Hemorrhoids cause many disruptive symptoms. These include itching, bleeding and discomfort in and around your anus. But can you have intercourse with hemorrhoids? Here's the low down on getting busy with this condition.

Undertsanding Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids (or piles) are enlarged veins that develop in your rectum or anus. We can diagnose this condition using a scale of severity of hemorrhoid protrusion, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 4.

• Grade 1 hemorrhoids are small, usually invisible and not palpable. They may bleed when you pass bowel movements, but are unlikely to hurt.
  
• Grade 2 hemorrhoids are larger, and may protrude from your anus during bowel movements, returning without intervention once the movement is complete. They can also cause pain, itching and bleeding.
  
• Grade 3 hemorrhoids bulge out of the anal canal, only returning inside with manual repositioning. They also cause disruptive symptoms.
  
• Grade 4 hemorrhoids bulge out of your anal canal, even after manual repositioning. They cause severe symptoms.

Having intercourse with hemorrhoids

Your sex life may be unaffected by less severe hemorrhoids. But with grade two, three or four hemorrhoids, it may be too painful to engage in anal or vaginal penetration. (Anal penetration can also be a cause of hemorrhoids, a fact Bravo TV star Scheana Shay learned the hard way.) Of course, you can find other ways to connect intimately while you explore your hemorrhoid treatment options. But seeking medical intervention is likely the only way you'll be able to fully re-engage in an unimpeded sex life.

Hemorrhoid Treatment in Georgia

Here at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, we perform Hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE), a non-surgical procedure that relieves symptoms of grade two and three internal hemorrhoids. Unlike surgical hemorrhoid removal, it comes with a faster recovery period, along with fewer side effects and minimal discomfort.

Are you having difficulty engaging in intercourse with hemorrhoids? Are you ready to find lasting symptom relief? Click here to request an appointment with our hemorrhoid experts in Georgia.