What are Hemorrhoids?

Few topics are harder to talk about than hemorrhoids; the painful swelling of veins inside or around the anus.  Hemorrhoids are sometimes also called piles.  Most people would rather not even mention this condition to their doctor, yet around half of all adults will suffer from symptoms of hemorrhoidal swelling by the age of 50.  The most common symptoms are itching, sensitivity, one or more swollen lumps around the anal opening, and, in the more advanced cases, bleeding. We all have hemorrhoid veins lining the inside the anal canal and around the opening of the anus,...