Although every hemorrhoid case has unique details, there are common physical and emotional responses that are seen across all types of cases.

Here's the typical story of Hemorrhoids:

Stage 1: Something New?
It starts off differently for everyone but essentially, one morning you notice something new after a bowel movement. You find either red blood on the wipe, a new itch, or a swollen bump you have never felt before. Others may notice that, unlike their quick childhood bathroom breaks, it now takes a major effort to manually clean up. This first experience is usually an episodic event that only happens once or randomly throughout the year. Many people blow it off and either let it pass with time or speed up episodes with drugstore remedies. Others will react more aggressively at the sight of blood and consider an early colonoscopy.

Stage 2: From Intermittent to Chronic
Whether you were reassured by a clean colonoscopy or just rolling with the episodes, the next common stage in this story is the change from intermittent symptoms to chronic monthly, weekly, or daily symptoms.  At this point, the condition starts to interrupt normal daily activities and bathroom breaks start to become the focal point of the day.  Many people carry an arsenal of "butt remedies" everywhere they travel to help alleviate the suffering. Chronic stress, fear, and embarrassment begin to wear on the emotions in a cummulative fashion that becomes tangible on a patient. The difficultly speaking about the condition only furthers the alienation and victimization. Many people do not seek help even with daily symptoms out of pure embarrassment or fear of painful surgical treatments. Others who do seek the best medical and holistic help available often learn the difficult reality that this condition, although always treatable, is not always a simple fix. 

Stage 3: Prolapsing Hemorrhoids
Whether ignoring the problem or seeing many specialists, many people will progress to what is called "High-Grade" Hemorrhoids. The internal hemorrhoids have swelled and stretched for many years and are now large enough to fall outside the body with, or even without, bowel movements. This "prolapse" can return inside the body quickly or stay outside the body for several hours before going back inside. At this stage, patients are being recommended a brutal hemorrhoid surgery to fix the problem. Not everyone is aware that non-surgical solutions exist for High-Grade hemorrhoids as well.

Stage 4: Grade IV Hemorrhoids
Grade IV hemorrhoids are internal hemorrhoids that prolapse and do not return to the inside. These are the highest grade of hemorrhoids and are often treated with a brutal hemorrhoid surgery. Not everyone is yet aware that these hemorrhoids, if in the right practitioner's hands, are also treatable with non-surgical solutions.