# Questions about the difference between hemorrhoids & hernias - (Graphic)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-difference-between-hemorrhoids-hernias-graphic/661989
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 26, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-difference-between-hemorrhoids-hernias-graphic/661989 "2013-06-26T22:30:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-difference-between-hemorrhoids-hernias-graphic/661989/1 "2013-06-26T22:30:03Z")
I’m a 55 year old male. I’ve had hemorrhoids before and this certainly hurts like one both in sitting and during bowel movements, but I can’t detect an obvious protruding vein and it’s apparently centered on the interior of my anus right at my taint. Did some heavy duty sign pulling by myself last Sunday and because of the pain location I’m wondering if I might have actually done damage to myself re some kind of hernia. Nothing appears to be protruding it just hurts like hell.
If I get in the stirrups at my local emergency med enter can the doc tell easily whether it’s one of the other or will I have to get an MRI etc done? I ask because I am not on an insurance plan and want to minimize costs.
If I don’t go to the doc and just live with it a week or two and see if it recedes like a hemorrhoid is this potentially dangerous if it’s actually a hernia?
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-the-difference-between-hemorrhoids-hernias-graphic/661989/2 "2013-06-27T04:41:46Z")
Sounds like _probably_ a 'roid (they can be completely internal too), but only a doctor knows fer sure.
If I’m not mistaken, there’s a danger with a possible hernia that it _might_ lead to blood-strangulation which can lead to gangrene in some blood-strangled spot. This is doubleplus ungood. If you’re not sure, you seriously should have a doc take a peek up there.
ETA: Upon re-reading what I just wrote, I see that I forgot to emphasize the main point: _Just in case_ it’s a hernia, and _just in case_ it’s positioned to be doubleplus ungood as described, _you need to see a doctor yesterday!_ OTOH, if this is in fact the problem, you are probably dead or nearly so by the time you read this.
IANAD. I am not a gonad.