Basic Summary for Hemorrhoids

Main name of condition: Hemorrhoids
Other names or spellings: Piles, Haemorrhoids

What is Hemorrhoids?
  Brief description of Hemorrhoids: Swollen blood vessels around the anus.
  Parent types of Hemorrhoids: Blood vessel conditions, Varicose veins, Anal conditions, Anorectal disorders, Rectal conditions, Pregnancy-related conditions
  Organs Affected by Hemorrhoids: anus, rectum, blood vessels
  Types of Hemorrhoids: Internal hemorrhoid, External hemorrhoid, Protruding hemorrhoid, Pregnancy-related hemorrhoids

How many people get Hemorrhoids?
  Prevalance of Hemorrhoids: 10.4 million people in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Prevalance Rate of Hemorrhoids: approx 1 in 26 or 3.82% or 10.4 million people in USA [about data]
  Incidence (annual) of Hemorrhoids: 1 million new cases in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Incidence Rate of Hemorrhoids: approx 1 in 272 or 0.37% or 1 million people in USA [about data]
  Prevalance of Hemorrhoids: 10.4 million people¹
  Incidence of Hemorrhoids: 1 million new cases¹

Who gets Hemorrhoids?
Patient Profile for Hemorrhoids: Common in over-50's; also common in pregnant women
Profile for Hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids are very common in men and women. About half of the population have hemorrhoids by age 50. Hemorrhoids are also common among pregnant women. ²

How serious is Hemorrhoids?
  Prognosis of Hemorrhoids: Good. Haemorrhoids are not very serious. In many cases, symptoms subside on their own.
  Prognosis of Hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids usually are not dangerous or life threatening. In most cases, hemorrhoidal symptoms will go away within a few days. ²
  Deaths for Hemorrhoids: 17 deaths in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Complications of Hemorrhoids: see complications of Hemorrhoids

What causes Hemorrhoids?
Causes of Hemorrhoids: see causes of Hemorrhoids
Risk factors for Hemorrhoids: see risk factors for Hemorrhoids

What are the symptoms of Hemorrhoids?
Symptoms of Hemorrhoids: see symptoms of Hemorrhoids

How is it treated?
Treatments for Hemorrhoids: see treatments for Hemorrhoids
Prevention of Hemorrhoids: see prevention of Hemorrhoids

Society issues for Hemorrhoids
Hospitalizations for Hemorrhoids: 316,000 people in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
Hospitalization statistics for Hemorrhoids: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Hemorrhoids:

0.36% (46,237) of hospital consultant episodes were for haemorrhoids in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
98% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
52% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
48% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
10% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
2.5 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for haemorrhoids in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
6 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for haemorrhoids in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
52 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for haemorrhoids in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
68% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
9% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
65% of hospital consultant episodes for haemorrhoids were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.07% (36,961) of hospital bed days were for haemorrhoids in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
Hospitalization statistics in Australia:
- Hospitalisations for haemorrhoids at public hospitals occurred in 4.3 people per 10,000 population in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
Hospitalization statistics in Australia for public hospitals:
- 0.005% (1) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males under 1 year old in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.046% (9) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 1 to 4 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.05% (10) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 5 to 14 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 2.2% (432) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 15 to 24 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 10.42% (2,052) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 25 to 34 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 22.8% (4,492) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 35 to 44 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 27.34% (5,383) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 45 to 54 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 19.7% (3,877) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 55 to 64 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 11.47% (2,258) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 65 to 74 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 5% (1,048) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged 75 to 84 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.66% (129) of hospital episodes for haemorrhoids in public hospitals occurred in males aged over 85 in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)

  Hospitalizations for Hemorrhoids: 316,000¹
  Physician office visits for Hemorrhoids: 3.5 million in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Physician office visits for Hemorrhoids: 3.5 million¹
  Prescriptions for Hemorrhoids: 1.5 million new cases in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Prescriptions for Hemorrhoids: 1.5 million¹
  Disability from Hemorrhoids: 52,000 people in the USA 1983-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
  Disability from Hemorrhoids: 52,000 people ¹

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK
2. excerpt from Hemorrhoids: NIDDK

Last revision: May 28, 2003

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