FRIDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Hemorrhoids are a hot topic
online, and that's probably because they're so common. The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration reports that "hemorrhoids" was the
top-trending health-issue search in the United States in 2012
and most people -- up to 75 percent -- will be affected by
hemorrhoids at some point in their lives, according to the U.S.
National Institutes of Health. Hemorrhoids are swollen and
inflamed veins in the rectum or anus. The good news is there are
several ways to treat hemorrhoids and ease the pain, itching or
other symptoms they may cause, according to an article posted on
the FDA's "Consumer Updates" Web page. The uncomfortable
condition usually affects adults aged 45 to 65 and hemorrhoids
are typically caused by increased pressure in the veins of the
anus. Obesity and inactivity play a role in who develops
hemorrhoids. Pregnancy and childbirth can also increase women's
risk for these protrusions. When hemorrhoids do form, they occur
inside the rectum (intern