Whom Do Hemorrhoids Affect
Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, almost everyone has them. Hemorrhoids help control bowel movements. Hemorrhoids cause problems and can be considered abnormal or a disease only when the hemorrhoidal clumps of vessels enlarge.
Hemorrhoids occur in almost everyone, and an estimated 75% of people will experience enlarged hemorrhoids at some point. However only about 4% will go to a doctor because of hemorrhoid problems. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.
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How Do I Know What Kind Of Hemorrhoid I Have
There are three different kinds of piles which consist of external hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids, and thrombosed piles.
External hemorrhoids:
Internal hemorrhoids:
Internal hemorrhoids are always painless and often produce no other symptoms except for some occasional mucous discharge .
Thrombosed piles:
This type of hemorrhoid occurs when the veins in your bottom swell and cause a clot to form. A thrombosed hemorrhoid is often extremely painful and may sometimes burst on its own or need to be treated by a doctor.
This is the reason why its so important that you seek medical advice when unsure of any symptoms as thrombosed piles can sometimes cause complications that may require immediate medical attention.
How can I treat my hemorrhoids?
If youre experiencing mild symptoms such as itching and discomfort then there are several easy treatments that you can try at home without any medical assistance:
Make changes to your diet by adding more fibre into your diet, which will bulk up the stools and make them softer which in turn will make bowel movements easier and reduce the strain when going to the toilet.
Your stools should ideally be soft but solid, if your stool is loose then this may mean that youre not drinking enough water throughout the day.
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Dietary Fiber And Water
One of the biggest precautions that a hemorrhoid sufferer should take is avoid injuring the area again. In fact, it is necessary to ensure that the evacuations are as gentle as possible and it is necessary to promote the bowel movement.
For this reason, it is advisable to consume water and a diet rich in soluble and insoluble fiber. In addition, refined flours or any product that causes constipation should be avoided. Some foods that will help you are nuts, vegetables with a lot of fiber and fruits. Find out more in our article Foods for constipation.
What Are Home Treatments For Hemorrhoids
You can try the following home treatments:
- Use hemorrhoid ointments, such as Preparation H.
- Don’t strain while you are having a bowel movement.
- Apply ice several times a day. Also try applying moist heat several times a day, or sit in warm water .
- Eat more fibre, and drink more water.
- Take stool softeners.
You can also take non-prescription pain relievers. Acetaminophen can help with pain. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen and naproxen , can help with pain and swelling. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
These treatments cure most small and some large internal hemorrhoids. They aren’t used for external hemorrhoids. They work by cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid, which makes the hemorrhoid shrink or go away.
There are different ways to do this:
- Rubber band ligation. This is the most successful non-surgical procedure. It is the one most often used for small and medium hemorrhoids. It involves tying off hemorrhoids with rubber bands.
- Coagulation. This procedure involves using heat, a laser, or an electrical current to create scar tissue around the hemorrhoids. Infrared photocoagulation uses infrared light to do this.
Surgery for hemorrhoids is called hemorrhoidectomy. It is the most successful way to treat large internal hemorrhoids.
Surgery is used for small internal hemorrhoids when:
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Follow Up With Your Doctor As Directed:
Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed
Your doctor can tell if you have hemorrhoids by asking about your past health and doing a physical examination.
You may not need many tests at first, especially if you are younger than 50 and your doctor thinks that your rectal bleeding is caused by hemorrhoids. Your doctor may just examine your rectum with a gloved finger. Or your doctor may use a short, lighted scope to look inside the rectum.
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Home Remedies And Lifestyle
Generations have used home remedies to shrink hemorrhoids and prevent them from returning. Some treat the hemorrhoid directly, while others are aimed at alleviating the bowel irregularities that are often at the heart of the problem.
The following remedies can provide significant relief of acute hemorrhoid symptoms:
- Ice packs can relieve local inflammation and pain, but should never be placed directly on skin or left on for longer than 10 minutes.
