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What are haemorrhoids?
A calm, plain-English guide to what haemorrhoids are, common symptoms, and why they happen.
The short version
Haemorrhoids, also called piles, are swollen blood vessels in or around the anus and lower rectum. They are common, often uncomfortable, and usually not something to feel embarrassed about.
Symptoms can include itching, soreness, swelling, discomfort when sitting, mucus, a lump, or bright red blood after passing stool. Bleeding should not be ignored, because other conditions can also cause rectal bleeding.
Why they happen
Haemorrhoids are often linked with pressure and straining around the lower rectum. Constipation, sitting on the toilet for too long, pregnancy, ageing, heavy lifting, and repeated straining may all contribute.
The useful thing to know is that haemorrhoids are not a personal failure. They are a body problem, not a character problem.
Internal and external haemorrhoids
Internal haemorrhoids sit inside the rectum and may be painless, though they can bleed or sometimes protrude. External haemorrhoids are under the skin around the anus and may feel sore, itchy, swollen, or tender.
What Uranus is designed to help with
Uranus is being built to help people understand what is going on, follow practical education, track patterns, and know when to seek professional help. It is not designed to diagnose you or replace a clinician.