How Long To Heal External Hemorrhoids

What To Wear How To Sleep And Other Practical Tips For Hemorrhoid Sufferers

From chronic itching to excruciating pain, your hemorrhoids may cause a lot of discomfort that can affect your day-to-day activities, as well as your sleep.

At Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri, our experienced physician, Dr. Betsy Clemens, has more than two decades of experience helping those suffering with hemorrhoids get relief. We want to share with you some of our best at-home treatments to help you manage your hemorrhoid symptoms.

Home Remedies For Hemorrhoids Pain Relief

A hemorrhoid, being a swollen blood vessel, is treatable through methods that help ease inflammation and promote blood flow. The first thing you should do when dealing with a hemorrhoid is to avoid making things worse. This means minimizing possible irritants:

• After a bowel movement, blot the anus with toilet paper that has been moistened with water or cleansing agents. Alternatively, you can use a bidet to clean and then pat dry the area.

• Avoid pre-moistened toilet wipes unless they are alcohol and perfume-free. These can dry out the area and aggravate your symptoms.

• Wear cotton and/or loose underwear to minimize moisture buildup, which can irritate the area.

• Avoid lifting heavy objects and sit on a pillow when possible.

• Increase your fiber and water intake in order to make bowel movements go more easily.

• Topical ointments like Preparation H can be applied to ease irritation

• Take a sitz bath to help soothe the anal area and reduce swelling. More information on sitz baths for hemorrhoids can be found here.

• In cases of external hemorrhoids, an ice pack or a cold compress can help reduce swelling.

• Dip a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply to an external hemorrhoid. This will sting but it does relieve the itching and pain.

• Do not deny your sphincter. If you feel the urge to go to the bathroom, do it. The longer stool sits in your body, the harder it gets and the more straining is required.

• Stay active.

Best Treatment Options For Hemorrhoids

Small hemorrhoids that occur to most people heal by themselves without prescription treatments. Just a little change in lifestyle and diet habits is more than enough to get well.

But if you are suffering from severe hemorrhoids with continuous pain, bleeding, and growing lumps around the anus, you should visit a doctor.

Depending upon the condition of your hemorrhoids your doctor may recommend medical procedures to shrink and heal the hemorrhoids.

Here are some of the commonly followed treatment options for piles:

• Rubber band ligation: Tying a tight rubber band around the base of lumps to cut off the blood supply to hemorrhoids.
• Infrared Coagulation: Using infrared light, heat, or extreme cold to shrink hemorrhoids.
• Sclerotherapy: Injecting chemicals to shrink the hemorrhoids.
• Surgery: When all other treatment options do not respond, or the hemorrhoids are large use a surgical process to remove the lumps.
• Stapling: Stapled hemorrhoidectomy or stapled hemorrhoidopexy is used in treating internal hemorrhoids. This heals the internal hemorrhoids by blocking the blood flow to hemorrhoidal tissues.

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Can Hemorrhoids Be Prevented Or Avoided

Just about everyone has hemorrhoids at some time. But some things may make you more likely to get them. People whose parents had hemorrhoids may be more likely to get them. Pregnant women often get hemorrhoids because of the strain from carrying the baby and from giving birth. Being very overweight or standing or lifting too much can make hemorrhoids worse.

Aloe Vera For Hemorrhoids

Aloe vera is a soothing skin treatment that can help to reduce swelling, discomfort, and pain in both internal and external hemorrhoids. Pure aloe vera gel has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and can help to calm an itchy anus.

To cure hemorrhoids, doctors usually recommend using a 1% hydrocortisone cream to alleviate swelling around the anus. However, pure aloe vera gel has been proven to be an even better anti-inflammatory ointment than hydrocortisone cream. A study published in the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology found that 97.5% aloe vera gel was more effective at reducing skin inflammation than 1% hydrocortisone cream.8

To soothe burning and itching around your anus, apply pure aloe vera gel directly to the affected area. After a bowel movement, clean yourself with damp toilet tissue and pat yourself dry. Gently massage a little aloe vera gel to your anal opening. Do this after every time you poop to relieve the itchiness of hemorrhoids and speed up the healing process. You can also massage a little aloe vera to your hemorrhoids 2-3 times a day to relieve any itching that they cause.

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Temporary Hemorrhoid Treatment Options

Relief Using Hemorrhoid Creams

Hemorrhoid creams, such as those made by Tucks and Preparation H, are an appealing medicine to many people suffering from hemorrhoids as they can be purchased from the drugstore without a prescription and used in the privacy of the home. These creams typically contain a medicinal ingredient such as hydrocortisone along with a soothing agent to provide quick relief from hemorrhoid symptoms like itching and burning.

Whichever hemorrhoid cream you choose, it will have to be applied several times per day, especially in the morning and at night.