- A sitz bath, in which a person sits in a tub of warm water for 10 to 20 minutes, can help reduce itching and irritation. Epsom salts or baking soda is often added to help alleviate inflammation.
- Witch hazel may decrease bleeding and prevent infection by acting as an astringent. You can dab it on gently with a cotton ball or even add a couple of tablespoons to a sitz bath.
- Aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, and coconut oil are natural remedies that can help soothe and shrink minor external hemorrhoids. Avoid creams or lotions that contain these products and opt instead for the pure refined oil.
Dont Suppress Your Urge To Use The Bathroom
Many people think its better to hold their stool in or reduce the number of times they use the restroom. The idea is that this helps them heal more quickly and stop bleeding. Unfortunately, thats not the case.
The reason is simple: when you accumulate more waste in your body, its harder to get rid of it without pain or discomfort. Its also not good for you. You end up keeping toxins in your body. These can then cause diseases.
Youre in a lot of pain because of the hemorrhoids, but you need to be brave and go to the bathroom. If you put it off, it just ends up being more unpleasant and painful. It will take longer to heal, and youll be more likely to start bleeding again.
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How Can I Prevent Hemorrhoids
Lifestyle and dietary changes are the best way to prevent hemorrhoids. Staying physically active and eating a nutritious, balanced diet help keep your bowel movements regular.
Eat lots of high fiber foods and drink plenty of water to keep the digestive process moving correctly and prevent constipation. Regular exercise and avoiding sitting for long periods of time can also help prevent hemorrhoids.
The most effective way to avoid constipation is to go to the bathroom when you first feel the urge. Delaying a bowel movement allows the bowel to reabsorb water from the stool. This makes stool harder when you finally do go.
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If Discomfort From Hemorrhoids Isnt Resolved Within A Week
When youve had persistent discomfort, pain, or itching for a week, its time to talk to a doctor. While some symptoms of hemorrhoids resolve on their own, others do not and can be treated by a doctor, so you dont have to live with the daily symptoms. Your doctor can recommend treatments that range from the conservative, like dietary and behavioral changes, or in-office procedures, such as rubber band ligation, to more invasive approaches like surgery.
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Medical Procedures For Hemorrhoids That Wont Go Away
If hemorrhoids dont go away with home treatments, medical procedures may be necessary.
Doctors 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 hemorrhoids 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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Iv Fluids For Dehydration
There are any number of reasons why your body may become dehydrated. Sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, or simply not drinking enough water can all result in fluid loss requiring rehydration. Common symptoms of dehydration include confusion, weak or rapid pulse, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. If your dehydration is serious, your FastMed clinician may recommend replacement of essential fluids and electrolytes via intravenous infusion.
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Precautions On How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids
A common concern is that hemorrhoids increase the risk of colorectal cancer, but thats not true. However, the two conditions do cause similar symptoms. This is why its important to mention your hemorrhoids to your health care provider. Even when a hemorrhoid is healed completely, a colonoscopy may be done to rule out other causes of rectal bleeding. According to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons , every person age 50 and older should undergo a colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer.
Key Points To Remember
- Home treatments for hemorrhoids work for most people: Eat more fibre, drink more fluids, use a stool softener, and use ointments to help your symptoms.
- When home treatments don’t work on internal hemorrhoids, fixative procedures may help. These are treatments that involve cutting off the blood flow to the hemorrhoids using rubber bands, lasers, heat, or electrical currents. These procedures are usually less painful than surgery.
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Hemorrhoid Types And Symptoms
These swollen tissues appear in the rectal area and can vary from the size of a pea to that of a grape. There are internal hemorrhoids , as well as external hemorrhoids .
Hemorrhoids may simply feel itchy, but they also can be painful. In some cases, particularly following a bowel movement, they can cause rectal bleeding. If you had hemorrhoids before you were pregnant, theres a good chance theyll come back post-delivery.
