Anal Warts and Hemorrhoids: The Differences and Similarities

Hemorrhoids and anal warts may cause similar symptoms, like discomfort, itching, and bleeding, but they're very different problems requiring very different treatments. Understanding those differences and similarities is important for relieving symptoms and preventing complications.

Michael H. Tarlowe, MD, has extensive experience treating both hemorrhoids and anal warts, providing tailored care to relieve symptoms and improve each patient’s health and quality of life. Here, learn more about these two relatively common health problems and how they differ.

Hemorrhoids: The basics

Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels located in or near your anus, and as it turns out, they’re quite common. In fact, hemorrhoids affect about one-fifth of Americans and about a half of those over age 50.

Symptomatic hemorrhoids are often associated with heavy lifting, straining during bowel movements, or standing or sitting for long periods of time — pretty much any activity that puts added strain on the blood vessels near your rectum. They’re also more common during pregnancy.

Hemorrhoids are inside your rectum (internal hemorrhoids) and around the anus (external hemorrhoids). Both types can cause symptoms like:

• Pain, particularly during or after bowel movements
• Itching
• Swelling near the anus
• Bleeding during or after bowel movements

External hemorrhoids may feel like a lump or bump near your anus.

Some hemorrhoids go away with conservative care, including creams to reduce swelling and pain, but some more serious hemorrhoids require medical treatment to remove them.

Understanding anal warts

While hemorrhoids are caused by pressure on your blood vessels, anal warts are caused by a virus — the human papillomavirus (HPV), an extremely common virus comprising more than 100 types. Most types of HPV cause no symptoms, but a few cause anal warts along with genital warts.

Anal warts can range in size from very tiny to quite large, sometimes forming in clusters. Warts can cause a variety of anal symptoms, like:

• Soreness or itching 
• Bleeding
• Discharge

It’s important to know that, unlike hemorrhoids, anal warts are contagious, frequently passed during sexual activity.

As with hemorrhoids, you may be able to feel anal warts when cleaning the area around your anus. Anal warts require medical intervention to keep them under control and prevent them from spreading. Some anal warts resolve after removal while others need ongoing management.

Differences and similarities

Hemorrhoids and anal warts may cause some similar symptoms, but in other ways, they’re different. As noted, warts and hemorrhoids have different causes, which also leads to warts being contagious.

Like other types of HPV, anal warts are typically spread through sexual contact. While they can’t be cured, you can reduce your risks of acquiring HPV through vaccination and safe sex practices. Once acquired, warts can be removed surgically or, in some cases, treated with antiviral medications.

Hemorrhoid prevention involves lifestyle changes, like eating more fiber or using stool softeners to prevent straining. Losing extra weight and incorporating regular exercise may help, too.

There’s one critical difference: Anal warts also increase your risk of anal cancer. That’s because the same virus strains that cause anal warts also cause anal cancer. Early and ongoing management is important for reducing your risk of developing cancer in the future.

Don’t ignore your symptoms

Anal warts and hemorrhoids may not be the same, but they do both respond well to prompt medical care. If you have any unusual anal symptoms, early evaluation is important for getting the right treatment and for ruling out other possible causes, like cancer. 

To schedule your evaluation, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Tarlowe in Deerfield Beach, Florida.