Do gay guys get hemorrhoids

Dear Dr. Ren,

I am a gay man in my mid-40s with an embarrassing problem. I have hemorrhoids. This is uncomfortable enough on its own, but when I meet a new man, well, you can imagine. What can I do?

Blushing and Bleeding

Dear Blushing and Bleeding,

Yours is a more common difficulty than you think.

About half of the population has hemorrhoids by age 50, though usually these approach and go, oftentimes without our even noticing.

It is important that you acquire a proper diagnosis of what exactly is going on with your bum, as hemorrhoids are only one of several disquieting conditions. Remember, bleeding may also be a symptom of fissures (little tears) or other digestive diseases, including colorectal cancer. Observe your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

S/he will study your anus and rectum to look for swollen blood vessels that demonstrate hemorrhoids and will also perform a digital rectal exam. You may necessitate an exam with an anoscope, a hollow, lighted tube used for viewing internal hemorrhoids, or a proctoscope, useful for more completely examining the entire rectum. It is not as horrible as it sounds and sometimes detects polyps and other doable problems.

Hemorrhoids, also called pil

Anal Pain, Bleeding, or Bumps Limiting your Sexual Enjoyment? 

What Are Social Determinants of Health?

By Jewelle Scott•February 10, 2025

When we think about organism healthy, we often think about our bodies, like making sure we don’t get sick or going to the doctor. But did you know that our health is also affected by things in our daily lives, favor where we stay, if we hold enough food, or if we experience safe? These are called *Social Determinants of Health*, and they can possess a big influence on how robust we are. In this post, we'll talk about what these “social determinants” are, how they affect your health, and how you can talk to your doctor or nurse about these problems so they can help you find resources to make things a little easier. What Are Social Determinants of Health? Social

Understanding Anal Health

Anal sex is a very common practice among queer , bisexual, and queer men. Knowing the risks and how to enjoy safer anal sex is vital to a healthy sex life.

The fact is, a lot goes on down there. Many conditions can impact your anal health aside from HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Clinics love Red Door in Minneapolis and Clinic 555 in St. Paul are helpful and gay-friendly. Waiting to see if symptoms disappear may only prolong an unpleasant condition or give you a false sense of confidence that you don’t have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) when, in fact, you do.

Good prevention doesn’t just mean avoiding health problems — it also means dealing with those problems quickly. If your rear end is troubling you, swallow that shyness and make an appointment to view a doctor. Your anus will thank you.

Aside from HIV and STIs, what can disturb an otherwise happy and healthy butt?  Here is a quick roll call of health conditions that can occur.

Anal Itch

Known formerly as anal pruritus, it means the skin around your anus itches. The degree can range from an occasional itch to harsh itching that causes you to scratch your skin until it bleeds.

We Asked a Gay Proctologist to Answer All Your Scariest Questions

Beware: The following article, in which a proctologist answers questions about anal issues, contains a lot of real talk.

Ever wondered why rimming is such an enjoyable act and is so famous among gay men? It’s because anal tissue is so sensitive. In truth, it’s made from the same skin tissue as our lips; and enjoy our lips, it’s also rich in nerve endings. The downside? That similar skin tissue is thin and susceptible to injury and blemishes. But while it’s easy to tell if you have a busted lip or chilly sore, it’s not so easy to spot anal issues like warts, hemorrhoids and skin tags. Some men may even have them and have no idea without making a trip to their general physician or proctologist.

So we spoke with Dr. Evan Goldstein, CEO and founder of Bespoke Surgical, a private gay proctological and anal surgery practice in Modern York City and Los Angeles, about the three most common anal issues in gay men and how to detect and handle them.

According to Dr. Goldstein, the three anal issues are very different.

First, the irritating facts about hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are veins that engorge with blood due to a