Though a large number of people develop hemorrhoids (piles), not all of them experience symptoms since the condition may be mild or asymptomatic in many cases.

The common symptoms of Hemorrhoids include:

Painless bright red bleeding during bowel movements - you might notice small amounts of bright red blood on your toilet tissue or in the toilet bowl

Lumpy mass protruding from anus

Itching or irritation in the anal region, pain or discomfort

Swelling around the anus

A sensitive or painful lump near the anus (thrombosed piles due to formation of clot - it is generally hard as well)

The symptoms of hemorrhoids (piles) may overlap with certain other conditions such as anal fissure, fistula, peri-anal abscess, etc. and these may be misdiagnosed as Hemorrhoids. A proper examination can detect the cause of these symptoms.

The symptoms of Hemorrhoids and examination findings together are generally enough to conclude the diagnosis of Hemorrhoids in most cases. An internal examination using a proctoscope allows the doctor to visualize the anal canal. Though sigmoidoscopy has no role in diagnosing piles (hemorrhoids), this is done as a precaution in every patient with bleeding from the rectum to rule out any cancerous growths.