Why do people get hemorrhoids? What are the causes of hemorrhoids?

The cause of hemorrhoids is not yet fully understood, but it is related to a variety of factors. Traditional Chinese medicine has been studying it for a long time. For example, the famous Chinese medical classic "Huangdi Neijing" pointed out 2,000 years ago that it is related to improper diet, irregular living habits, and exposure to dampness and heat. So which reasons are closest to our real life?

1. Anatomical reasons

According to a survey, reptiles such as cows, horses, dogs, and rabbits do not get hemorrhoids, only upright humans are prone to hemorrhoids. Because the local anatomical structure of the rectum and anus has not yet evolved to adapt to the upright posture. If the superior rectal vein and its branches have no venous valves, and the anorectum is located in a sagging part of the human body, when blood flows back to the heart from the bottom to the top, it is easily affected by the gravity of the earth, which can cause congestion and expansion of the venous plexus in the anorectal area. If it stays in this unchanged upright position for a long time, hemorrhoids will form; when the anorectal veins pass through the rectal muscle layer and the anal sphincter, the muscle contraction, fecal pressure and increased abdominal pressure can all hinder blood return, leading to the formation of hemorrhoids; the tissue of the submucosal layer of the rectum is loose, and the resistance around the blood vessel wall is weak, so the venous plexus is easily expanded and congested to form hemorrhoids. In the past decade or so, medical scientists have believed that hemorrhoids are normal anatomical tissues. Anal cushions exist during the embryonic period, and with age, the supporting and fixing tissues above and around the anal cushions degenerate and degenerate, losing their supporting and fixing capabilities, blood vessels expand, and the anal cushions move down to the anal canal, forming hemorrhoids. This is related to the hyperplasia and downward slippage of anal cushions, which is called the modern "anal cushion migration" theory.

2. Occupational reasons

Sitting for a long time will cause blood circulation to become blocked, while walking for a long time will cause qi and blood to flow freely and meridians to become crisscrossed. Sitting or walking for long periods of time and overwork can damage the stomach and intestines, causing foul air and blood to flow into the anus and cause hemorrhoids.

3. Reasons related to lifestyle

The ancients said, "Improper eating and drinking, getting drunk or full at any time, eating fatty and spicy food...the wind and heat rushing down will cause five types of hemorrhoids." According to a survey, drinking too much and eating spicy food, such as mustard, peppers, onions, garlic, and wine, can directly stimulate the anal and rectal mucosa, and you will feel burning pain when defecating after overeating. Although it is not necessarily the direct cause of hemorrhoids, it plays a certain role in the induction or aggravation of hemorrhoids. There is a significant difference between the length of time squatting in the toilet and the incidence of hemorrhoids. Some people are used to reading books and newspapers while defecating. Statistics show that the incidence of hemorrhoids can reach 72.41% for those who need to squat for more than 10 minutes each time to defecate, and for those who squat for less than 10 minutes, it is 57.88%. Therefore, squatting in the toilet for a long time is a bad bowel habit, because the continuous increase in abdominal pressure directly affects the blood return of the anorectal veins, and at the same time, sphincter relaxation can cause rectal mucosal prolapse, which is an important cause of hemorrhoids.