The Difference Between Leaky Gut and Hemorrhoids

Leaky gut is a common condition that can occur in infants and children as well as the elderly. Its site of disease occurrence is in our intestines. Hemorrhoids are also a common disease, and it is a disease that we are embarrassed to tell others about, because the location of hemorrhoids is rather embarrassing, it is located at the anus. One of the most obvious similarities between leaky gut and hemorrhoids is that they affect a wide range of people. So what is the difference between leaky gut and hemorrhoids?

Leaky gut is also called herniated gut. Herniation is the common name for the surgical disease small intestinal hernia. The specific symptom is that the small intestine bulges out from the abdominal wall when it is squeezed. It is a common surgical disease that occurs in patients of all ages, especially in infants and young children, where the incidence is very high.

When there is a weak part in the abdominal wall, it is difficult for this part to withstand abdominal pressure. If you encounter constipation, straining, coughing, excessive exercise, heavy physical labor, crying children, etc., the abdominal pressure suddenly increases, the small intestine will be squeezed and bulge out of the abdominal wall. Among people of all age groups, infants and young children have the highest chance of suffering from herniation. Adults usually suffer from herniation due to sports, labor injuries, surgical incisions, etc. If they are elderly, abdominal wall atrophy can also cause herniation. The elderly are also a high-risk group for herniation.

Hemorrhoids (commonly known as hemorrhoids) are a common disease located in the anal area. They can occur at any age, but the incidence rate gradually increases with age. In our country, hemorrhoids are the most common anorectal disease.

There are two main theories about the cause of hemorrhoids. The first is the varicose vein theory, which holds that hemorrhoids are venous masses formed by congestion, dilation, and tortuosity of the venous plexus under the mucosa of the lower rectum and under the skin of the anal canal. However, the widely accepted theory at present is Thomson's anal cushion migration theory, which holds that hemorrhoids were originally normal anatomical structures in the anal canal, namely the vascular cushion, which is a ring-shaped spongy tissue band 1.5 cm above the dentate line. Only when the anal cushion tissue becomes abnormal and is accompanied by symptoms can it be called hemorrhoids and require treatment. The purpose of treatment is to relieve symptoms rather than eliminate hemorrhoids. There are many factors that cause hemorrhoids, among which constipation, long-term drinking, eating large amounts of irritating foods and sitting or standing for long periods of time are the main causes.

Hemorrhoids are divided into internal hemorrhoids, external hemorrhoids and mixed hemorrhoids according to the location of occurrence . There is a jagged visible line at the junction of the anal canal skin and the rectal mucosa called the anal dentate line. Hemorrhoids above the dentate line are internal hemorrhoids, which are pathological changes or displacements in the supporting structure of the anal cushions, venous plexus and arteriovenous anastomoses, and are covered with rectal mucosa. Due to the contraction of the internal sphincter, the anal cushions are divided into three parts by the Y-shaped groove: the left side, the right front side and the right back side. Therefore, internal hemorrhoids are commonly found on the left side, the right front side and the right back side. External hemorrhoids below the dentate line are covered with the anal canal mucosa, and can be divided into connective tissue external hemorrhoids, varicose external hemorrhoids, and thrombosed external hemorrhoids. Mixed hemorrhoids are both internal and external hemorrhoids, which are the fusion of internal hemorrhoids with the corresponding external hemorrhoids through the venous plexus, that is, the anastomosis of the upper and lower venous plexuses. When mixed hemorrhoids protrude from the anus and are in a plum blossom shape, they are called annular hemorrhoids. If they are incarcerated by the sphincter, they form incarcerated hemorrhoids.

1. The main manifestation is blood in the stool, which may be painless, intermittent, fresh blood after defecation, blood dripping during defecation or blood on toilet paper, and aggravated by constipation, drinking or eating irritating foods.

2. Simple internal hemorrhoids are painless but only cause a feeling of heaviness and distension. They may bleed and develop into prolapse. Pain only occurs when combined with thrombosis, incarceration, and infection.

3. Internal hemorrhoids are divided into 4 degrees. ① Grade I bleeding during defecation, the bleeding stops on its own after defecation, and the hemorrhoids do not protrude from the anus; ② Grade II often bleeding in the stool; the hemorrhoids protrude from the anus during defecation, and return to the anus automatically after defecation; ③ Grade III hemorrhoids need manual assistance to return to the anus after prolapse; ④ Grade IV hemorrhoids stay outside the anus for a long time and cannot be returned to the anus; Among them, internal hemorrhoids above Grade II often form mixed hemorrhoids, which are manifested by the simultaneous presence of symptoms of internal and external hemorrhoids, and may cause pain, discomfort, and itching. The itching is often due to the outflow of sticky secretions when the hemorrhoids prolapse. The last three degrees often become mixed hemorrhoids.

4. External hemorrhoids usually have no special symptoms, but swelling and pain may occur when thrombosis and inflammation occur.