How To Take Care Of Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids or Piles, is the name given to a condition in which rectal blood veins get inflamed because of tension created by different circumstances like sitting for a long time. Bleeding, extreme pain and swelling may occur in hemorrhoids. External and internal are 2 kinds of hemorrhoids. They differ with respect to their location. Both types of hemorrhoids show same symptoms like bleeding.
Below are some treatments of hemorrhoids as well as measures to aid your pain if you are suffering from hemorrhoid.
1. Take a cold pack and apply it on the affected area directly. It will soothe your pain and give relief from the inflammation. It is good if you ask a loved one to do so while lying with face down.
2. Use baby wipes instead of the toilet paper. If you need to use the toilet paper then make it wet with water before you use it. You can also dampen the toilet paper with baby oil.
3. Make sure that you clean the affected area with lukewarm water for several times every day. Bidets are highly effective for this purpose.
4. Try not to sit or stand in a fixed position for a prolonged period.
7. Make exercising your habit. Walking for 35 to 40 minutes every day will help in food absorption and smoothen the bowel movements.
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How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids
May 14, 2019
Hemorrhoids are a very common anorectal condition that affects millions of people around the world. Over half of all people will develop symptomatic hemorrhoids at some point, so its common to wonder how to get rid of hemorrhoids. Most patients are able to get rid of hemorrhoids with a high-fiber diet, herbal supplements and non-surgical medical treatments, such as my DIY Hemorrhoid Cream with Turmeric & Tea Tree Oil.
Hemorrhoids are frequently seen in primary care clinics, emergency wards, gastroenterology units and surgical clinics, but how do you know when hemorrhoids have developed and when you should see a doctor? These are common concerns among people who develop hemorrhoids and dont know how to deal with and treat the pain. Thankfully, there are natural treatments for how to get rid of hemorrhoids fast, and starting there may help relieve these literal pains in the butt.
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Are There Natural Treatments For Hemorrhoids
First, some very good news: Neither type of hemorrhoid is dangerous, and severe complications that require medical care are rare. Symptoms often can be relieved by trying a few natural and self-care treatments.
- Draw a sitz bath. To relieve itching and irritation, fill a tub with three to four inches of warm water and sit in it with your knees bent for about 10 to 15 minutes. Gently pat yourself dry with a towel, but dont rub the area.
- Take fiber supplements. These draw water into your stool and make it easier to pass, helping to reduce hemorrhoid bleeding and inflammation. A psyllium husk fiber supplement, like Metamucil or a generic version, is a good choice. If psyllium causes gas or bloating, try a supplement with wheat dextrin or methylcellulose .
- Ease discomfort. Apply over-the-counter products that shrink the inflamed tissue and relieve itching. Try pads infused with witch hazel , or soothing creams that contain lidocaine, hydrocortisone, or phenylephrine .
You can also take steps to prevent flare-ups.
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How To Treat Hemorrhoids And When You Should See Your Doctor
Pregnancy also can weaken these tissues, which is why pregnant women often experience hemorrhoids. Other potential causes include chronic constipation or diarrhea, straining during bowel movements and sitting on the toilet for extended periods. Also, frequently lifting heavy objects may increase the likelihood of hemorrhoids.
What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoid symptoms vary depending on whether the inflamed veins are external or internal.
How are hemorrhoids treated at home?
When to see the doctor
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What Are The Risks Of Treatments For Hemorrhoids
Most non-surgical treatments have few risks. Possible problems may include:
- Pain or discomfort. For some people, the pain may be so bad that they will not be able to do their normal activities for a day or so.
- Bleeding, which may require another doctor visit to treat.
- Temporary trouble urinating because of pain. If you are completely unable to urinate, you’ll need treatment.
- Infection or abscess.
Rubber band ligation appears to cause more pain than other types of non-surgical procedures. Infrared photocoagulation usually causes fewer side effects.footnote 2