Nearly half of all people between the ages of thirty and fifty, not to mention nearly all pregnant women and the obese, will experience the pain of hemorrhoids. These are painful lumps that occur within and around the rectum, that can bleed and make it difficult to use the bathroom.

But what are they exactly?

Basically, a hemorrhoid is a vein that has become enlarged due to swelling. This can be caused by various things, but the most common culprits are constipation, or pressure put on the area. Women who are pregnant, or recently had a baby, are always at risk, as the uterus expands and the veins are pushed on.

People who are overweight will also frequently put pressure on, both for the fact that extra weight is being applied, and that a bad diet can commonly cause constipation, the strain of which can create hemorrhoids.

Another common reason pressure is put on those veins is due to the increasing number of desk jobs. If you work at a desk it is important to get up at least once every two hours for a short time, in order to alleviate some of the pain. This will keep blood from pooling, increasing the area of tissue that expands.