Are Hemorrhoids Contagious? Learn How You Get Hemorrhoids
Posted on 29 November 2018 by Maryanne Johnson
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Although hemorrhoids are common, many people are unaware as to how they develop. Right off the bat, you can feel relieved in knowing that hemorrhoids are not contagious.
To put it simply, hemorrhoids are inflamed rectal veins. The lower part of your rectum is an intricate system of interconnected veins, arteries, smooth muscles, blood vessels, and connective tissues, and all of these elements can be easily affected by pressure, stress, or strain.
Their response to abnormal pressure or anything that disrupts their precious blood flow is to become inflamed, thus resulting in hemorrhoids.
Your genetics can make you more susceptible to developing hemorrhoids, as well as other risk factors like:
- Pregnancy or childbirth
- Lifting heavy objects
- Straining, chronic constipation or diarrhea
- Age
- Other gastrointestinal disorders
Flare-ups can also vary from individual to individual. You might experience hemorrhoids once in a blue moon, or they could be a persistent issue. Either way, it’s important to know what risk factors may it at play so you can better prevent hemorrhoids.
Can You Spread Hemorrhoids?
You cannot spread hemorrhoids. As we’ve discussed, hemorrhoids are a reaction to the blood flow being constricted for any number of reasons. The veins and blood vessels become inflamed and swollen, giving way to hemorrhoids.
Your hemorrhoids will then produce common symptoms, like itching, burning, anal discharge, rectal bleeding, and bumps around the anus. While these symptoms feel overwhelming, they cannot be transmitted from person to person.
Do Hemorrhoids Transmit Sexually?
No, but some forms of sexual intercourse can worsen hemorrhoid symptoms. Anal sex can aggravate hemorrhoids and make the symptoms feel more intense.
It is advisable that you do not engage in anal sex when you are trying to treat a particularly painful case of hemorrhoids.
Sexual stimulation requires blood to flow to the perianal area abundantly, and if hemorrhoids are present, the symptoms can magnify.
With hemorrhoids, the body is signaling that there is a restriction to the rectal blood supply, and sexual arousal might painfully attempt to push blood down to the anorectal and genital area.
However, you don’t have to worry about passing your painful hemorrhoids to your partner. So long as you are managing, treating, and working to prevent your hemorrhoids, you can still engage in sexual activities.
Conclusion
Hemorrhoids are not contagious, sexually or otherwise. Hemorrhoids are incredibly common, and in fact, nearly half of American adults experience hemorrhoids, reaching their peak prevalence at the age of 50 and older.
The chances of developing hemorrhoids are often dependent on whether or not the disease runs in your family, according to decades of scientific studies and research.
Genetics dictate much of our health concerns, and hemorrhoids are no exception, but it doesn’t mean that once you have hemorrhoids, you can infect other people with them.
The symptoms of hemorrhoids are overwhelming, and for external hemorrhoids, this is especially true. It may feel as if this condition is easily transmitted, but in reality, hemorrhoids are not contagious in the least.
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