About 80% of Americans suffer from painful internal and/or external hemorrhoids. But do you know what causes hemorrhoids and what they are? Hemorrhoids, which some people also call piles, are veins inside the rectum that have swollen. They can make sitting, standing, lying down, and even going to the bathroom very painful.

You can have two versions of hemorrhoids. Like previously mentioned, the internal veins can swell and form what are known as internal hemorrhoids. Since they are inside the body, you can't feel or see them unless they are severe. The other kind of hemorrhoids, external, can also enlarge. These protrude outside of the anus and thus are seen and felt quite often.

Doesn't sound good, right? What causes this to happen? Well, the number one culprit of hemorrhoid causes seems to be constipation. If you constantly strain while having a bowel movement, you're putting strain on your intestinal walls as well, which leads to the veins in those walls swelling and becoming hemorrhoids.

Another one of the biggest hemorrhoid causes is pregnancy. Due to the usual constipation that can occur during pregnancy, along with the increased pressure of baby weight, this can easily bring about hemorrhoids. Many expectant mothers find that the discomfort from hemorrhoids outweighs morning sickness.

Other causes of hemorrhoids include:

- Sitting for long periods of time, especially on the toilet

- Standing up for too long without sitting down periodically

- Reading while sitting on the toilet, which breaks your concentration and causes you to sit longer than you need to

- Lack of fiber and water, which causes stool to be hard and difficult to pass

If you're obese, you also have a higher risk of suffering from hemorrhoids. You could also have a history of hemorrhoids in your family that increases your risk.