Hemorrhoids and Teens, Parents Alert
Hemorrhoids rear their ugly heads everywhere! Moms, dads, babies, pregnant women… and teens. For the most part, hemorrhoid care is the same for the teen as it is for anyone else. However, there are some factors that create a higher risk in the adolescent population when it comes to hemorrhoids.
For starters, the last thing your teen wants to talk to you about is their hemorrhoids! Ma-om! DA-ad! How embarrassing! They don’t even want to talk to you about the time of day, so they won’t be itching to talk about a problem “down there”!
And this is what makes it dangerous territory. Just because teens feel invincible doesn’t mean they are. If your teen has rectal bleeding, it should be investigated as soon as possible. You need a definitive diagnosis to make sure it’s not a more serious problem. But how in the world are you going to find out? What can lead you down the path of even broaching the subject?
Notice his behavior when he watches TV or eats. is it twisted? Scary? Reluctant to sit still in the chair? Sitting on one side of your buttocks? Perhaps you have noticed blood on his underwear? And he scratches his butt every time he thinks no one is looking?
Does it take longer than “your turn” in the bathroom? This could indicate constipation, a condition that goes hand in hand with hemorrhoids. Have there been hemorrhoids in the family? (Hemorrhoids are not inherited, but there seems to be a family predisposition to developing them, as well as constipation.)
And how has your diet been? If he has hemorrhoids, he needs a special diet and some other changes in his life in order to get the situation under control… but he’s not likely to institute those changes himself. It will be hard, but you are the one who has to find out.
If you have reason to think you may have a rectal disorder, you should be seen by your doctor, who can take a couple of simple steps to assess the situation. The doctor will do a blood count (to make sure the bleeding has not been excessive).
He’ll do a couple of other lab tests to make sure all your organs are working fine… your liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc. He will do a visual inspection of the anus to look for external hemorrhoids (those that develop around the anus). He will probably use a small, lighted instrument, called an anoscope, to inspect the inside of the rectum for internal hemorrhoids.
He will look for fissures (cracks), skin infection (pruritus ani), fistulas (tunnels from one tissue to another), and will probably take a stool sample to check for blood. If the exam shows no evidence of hemorrhoids, your teen should be checked out further. If the exam confirms the presence of hemorrhoids, you will have to make changes in your lifestyle (water, fiber, bowel habits).
Your teenager is not going to like this one bit! Not one bit! However, if she has reason to suspect that she may have something abnormal in the lower abdominal region, it will be her responsibility to take control of the situation. You have to see the doctor, whether you like it or not. Use whatever power you have over him…be it the car, insurance, a trip to the game, television, computer restrictions…or even bribes…you know that ipod you’ve been waiting for? This could be a matter of life and death.