For External use:

Squeeze a small amount of the cream onto your finger and apply to the outside of the anus. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with warm soap and water before and after application or use a disposable glove or finger cot.

For Internal use:

If you do not see hemorrhoid relief from external application, some creams are able to be applied inside the anus. It is best to have a bowel movement before attempting to apply hemorrhoid cream this way.

Then, after thoroughly washing your hands, attach the rounded applicator tip to the cream tube. Gently squeeze the tube in order to in order to test the applicator to see how much ointment comes out. You want to aim for an amount that is similar to the length of the tip of your index finger.

What You Should Know About Hemorrhoid Creams Like Preparation H

Home Remedies for Hemorrhoids

Some examples of hemorrhoid home remedies include:

Treatment Of Normal Hemorrhoids

If it appears your hemorrhoids are not going to go away on their own within a few days, there are a number of remedies you can try at home. These include the following:

• Sitz baths. These are a type of soak for the anus and buttocks where these parts of the body are immersed in warm water for 10-30 minutes at a time. This can provide relief to the tissues and help the veins to heal.
• Over-the-counter topical products. There are many hemorrhoid creams and lotions available that can provide pain relief to the affected area as well as aiding in healing.
• Eating more fiber and drinking enough fluids. Not only does eating more fiber and staying hydrated help you avoid constipation and have bowel movements more quickly and avoid straining, but it also helps avoid irritation to current hemorrhoids as well.
• Cold therapy. If the pain or discomfort from hemorrhoids is persistent, try sitting on an ice pack for 15 to 30 minutes. Avoid exposing the affected tissues directly to the ice, however.

If the use of these techniques does not resolve your hemorrhoids after two weeks, speak with your family physician or another healthcare practitioner. They may be able to suggest more invasive treatment options, such as ligation, or banding. Other possible options include stapling and surgical removal.

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Hemorrhoids In Patients Having Anticoagulant Or Antiplatelet Drugs

Anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs may promote anorectal bleeding in patients with hemorrhoids and increase risk of bleeding after banding or surgery. Unless the bleeding is persistent or profound, the discontinuity of antithrombotic drugs may be unnecessary because most of the bleeding episodes are self-limited and stop spontaneously. Conservative measure is therefore the mainstay treatment in these patients. Injection sclerotherapy is a preferential treatment for bleeding low-graded hemorrhoids refractory to medical treatment. Rubber band ligation is not recommended in patients with the current use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs due to the risk of secondary bleeding. If banding or any form of surgery for hemorrhoids is scheduled, the cessation of anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs about 5-7 d before and after the procedure is suggested.

How Do Doctors Treat Hemorrhoids

Doctors treat hemorrhoids with procedures during an office visit or in an outpatient center or a hospital.

Office treatments include the following:

• Rubber band ligation. Rubber band ligation is a procedure that doctors use to treat bleeding or prolapsing internal hemorrhoids. A doctor places a special rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid. The band cuts off the blood supply. The banded part of the hemorrhoid shrivels and falls off, most often within a week. Scar tissue forms in the remaining part of the hemorrhoid, often shrinking the hemorrhoid. Only a doctor should perform this procedureyou should never try this treatment yourself.
• Sclerotherapy. A doctor injects a solution into an internal hemorrhoid, which causes scar tissue to form. The scar tissue cuts off the blood supply, often shrinking the hemorrhoid.
• Infrared photocoagulation. A doctor uses a tool that directs infrared light at an internal hemorrhoid. Heat created by the infrared light causes scar tissue to form, which cuts off the blood supply, often shrinking the hemorrhoid.
• Electrocoagulation. A doctor uses a tool that sends an electric current into an internal hemorrhoid. The electric current causes scar tissue to form, which cuts off the blood supply, often shrinking the hemorrhoid.

Outpatient center or hospital treatments include the following:

Sometimes complications of hemorrhoids also require treatment.

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How Are Thrombosed External Hemorrhoids Treated

If the blood clot has formed within the past 48-72 hours, the doctor may remove it from within the hemorrhoid. This is a simple procedure that may relieve pain. Patients may be under local anesthesia during the procedure. The doctor makes a small incision in the skin and removes the blood clot. Stitches are generally not needed. If more than 72 hours have passed, the doctor may suggest home treatments.

• In the first 24 hours, applying an ice pack to the area can help limit the size of the clotted blood and associated discomfort.
• After 24 hours, gentle warmth may be applied to the area in an attempt to melt the blood clot. This will aid the body in its efforts to disintegrate the clot and resolve the lump.
• Use a stool softener or gentle laxatives such as fiber or Miralax to avoid constipation. Warm baths, ointments, suppositories, and witch hazel compresses may be helpful.
• Over-the-counter topical medications can bring temporary relief from symptoms. These products include creams and ointments.
• The doctor may also prescribe additional steroid foams and suppositories.
• Persistent bleeding or painful hemorrhoids may require banding, ligation, or removal . Surgery to remove hemorrhoids may be done if other treatments don’t work.
• Adding fiber to your meals and drinking more water may help in faster healing.

