How To Clear Up Bleeding Hemorrhoids

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This article is not medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911.

Home Remedies For External Piles

External piles or hemorrhoids can have a sever effect on your daily life. This include symptoms such as severe pain while passing stool, bleeding during bowel movements, itching and pain in your anal region. External hemorrhoids can also cause an uncomfortable feeling every time you visit the toilet. Most people will get embarrassed to share the problem and ask for help.

You should not be embarrassed. Hemorrhoids are so common that three out of four adults are at the risk of developing the condition. Unlike internal hemorrhoids which may at times go unnoticed, external hemorrhoids, external hemorrhoids are easily recognized, by symptoms such as itching, bleeding around the anal area, pain and discomfort. External piles can also cause the formation of an extremely painful clot that can need to be lanced or drained.

Most cases of hemorrhoids can be handled at home with simple home remedies. Below are some of the home remedy you might use to relieve the symptoms and get rid of external piles.

Diagnosis For Bleeding Hemorrhoids

A licensed healthcare professional can help diagnose bleeding hemorrhoids. To get the diagnosis, your doctor may have you undergo a physical examination and:

• Rectal examination, where a doctor uses a gloved finger to check inside your rectum.
• Anoscopy, where a doctor inserts a lighted scope into your rectum to examine the anal canal.
• Colonoscopy, where a doctor places a long flexible tube with a tiny camera into your rectum to examine the entire colon.

There are two types of hemorrhoids:

• Internal hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids hidden inside the rectum are called internal hemorrhoids. These are usually painless but can cause bleeding when you use the bathroom.
• External hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that you can see or feel are called external hemorrhoids. These are usually more painful because the skin becomes irritated and eroded.

A health care provider will help you determine what kind of hemorrhoids you have and discuss the best treatment options.

• Fibersupplements to help soften your stool
• Laxatives to help you make healthy stools
• Sitz bath to improve blood flow and relax the muscle around the anus

Over-the-counter creams and rectal suppositories may be another option to treat a bleeding hemorrhoid. These can help relieve pain, itching, and inflammation temporarily:

Minimally invasive treatments

In other cases, your doctor might recommend sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is when a doctor injects a chemical solution into a hemorrhoid, causing it to break down and scar.

Surgery

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What The Experts Say

Most people come to doctors after seeing blood in the toilet. Dont try to treat it. If you have this bleeding going on you should see your doctor to make sure its not something more serious. When I hear about a patient with rectal bleeding, I wonder about what it could be. Especially as were seeing younger and younger people diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer.Henry Govekar M.D., a Colon and Rectal Surgeon at Rush University Medical Group

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What Can You Do For Relief

If you have hemorrhoids, lifestyle changes may help them heal faster. One cause of hemorrhoids is straining during bowel movements. Adding more high-fiber foods to your diet, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, can help soften your stool and make it easier to pass.

You should also drink plenty of water to help relieve constipation and reduce straining during bowel movements.

Here are some additional things that may help relieve symptoms:

• Minimize the time you sit on the toilet.
• When you feel the urge to move your bowels, go as soon as possible.
• Put your feet on a small stool during bowel movements to change the position of your rectum.
• If youre pregnant, sleep on your side. This will help relieve some of the pressure around your anus.
• Ask your doctor about taking a stool softener or a fiber supplement, such as psyllium or methylcellulose . A tablespoon of mineral oil added to food can also help soften stools.
• Keep the anal area clean. Take regular showers, and use moist wipes to clean the area around your anus after you pass a bowel movement.
• Use a sitz bath or sit in a warm tub for a few minutes to bathe the anal area.

You may also try using over-the-counter topical medications to ease discomfort, such as phenylephrine hemorrhoidal gel . These products are used if the hemorrhoids are bulging and inflamed.

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Consider Having A Clot Removed

External hemorrhoids can result in extremely painful blood clots, and while theyre not dangerous, they can take a couple of weeks to resolve on their own. If yours scores high on your personal pain scale, a doctor can remove a thrombosed hemorrhoid with a relatively simple in-office procedure under local anesthetic in about 10 minutes. Keep in mind: The first 24 to 48 hours are typically the most painfuland the best time to have a clot removed, says Dr. Ky.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• Why do I have hemorrhoids?
• Are there any lifestyle changes I can do that can relieve or prevent hemorrhoids?
• I saw blood on toilet paper. Is this serious?
• Are having hemorrhoids a sign of another health condition?
• Will I always have hemorrhoids?
• Is there medicine I can take for hemorrhoids? Are there side effects?

