# Hemorrhoids and infection

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hemorrhoids-and-infection/784319>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hemorrhoids-and-infection/784319 "2017-04-12T14:57:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fatalflaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@fatalflaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fatalflaw)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hemorrhoids-and-infection/784319/1 "2017-04-12T14:57:40Z")

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Ok, so if feces gets into your bloodstream you get a nasty infection.  
Hemorrhoids tend to bleed and occur in close proximity to a reliable source of feces.

Why don’t hemorrhoid sufferers die from septicemia?

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hemorrhoids-and-infection/784319/2 "2017-04-12T16:24:00Z")

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Bleeding out is a surprisingly effective way of keeping bacteria from getting in. I suppose if someone with actively bleeding hemorrhoids managed to stuff fecal matter into the wound, something could get started.

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hemorrhoids-and-infection/784319/3 "2017-04-12T18:12:02Z")

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Here is an explanation from one of the physicians here.

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14744554&postcount=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14744554&postcount=2)