids hurt?

Written by Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on March 08, 2025
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Surgical removal of external hemorrhoids generally does not cause significant pain because anesthesia is required for the procedure. There are options for anesthesia, including local infiltration anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, or general anesthesia via intravenous injection, ensuring the patient does not experience notable pain during the surgery. However, post-surgery sensitivity is higher because the external hemorrhoids are innervated by perineal nerves. Therefore, it is crucial to use pain relief medication appropriately when changing dressings to alleviate discomfort. Additionally, it is essential to prevent infection, inflammation, or swelling of the wound to reduce postoperative pain. Patients should also manage their bowel movements to avoid dry, hard stools; smooth bowel movements can somewhat relieve postoperative pain. If the pain is particularly severe, the use of diclofenac sodium suppositories for anal insertion can help reduce inflammation and pain. (Please follow medical advice regarding medication use.)

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How to quickly eliminate the flesh masses of external hemorrhoids?

If a patient has an external hemorrhoid that has enlarged and they want to quickly or completely eliminate it, it is recommended to directly perform surgical removal. External hemorrhoids generally include thrombotic external hemorrhoids, varicose cluster external hemorrhoids, and inflammatory edematous external hemorrhoids. There are also some skin tag-like or connective tissue external hemorrhoids that do not exhibit clinical symptoms, and do not require excessive intervention in treatment. However, during an acute attack of thrombotic or inflammatory edematous external hemorrhoids, due to congestion or increased pressure in the local hemorrhoidal nucleus, severe pain can occur. You can choose to press with dilute salt water to promote the dissipation of edema. Complete removal requires surgical excision to avoid recurrent flare-ups of the condition.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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What are the effects of external hemorrhoid fumigation and washing liquid?

Shrink hemorrhoids, eliminate swelling. For the treatment of external hemorrhoids, one can choose Chinese herbal washes to fumigate the affected area, apply hot compresses, or take sitz baths. Their primary efficacy is to shrink the local external hemorrhoidal nodules and reduce swelling through the effects of the medication, or to enable the self-absorption of thrombosis and varicose veins within the local nodules. Beyond local fumigation agents, the treatment of external hemorrhoids can also include applying ointments or using suppositories. It is also necessary to maintain good bowel habits to avoid further irritation and enlargement from stool. If repeated treatment for external hemorrhoids is ineffective, or if the local symptoms are severe, surgery may be considered to remove the external hemorrhoids completely.

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Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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Clinical Characteristics of External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids refer to hemorrhoids located below the dentate line, which are classified into four main types, each with distinct clinical manifestations. Connective tissue external hemorrhoids and varicose vein-type external hemorrhoids primarily present with a mild sensation of a foreign body in the anus. Inflammatory external hemorrhoids are characterized by redness, swelling, protrusion, burning, or itching of the anal skin or skin tags. Thrombosed external hemorrhoids often occur after intense exercise or straining during bowel movements, suddenly presenting as a round or oval lump under the skin at the edge of the anus. This lump contains a venous thrombus and is accompanied by anal pain.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Can thrombotic external hemorrhoids be lanced?

Thrombosed external hemorrhoids, as the most common clinical symptom of external hemorrhoids, exhibit significant local pain during acute attacks and are accompanied by a feeling of constriction. If during an acute attack, dark red hemorrhoidal prolapse occurs around the anal area and cannot be absorbed or retracted, a professional doctor can use specialized techniques to crush the local hemorrhoid node or surgically excise it. However, it is not advisable for patients to burst it themselves because if done without proper sterilization and hygiene, it can easily lead to local infection, thereby exacerbating the condition or complicating future surgical treatments. Therefore, if thrombosed external hemorrhoids are detected, it is crucial to seek prompt and active treatment at a hospital.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How to reduce swelling of thrombosed external hemorrhoids

During the acute flare of thrombotic external hemorrhoids, the primary issue is the filling of the hemorrhoidal nucleus with blood clots, leading to congestion and swelling of the hemorrhoids. Due to edema or excessive pressure inside the hemorrhoidal nucleus, the patient may experience local discomfort or even severe pain. Therefore, the treatment of thrombotic external hemorrhoids first needs to reduce swelling. The methods mainly include local hot compresses, along with the oral administration of medicines that cool the blood, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. However, in some cases of thrombotic external hemorrhoids, where the blood clots are large or cannot be absorbed on their own after repeated attacks, surgery to excise the clots may be necessary to achieve the purpose of reducing swelling. During the acute flare of thrombotic external hemorrhoids, it is recommended that the patient seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid complications such as repeated attacks or local blood supply disturbances, which could lead to necrosis of the external hemorrhoids.