Hemorrhoids are located in and around the anus and lower rectum, where the veins form soft “cushions” of blood vessels and tissue.

Quick Scoop: Where They Are

  • Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum.
  • They sit at the very end of the large intestine, right where the rectum meets the anal opening (the anorectal junction).
  • Everyone has normal hemorrhoidal tissue; it only becomes “hemorrhoids” when these veins enlarge, swell, or prolapse.

Internal vs External Location

  • Internal hemorrhoids :
    • Located inside the rectum, above the line where the rectum transitions to the anal canal (often described as above the dentate line or anorectal junction).
* You usually cannot see or feel them from the outside.
  • External hemorrhoids :
    • Located under the skin around the anus , at the anal opening, below the dentate line.
* These are the small lumps or swellings you might feel or see at the rim of the anus.

Typical “Positions” Around the Anus

Doctors often describe hemorrhoids like positions on a clock face around the anal opening:

  • Common sites are roughly at “2 o’clock,” “5 o’clock,” and “9 o’clock” positions when viewed with the patient lying on their back.
  • At each of these spots there can be a column of internal and external hemorrhoidal veins.

A Simple Mental Picture

Imagine the anal opening as a small circle:

  • Just inside that circle (inside the rectum) are internal hemorrhoids.
  • Just outside and under the skin of the rim are external hemorrhoids.

If you’re feeling pain, a lump, or bleeding and are unsure if it’s a hemorrhoid, a clinician should examine you, since other anal and rectal conditions can feel similar.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.