Jul 7, 2017 Hemorrhoids are embarrassing and painful, but are they dangerous to your health? Here's a look at the what, where and why of those pains.Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are vascular structures in the anal canal. In their normal state, Jump up ^ Glass, [edited by] Jill C. Cash, Cheryl A. Family practice guidelines (2nd ed.). New York: Springer. p. 665. ISBN 978-0-8261-1812-7.What are hemorrhoids? Learn about symptoms, treatments and prevention, and find out why hemorrhoids can be so painful.Swollen blood vessels in and around the anus and lower rectum. Continual straining to have a bowel movement causes them to stretch and swell. They cause .Jan 18, 2017 Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in the lower rectum. Author: Scott C Thornton, MD; Chief Editor: John Geibel, MD, DSc, MSc, AGAF .