Can Anyone Get Hemorrhoids? | Who Gets Them Most

Yes, hemorrhoids can affect adults of any sex or age, though straining, constipation, pregnancy, and aging make them more likely.

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in or around the anus and lower rectum. A lot of people think they only show up in older adults, or that they happen only when someone has a poor diet. That’s not true. They can affect many kinds of people, and they often show up when pressure keeps building in the rectal area over time.

That said, “anyone” doesn’t mean “everyone has the same odds.” Some patterns keep showing up: chronic constipation, sitting on the toilet too long, straining during bowel movements, pregnancy, and getting older. Once you know what pushes risk up, the whole topic gets less mysterious and a lot easier to manage.

Can Anyone Get Hemorrhoids? Risk Groups And Patterns

Yes, almost any adult can get hemorrhoids. Men and women both get them. Thin people get them. Bigger people get them. Active people can get them, and so can desk workers. The bigger question is not whether someone is “the type.” It’s which daily habits or body changes raise pressure in the veins around the rectum.

That pressure can build slowly. You may strain for months because stools are hard. You may sit too long during bowel movements. You may be pregnant and dealing with extra pelvic pressure. You may lift heavy loads at work. One thing by itself may not be enough, but a few stacked together can tip the balance.

Why Pressure Matters So Much

The veins in this area can swell when blood flow and pressure shift again and again. That’s why bowel habits matter so much. If stool is dry and hard, pushing gets harder. If you stay on the toilet scrolling on your phone, that extra time can add more strain. Over months or years, those patterns can turn into itching, bleeding, swelling, pain, or a tender lump.

According to NIDDK’s definition and facts page, hemorrhoids are common, and the people most likely to get them include those with chronic constipation, pregnant women, and adults over age 50. That lines up with what doctors see in day-to-day practice.

Age Raises The Odds, But It’s Not The Whole Story

Age matters because tissues that hold veins in place can weaken over time. That makes swelling and bulging more likely. Still, younger adults are not off the hook. A 28-year-old with hard stools, long toilet sessions, and regular heavy lifting can end up with hemorrhoids too.

So the cleanest answer is this: anyone can get hemorrhoids, but some people keep running into the same pressure triggers, and that’s where the odds climb.

• People with long spells of constipation
• Pregnant women, especially later in pregnancy
• Adults over 50
• People who strain during bowel movements
• People who sit on the toilet for long stretches
• Workers or athletes who do repeated heavy lifting
• People with low-fiber eating patterns

Who Gets Hemorrhoids More Often

Some groups show up more often because their bodies or routines create more pressure around the rectum. Pregnancy is a big one. As the uterus grows, veins in the lower body can face more pressure. Constipation during pregnancy can make things even tougher.

Constipation is another big driver. The NIDDK constipation overview notes that hard, infrequent stools can lead to straining. That link matters because straining is one of the plainest paths to hemorrhoids. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real.

Repeated diarrhea can also irritate the area. So can long hours of sitting, especially if toilet time becomes a habit. Some people think “I don’t strain, so I’m safe,” yet they stay seated for ten or fifteen minutes at a time. That still adds pressure.

Risk Pattern	Why It Raises The Odds	What It Often Looks Like
Chronic constipation	Hard stools lead to repeated straining	Few bowel movements, dry stool, pushing hard
Pregnancy	Extra pelvic pressure plus constipation	Swelling, pain, or bleeding late in pregnancy
Older age	Tissues that hold veins in place can weaken	More bulging or prolapse over time
Long toilet sessions	Extra pressure builds while sitting	Phone scrolling or reading on the toilet
Heavy lifting	Repeated bracing can raise abdominal pressure	Warehouse work, gym lifting, moving loads
Low-fiber eating	Stools may be smaller, drier, and harder to pass	Low intake of fruit, beans, vegetables, whole grains
Obesity	Extra pressure in the lower body can build	More strain with bowel movements or sitting
Frequent diarrhea	Ongoing irritation can inflame the area	Burning, soreness, wiping irritation

Symptoms That Deserve Attention

Hemorrhoids are not always painful. Internal hemorrhoids may bleed without hurting much at all. External hemorrhoids are more likely to itch, swell, or feel sore. A thrombosed external hemorrhoid can form a hard, tender lump and hurt a lot, often all at once.

Common symptoms include:

• Bright red blood on toilet paper or in the bowl
• Itching around the anus
• Swelling or a lump near the anus
• Pain during sitting or bowel movements
• A feeling that tissue is bulging out
• Mucus or irritation after a bowel movement

Bleeding should never be shrugged off as “just hemorrhoids” unless a clinician has checked it. Blood in the stool can also come from fissures, colon polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or colorectal cancer. That’s one reason the ASCRS hemorrhoids page stresses proper diagnosis before treatment is chosen.

Internal Vs External Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids sit inside the rectum. They may bleed and may slip down during bowel movements. External hemorrhoids sit under the skin around the anus. Those are more likely to itch, hurt, or swell in a way you can feel with a finger.

That difference matters because the symptom pattern can point to the type. Bleeding with little pain can fit internal hemorrhoids. Sudden pain and a firm lump fit a thrombosed external hemorrhoid more often.

What Lowers Your Chances Of Getting Them

Most prevention steps are simple, but they work best when they become daily habits instead of one-week fixes. The goal is soft, easy-to-pass stools and less pressure during bowel movements.

1. Eat more fiber from food like beans, oats, berries, pears, vegetables, and whole grains.
2. Drink enough fluid through the day so stool stays easier to pass.
3. Go when you feel the urge instead of holding it for hours.
4. Don’t strain or sit on the toilet longer than needed.
5. Stay active so bowel movements keep moving along.
6. Use a fiber supplement if your food intake stays low and your clinician says it fits.

These steps don’t promise that hemorrhoids will never happen. They do cut down the pressure patterns that feed them, and that’s the part you can influence most.

Daily Habit	Better Move	Why It Helps
Pushing hard to pass stool	Raise fiber and fluid intake	Softer stool needs less force
Scrolling on the toilet	Keep bathroom time brief	Less time means less pressure
Ignoring the urge to go	Use the bathroom sooner	Holding stool can make it harder
Low movement through the day	Walk more and break up sitting	Bowels often move better with activity
Eating little fiber	Add fruit, beans, oats, vegetables	Bulk and softness make stools easier

When Home Care May Be Enough

Mild cases often calm down with softer stools, warm sitz baths, less straining, and short-term over-the-counter products. If symptoms are small and brief, that may be all you need. Some people improve within days once the bowel routine gets better.

Still, there are times when home care isn’t enough. If bleeding keeps happening, pain is strong, a lump is getting worse, or symptoms return again and again, it’s time for medical care. Office treatments like rubber band ligation may be used for some internal hemorrhoids, and some external clots need prompt treatment when pain is severe.

When To See A Doctor

• Rectal bleeding happens more than once
• You have strong pain or a new hard lump
• Symptoms last longer than a week
• You feel weak, dizzy, or see a lot of blood
• You have belly pain, weight loss, or a change in bowel habits
• You’re over 45 and rectal bleeding is new for you

What This Means For Most People

Hemorrhoids are common, and they’re not a sign that something is wrong with your character, hygiene, or toughness. They’re usually about pressure, bowel habits, and body changes that stack up over time. Yes, anyone can get hemorrhoids. Yet the odds rise most in people who strain, deal with constipation, sit too long on the toilet, are pregnant, or are getting older.

If that sounds like you, the best move is not panic. It’s better bathroom habits, more fiber, enough fluid, and a low threshold for getting bleeding checked. That mix catches small problems early and makes repeat flare-ups less likely.