What should I do about thrombosed external hemorrhoids?

Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on May 27, 2025
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Thrombotic external hemorrhoids often occur due to intense exercise, straining during bowel movements, eating spicy and stimulating foods, or after fatigue. The onset of thrombotic external hemorrhoids is quite sudden, presenting as a round or oval lump under the skin at the edge of the anus during defecation, with the lump being a subcutaneous blood clot formed from subcutaneous bleeding. The treatment method for thrombotic external hemorrhoids is determined by the amount of subcutaneous bleeding. If the diameter of the thrombus is less than 0.5 centimeters, conservative treatment can be chosen, which includes eating more vegetables and fruits to keep bowel movements smooth and applying hemorrhoid creams and suppositories. If the thrombotic external hemorrhoids do not respond to conservative treatment and the thrombus cannot be absorbed and resolved, a thrombotic external hemorrhoid excision procedure may be adopted.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How to deal with external hemorrhoids bleeding?

If external hemorrhoids bleed without apparent reason, it may be due to the rupture of thrombosed external hemorrhoids, leading to bleeding. Firstly, it is necessary to disinfect and clean the local wound to avoid accumulation of blood or contaminants and feces, which may cause infection of the wound. If the bleeding does not stop, topical hemostatic drugs or oral hemostatic drugs should be used for symptomatic treatment. If external hemorrhoids bleed and are accompanied by severe prolapse of internal hemorrhoids, it is recommended that the patient undergo surgical treatment to remove and ligate both external and internal hemorrhoids at the same time. This can further prevent exacerbation of bleeding and fundamentally treat hemorrhoids. Patients with bleeding external hemorrhoids must have a light diet and avoid irritating foods such as chili peppers and seafood. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Can thrombotic external hemorrhoids be lanced?

Thrombosed external hemorrhoids, as the most common clinical symptom of external hemorrhoids, exhibit significant local pain during acute attacks and are accompanied by a feeling of constriction. If during an acute attack, dark red hemorrhoidal prolapse occurs around the anal area and cannot be absorbed or retracted, a professional doctor can use specialized techniques to crush the local hemorrhoid node or surgically excise it. However, it is not advisable for patients to burst it themselves because if done without proper sterilization and hygiene, it can easily lead to local infection, thereby exacerbating the condition or complicating future surgical treatments. Therefore, if thrombosed external hemorrhoids are detected, it is crucial to seek prompt and active treatment at a hospital.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Is surgery necessary for thrombosed external hemorrhoids?

Thrombotic external hemorrhoids do not necessarily require surgery during the acute phase of an attack. If the thrombotic external hemorrhoids are mild, Chinese herbal medicine can be used for local topical application to relieve symptoms. Early-stage or mild thrombotic external hemorrhoids may only form small thrombi, and the pain experienced by the patient is not very intense. Therefore, one can opt to use Chinese herbal washes for hot compresses and fumigation, along with the application of hemorrhoid cream to alleviate symptoms. However, it is only recommended to perform excision surgery for thrombotic external hemorrhoids if they are acutely recurring over a long period or repeatedly, severely affecting the patient's life. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician and avoid self-medication.)

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How to treat thrombosed external hemorrhoids

The treatment of thrombosed external hemorrhoids generally includes conservative medication or surgical treatment. Thrombosed external hemorrhoids are a clinical type of external hemorrhoids. They usually present in the acute phase with significant local pain and thrombus encapsulation within the hemorrhoid. Due to congestion and edema in the hemorrhoid, excessive pressure builds up inside, causing severe pain for the patient. Conservative medication treatment primarily involves sitz baths with hemorrhoidal wash solutions and hot compresses to promote thrombus absorption, as well as applying hemorrhoidal creams, or orally taking anti-swelling, pain-relieving, and thrombus-absorbing medications. If these methods repeatedly fail, surgery can be opted to strip and remove the local thrombus.

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Colorectal Surgery
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Can thrombotic external hemorrhoids exercise?

During the acute flare-up of thrombotic external hemorrhoids, there is congestion and edema of the local anal cushion, and thrombosis forms within the local hemorrhoidal nucleus and mucosa. It is not advisable for patients to engage in excessive exercise, as this may aggravate the congestion of the local hemorrhoidal nucleus and worsen the condition of thrombotic hemorrhoids. Excessive exercise and friction may also lead to rupture of the thrombus, resulting in pain or infection. During an acute episode of thrombotic external hemorrhoids, patients may choose to use hemorrhoid wash solution for hot compresses to alleviate local symptoms. If the symptoms are severe or the thrombus is large, surgical removal may also be an option. Patients with thrombotic external hemorrhoids need to pay attention to the duration of defecation, mainly keeping it under ten minutes, because prolonged defecation or excessive straining during bowel movements can increase vascular pressure in the local hemorrhoidal nucleus, leading to thrombus formation.