I went to the doctor because even Preporation H burned the heck out of my "hemorrhoids"! They eventually grew outside the (well, you know!) and were so painful. It was a lot of things combined. I knew of nothing eles so called them hemorrhoids! LOL, I even stood straddle over a mirror so I could see...they were not pretty, of course. That is when I made the appointment with my PCP.
It never hurts to have the doctor check it out if it doesn't seem right...and hemorrhoids or not...they are not right! LOL!