What Causes Internal And External Hemorrhoids And Simple Ways To Treat Them
Hemorrhoids are usually caused by increased pressure due to pregnancy, being overweight, or straining during bowel movements. By midlife, hemorrhoids often become an ongoing complaint. By age 50, about half the population has experienced one or more of the classic symptoms, which include rectal pain, itching, bleeding, and possibly prolapse . Although hemorrhoids are rarely dangerous, they can be a recurrent and painful intrusion. Fortunately, there’s a lot we can do about hemorrhoids.
How Do Healthcare Providers Treat Hemorrhoids
You should see your healthcare provider if symptoms get worse or interfere with your daily life or sleep. Also seek help if signs dont improve after a week of at-home treatments. Your provider may treat hemorrhoids with:
- Rubber band ligation: A small rubber band placed around the base of a hemorrhoid cuts off blood supply to the vein.
- Electrocoagulation: An electric current stops blood flow to a hemorrhoid.
- Infrared coagulation: A small probe inserted into the rectum transmits heat to get rid of the hemorrhoid.
- Sclerotherapy: A chemical injected into the swollen vein destroys hemorrhoid tissue.
Surgical treatments include:
- Hemorrhoidectomy: Surgery removes large external hemorrhoids or prolapsed internal ones.
- Hemorrhoid stapling: A stapling instrument removes an internal hemorrhoid. Or it pulls a prolapsed internal hemorrhoid back inside the anus and holds it there.
Improving Your Diet And Lifestyle
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Symptoms Of External Hemorrhoids
- Feeling a hard or painful lump near the anus area that might contain blood that is coagulated. Hemorrhoids that carry blood in them are termed Thrombosed External Hemorrhoids.
- As soon as you pass the stool, you might still feel that you havent passed the entire stool inside your excretory system.
- If you check your stool, you might notice brightly colored red spots of blood all over the stool you just passed.
- You experience pain as you try to pass the stool.
- The area in and around the anus gets red, sore, and itchy.
How Are They Treated
Depending on the cause and severity of the haemorrhoids, a number of different treatments are available.
“Usually treatment is conservative,” explains Foster. “The condition needs to be tackled in two ways – treating the symptoms and the cause.” These recommendations don’t ‘cure’ piles, but they can relieve symptoms and reduce future problems.
The soreness and irritation of piles may be reduced by washing and drying the area round the bottom thoroughly after a bowel movement – although over-vigorous rubbing can make matters worse. Doctors may also: “use topical creams with steroids to reduce the size and itch of the haemorrhoid.”
Other treatments may include: “pushing back the haemorrhoid,” which can make patients feel better, or using nitroglycerine ointments or even botulinum toxin injection to reduce spasm of the internal anal sphincter,” he adds.
Dietary improvement , short-term laxative use and avoidance of overstraining may also be recommended.
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Hemorrhoid Home Remedies: Warm Sitz Bath
A sitz bath refers to sitting in a few inches of warm water three times a day for 15 to 20 minutes. A sitz bath may help decrease the inflammation of hemorrhoids. Drying off the anal area completely after each sitz bath is important for minimizing moisture that irritates the skin surrounding your rectal area.
How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed
The common symptoms of a hemorrhoid include itching, pain, rectal fullness or lump, and bleeding. The diagnosis is made by history taking and physical examination. The history may focus on the associated symptoms including constipation, hard bowel movements, and straining while going to the toilet. Other questions may be asked to look for other causes of rectal bleeding including tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Physical examination is performed to confirm the diagnosis and includes a rectal examination where a finger is used to feel for abnormal lumps or masses. Interestingly, internal hemorrhoids cannot usually be felt. The rectal exam may be deferred if there is intense pain or swelling. In addition, hemorrhoids and constipation may be associated with anal fissures or cracks in the skin surrounding the anus. The associated pain and spasm makes a rectal exam very uncomfortable.
If the health care professional is concerned that the symptoms, especially rectal bleeding, cannot be explained by hemorrhoids, anoscopy may be considered. Anoscopy is an office procedure where a lighted tube is inserted to look at the anus. Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy may be ordered if there is concern that the bleeding is arising from other areas of the colon. These procedures are usually performed by a gastroenterologist or surgeon.
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They Do It For Themselves First
“Your desire to maintain must be driven by something that’s deeper and consistent with your own internal values,” says Scott Kahan, MD, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness.
Take some time to think about what’s really important to you and how your weight ties into it. For example, you want to be there to see your grandkids grow up, or to take that biking vacation you’ve always wanted to do.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hemorrhoids
Internal hemorrhoids rarely cause pain unless they prolapse. Many people with internal hemorrhoids dont know they have them because they dont have symptoms.