Crh Oregan System: May Help Reduce Symptoms For External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids are located in an area that contains nerve endings, which means removing them can be an extremely painful process. Because external hemorrhoids are often mistaken for internal hemorrhoids, it is important to see a doctor to receive a proper diagnosis. Nevertheless, it is very rare for someone to have external hemorrhoids without any internal disease. In most cases, many of the symptoms typically associated with external hemorrhoids actually result from internal hemorrhoids. This means treating the internal disease can relieve your symptoms.

While the CRH ORegan System does not treat external hemorrhoids, many patients will see a reduction in external hemorrhoid swelling after undergoing internal banding.

Because external hemorrhoids typically indicate an internal hemorrhoid problem, the CRH ORegan System can painlessly resolve the symptoms of individuals with external hemorrhoids in 90% of cases by banding internal hemorrhoids. This procedure has only a 1% complication rate, involving some pain and bleeding. After addressing the core internal hemorrhoid issue, external hemorrhoid symptoms normally subside.

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What Is The Outlook Of Thrombosed External Hemorrhoids

Thrombosed hemorrhoids may most likely get better after a couple of days and resolve on its own. If it doesn’t seem to be resolving, there are various treatment options to get rid of the discomfort and get back to your life. Although it is a very painful condition, it is not serious and resolves without specific treatment over several days to a week or two. No further special evaluation or treatment is needed. Rarely, if the hemorrhoid is very large, the doctor may remove some of the clot under local anesthesia. Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure that will prevent an individual from ever getting hemorrhoids, but there are several treatments that can manage hemorrhoids.

What Should You Eat After Hemorrhoid Surgery

Your healthcare provider may suggest that you start with clear liquids on the first day after surgery, including broth, juice, clear soda, and popsicles. In the following days, eat foods that add fiber to your diet, including whole grains, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables. Avoid foods that cause constipation, such as dairy, red meats, and processed foods.

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Effective External Hemorrhoid Treatment Options

If at-home treatments arent enough to soothe your recurring symptoms and you are tired of dealing with external hemorrhoids, it might be time to consider a professional treatment option. While usually longer-lasting than other types of treatments, many of these options have their own complications to consider.

Here are three of the most common, but invasive, hemorrhoid treatment options:

How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids: Diagnosis And Treatments

Most individuals who have hemorrhoids discover them by either

• feeling the lump of an external hemorrhoid when they wipe themselves after a bowel movement,
• noting drops of blood in the toilet bowl or on the toilet paper, or
• feeling a prolapsing hemorrhoid after bowel movements.

With a history of symptoms, a physician can begin diagnosis on the basis of a careful examination of the anus and anal area. Although the physician should try his or her best to identify the hemorrhoids, it is perhaps more important to exclude other causes of hemorrhoid-like symptoms that require different treatment such as

• anal fissures,

This is true whether or not hemorrhoids are found during anoscopy.

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It Can Vary From Person To Person

As stated above, how long a hemorrhoid will last depends on the person. But if your hemorrhoids are causing noticeable discomfort, chances are they wont fully go away without a doctor-administered treatment like the CRH ORegan System. Contact a physician in your area for more information about lasting hemorrhoids and treatment options.

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Symptoms Of Prolapsed Internal Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids prolapse when their blood vessels swell and extend from their location in the rectum through the anus. In the anal canal, the hemorrhoid is exposed to the trauma of passing stool, particularly hard stools associated with constipation. The trauma can cause bleeding and sometimes pain when stool passes.

The presence of

• inflammation, and
• constant moisture

can lead to anal itchiness , and occasionally the constant feeling of needing to have a bowel movement. The prolapsing hemorrhoid usually returns into the anal canal or rectum on its own or can be pushed back inside with a finger, but falls out again with the next bowel movement.

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Hemorrhoid Medication: When Why And Which Ones To Use

A number of OTC creams, ointments, and pads that contain hydrocortisone or witch hazel are available to help relieve pain, swelling, and itching caused by hemorrhoids. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, doctors recommend using over-the-counter products for a week. If symptoms persist beyond a week, follow up with your doctor.

Creams and suppositories containing hydrocortisone can cause the skin to weaken and thin, so they should not be used for more than a week. If any of these creams cause a rash or dry skin around the area, contact your healthcare provider.

A fiber supplement, such as Metamucil , or a stool softener, such as Citrucel , can help prevent constipation.

Avoid laxatives, which can lead to diarrhea and worsen hemorrhoid symptoms.

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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