Medical history for hemorrhoids

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Medical history for hemorrhoids

Your health professional will ask questions about diet or bowel habits that may contribute to hemorrhoids. Factors that may cause hemorrhoids or make them worse include:

Eating a low-fiber diet.
Drinking fewer than 8 glasses of water, fruit juice, or other noncaffeinated liquids each day.
Drinking too much alcohol.
Prolonged sitting, straining, or holding your breath during bowel movements.
Sitting or standing for long periods of time.
Frequent heavy lifting or holding your breath when lifting heavy objects.

Medical conditions that make you prone to hemorrhoids include:

Personal or family history of hemorrhoids.
Being overweight.
Pregnancy and being postpartum.
Long-term diarrhea.
Infection in the anal canal.
Liver or heart disease, which results in a backflow of blood that increases pressure on blood vessels in the abdomen and pelvic area.

Credits

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Author	Monica Rhodes
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
Last Updated	September 29, 2008

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Last updated:	September 29, 2008
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC

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