If you have symptoms of internal hemorrhoids, you might see blood on toilet paper, in stool or the toilet bowl. These are signs of rectal bleeding.
Signs of external hemorrhoids include:
- Itchy anus.
- Hard lumps near the anus that feel sore or tender.
- Pain or ache in the anus, especially when you sit.
- Rectal bleeding.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids can be painful and uncomfortable. You may be able to feel them bulging outside the anus and gently push them back inside.
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Haemorrhoids: 6 Amazing Natural Home Remedies To Heal Piles
Haemorrhoids also known as piles, are swollen vein that develops in anus and lower rectum, quite similar to varicose veins. They are categorised as cushions of tissue comprising of blood vessels, muscle and so on. Haemorrhoids can develop inside the rectum or under the skin around the anus. When the veins lining the anal canal and lower rectum swell up, you may find it difficult to defecate stool which results in pain and bleeding.Suffering From Painful Haemorrhoids? Choose From Our Wide-Range Natural Ingredients To Get Relief!
Haemorrhoids have several causes, but most often the cause is unclear, it could be genetics to severe constipation that can result in highly uncomfortable health condition. The risk increases in older people and pregnant women. Obesity, poor eating pattern and unhealthy lifestyle are also some of the causative factors that could lead to piles.Also Read: Hemorrhoids: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Nearly three out of four adults develop piles from time to time, though not a serious problem and in most cases disappear on their own within a few weeks. It is quite common among people whose jobs involves sitting for long hours, lack of physical activity and ones who are immobile. Some of the symptoms include pain, bleeding in the anus and mostly a lump or a swelling in the area means there are piles. Itching and anal discharge are also common. However, piles in their starting stage can be effectively treated at home.
They Get Their Baggage In Check
Many people turn to food when they’re stressed. If that’s you, learning new ways to handle your emotions is a must.
Experiment to find things that work for you. Some ideas: Get into your garden, go for a walk, torch stress with a serious workout, do yoga to chill out, or connect with a friend.
Want more ideas? Consider booking a few sessions with a counselor who has experience working with people to overcome their emotional eating.
Continued
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Hemorrhoid Remedies You Can Try On Your Own At Home
There are several steps you can take at home to ease the discomfort caused by hemorrhoids:
- Take a sitz bath two to three times daily for 15 to 20 minutes. Sit in warm water, covering just your hips and buttocks. This can help reduce itching and irritation. You can take a sitz bath in a few inches of water in a regular tub, but small tubs that fit over toilet seats are also available for this purpose at pharmacies. Following a sitz bath, gently pat the area dry to avoid further irritation.
- Use ice packs on the area to relieve swelling and pain.
- Don’t push too hard or strain while passing a bowel movement.
- Clean your anus after each bowel movement by gently patting with moistened pads, such as baby wipes. Using hard, dry toilet paper, which may contain fragrance, can cause further irritation.
- Keep the area clean by bathing or showering daily with warm water. After bathing, gently pat the area dry. You can even use a hair dryer to dry the area.
- Sit on cushions rather than hard surfaces to help lessen the swelling of hemorrhoids and keep new ones from forming.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin as needed.
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Can Natural Home Remedies Treat And Prevent Hemorrhoids
Regardless of the size or swelling of a hemorrhoid, no treatment is required if symptoms do not exist. Prevention is perhaps the most effective treatment. Diet and adequate hydration are very important to maintain normal bowel movements. Hemorrhoid symptoms can occur with the passage of hard stool and constipation, as well as diarrhea and frequent bowel movements. People with constipation may require a high-fiber diet, adequate hydration, and stool softeners. Those with too frequent bowel movements may require antidiarrheal medications and diet adjustments. These preventive measures decrease the amount of straining that is required to have a bowel movement, thus decreasing the pressure within the blood vessels to prevent swelling. The internal hemorrhoid always stays protruded or prolapsed and is at risk for thrombosis or strangulation should the anal muscles go into spasm.
Grade 1 hemorrhoids are treated symptomatically. There can be some spasm of the anal muscles. Warm sitz baths, sitting in a warm tub for 20 minutes, two or three times a day may be helpful. Avoiding spicy food may also prevent anal itching. Over-the-counter medications may be helpful.
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How Are Haemorrhoids Diagnosed
Diagnosis of haemorrhoids usually involves an examination of the anal passage to look for any swollen blood vessels. Your doctor may conduct one of the following tests.
- Digital rectal examination, where your doctor puts on gloves and places a lubricated finger inside the back passage to gently feel for any abnormalities. This is likely to be uncomfortable but will probably not be painful.
- Proctoscopy, where your doctor examines the inside of the rectum using a proctoscope to look for any swelling or other symptoms. Again, this may be uncomfortable but will probably not be painful.
There is no need to feel embarrassed about these tests haemorrhoids are a common problem and your doctor is used to diagnosing and treating them.
In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a surgeon who can assess your haemorrhoids and recommend a treatment.
How Are Hemorrhoids Treated
Once hemorrhoidal symptoms develop, a variety of treatment options exist, depending upon the situation and severity of the hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are graded by the degree of prolapse below the pectinate line into the anal canal.
Grade 1: The internal hemorrhoid bulges into the canal but does not prolapse or fall completely into it. These may bleed.
Grade 2: The hemorrhoid protrudes past the anal verge with straining for a bowel movement or passage of flatus, but spontaneously returns to its original internal position once the straining has subsided.
Grade 3: The hemorrhoid may protrude past the anal verge without any straining and requires the patient to push them inside manually.
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Quick Read Why Do I Get Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoids, also called the piles, are swollen veins in your anus or rectum.
- They can cause pain, irritation and bleeding but sometimes have no symptoms.
- Repeated straining during bowel movements is a common cause.
- Piles usually go away on their own, but over-the-counter creams or sitz baths can help.
- Consume more water and fiber and avoid lingering on the toilet.
By the time you turn 50, more than half of your peers will have experienced hemorrhoids at least once in their lives, proving that misery does indeed love company.
Hemorrhoids are extremely common, says Ashley Schmaing, a physician assistant at the Gastroenterology Clinic at Harborview Medical Center. And even then, the true prevalence is unknown because not everyone reports them to their healthcare provider or can even tell that they have them.
Soak It Off In A Sitz Bath
A sitz bath comes from the German word sitzen, meaning sit, and it refers to a 10 to 15 minute soak in warm water that comes just up to your bottom and hips. Sitz baths can relieve irritation and itching as well as spasm of your anal sphincter muscles, says Dr. Thomas. Take a shallow soak in your bathtub or buy a small plastic tub from your pharmacy to give yourself a portable sitz bath two to three times a day.
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How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids Fast
Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless, while the external kind can be quite painful. Either way, there is often bleeding and you shouldnt have to suffer through that. That is why it is important to learn how to shrink hemorrhoids fast at home.
There are natural tips for how to get rid of piles without seeing a doctor. The following details how to get rid of hemorrhoids naturally with home remedies.
Medical Procedures For Hemorrhoids That Wont Go Away
If hemorrhoids don’t go away with home treatments, medical procedures may be necessary.
If you visit your doctor with painful external hemorrhoids those located around the outside of the anus that are visible from the outside your doctor may offer to excise them during the office visit. You will be given a shot with a local anesthetic to numb the area before the procedure.
Doctor’s office procedures for internal hemorrhoids those located inside the rectum may include:
Rubber Band Ligation This is the most commonly performed hemorrhoid procedure in the United States. In this procedure, which can be used for grades 1, 2, and 3 internal hemorrhoids , the doctor places a small rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid, which can be done when your doctor performs an anoscopy examination to better visualize the hemorrhoids. The rubber band cuts off the hemorrhoid’s blood supply.
The procedure typically causes the hemorrhoid to shrink and fall off within about a week, though several short visits to your doctor may be necessary to completely get rid of the hemorrhoid. Minor bleeding and a feeling of pressure may occur, but this can usually be alleviated with OTC pain relievers. This procedure is not associated with significant recovery time.
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Why Do I Get Hemorrhoids
Have you heard that hemorrhoids are caused by sitting on a cold, wet surface? Or that you got them because you ate too much spicy food? Or that its a condition only older populations have to worry about? False, false and false again, Schmaing says.
The truth is that the exact method of hemorrhoid formation is unknown, she explains.
All that said, the experts do have some pretty good hunches about what may be triggering your latest flare-up. The most likely causes are increased pressure in your abdomen and pelvis, as well as a natural weakening of the body tissue surrounding your veins, which allows them to bulge.
Thats why hemorrhoids often occur in pregnant women, people who lift heavy objects like weightlifters and those who repeatedly push or strain to do their business, often due to constipation or diarrhea.
It also explains why many people think that piles are only a concern as you age. While its most common between the ages of 45 and 65, unfortunately, the reality is that you can get hemorrhoids at any age.
Even though what you eat or dont eat doesnt directly cause hemorrhoids, your diet can also play a huge role. For example, if you dont consume enough water or fiber, youre more likely to become constipated. With all that increased straining, well, you see how this all flushes out.