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When To See A Doctor

Its best to contact a doctor if youre noticing blood. While it could be due to a hemorrhoid, it could also be a sign of something more serious, such as colorectal cancer.

A doctor will likely start by confirming that hemorrhoids are the source of the blood youve noticed. To do this, theyll either examine the area for external hemorrhoids or insert a gloved finger to check for internal hemorrhoids.

If its still not clear where the bloods coming from, they may recommend a colonoscopy, which involves inserting a small, lighted camera into your colon while you are sedated. This will help them check for any signs of other conditions that could be causing the bleeding.

Make sure to tell them if you have any of the following symptoms in addition to bleeding:

• changes in stool consistency or color
• dizziness

You can book an appointment with a primary care doctor in your area using our Healthline FindCare tool.

However, while primary care doctors can usually provide treatment for hemorrhoids, you may need to visit a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon if you have severe hemorrhoids or experience any complications.

Gastroenterologists specialize in the treatment of conditions that affect the digestive tract, including hemorrhoids. They can perform colonoscopies and other procedures, such as rubber band ligation.

Severe Hemorrhoids Vs Mild Hemorrhoids: Stages

Many physicians use a grading system to categorize hemorrhoids along four stages:

• First-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that bleed, but do not prolapse. These are slightly enlarged hemorrhoids, but they do not protrude outside the anus.
• Second-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and retract on their own . These may come out of the anus during certain activities like passing stool, and then return back inside the body.
• Third-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and must be pushed back in by a finger.
• Fourth-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and cannot be pushed back in the anal canal. Fourth-degree hemorrhoids also include hemorrhoids that are thrombosed or that pull much of the lining of the rectum through the anus.

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What Are Common Side Effects Of Hemorrhoid Medicine

Hemorrhoid medications are generally considered safe drugs, however, as with all medications, there is the potential for side effects. If you decide to use a treatment that contains steroids, it is not advised to continue its use for more than one week as it can lead to skin damage.

Here are some side effects to look out for when using hemorrhoid medications, including creams and gels:

• Skin irritation at the site of application
• Rectal bleeding
• Severe irritation inside or around the rectum
• Allergic reaction, including rash, hives, or swelling of the lips
• Increased blood pressure
• Headache, dizziness, and nausea

Although side effects with these medications are rare, and this is not a comprehensive list, please speak to your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any signs of a negative reaction.

When To Seek Medical Care For Hemorrhoids

When to call the doctor

• Bleeding from the rectum or anus is never normal and although hemorrhoids are the most common reason to have blood in the stool, it should be discussed with your primary health-care professional. Other causes of rectal bleeding exist and can be serious. Inflammatory bowel disease and cancers of the colon can present with rectal bleeding. Blood in the stool should never be ignored.
• Medical care should be sought urgently if a person is taking anticoagulation medications such as warfarin , dabigatran , rivaroxiban , apixaban , clopidogrel , prasugrel or enoxaparin .
• Individuals who have associated symptoms such as lightheadedness and weakness may have significant blood loss and may require more urgent care.
• Hemorrhoids do not cause abdominal pain should this pain be present with bleeding, medical care should be sought immediately.
• Prolapsed hemorrhoids that cannot be pushed back through the anus require medical care.
• Thrombosed external hemorrhoids may cause significant pain and medical care may be necessary to remove the clot.

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When Is A Sitz Bath Used

A sitz bath doesnt require a doctors prescription. Some people use sitz baths regularly as a way to cleanse the perineum. In addition to its use in cleansing, the sitz baths warm water increases blood flow to the perineal area. This can promote faster healing. A sitz bath also relieves:

• having discomfort with bowel movements

Both children and adults can use sitz baths. Parents should always supervise their children during a sitz bath.

Doctors sometimes prescribe medications or other additives to put in a sitz bath. An example is povidone-iodine, which has antibacterial properties. Adding table salt, vinegar, or baking soda to the water can also create a soothing solution. But you may take a sitz bath using only warm water.

Who Removes Hemorrhoids Treatment

Treating enlarged hemorrhoids is important, because they tend to get worse over time. Hemorrhoids are treated with a variety of measures including diet, over-the-counter medicine like

• anti-inflammatory pain killers,

and various treatment options are available, like

• sclerotherapy,
• surgery.

Who Removes Hemorrhoids?

Most hemorrhoid complaints begin with a trip to a family doctor. Your doctor will then refer you to a specialist: either a gastroenterologist or a proctologist . Proctologists specialize in surgical treatments, while gastroenterologists are experts in digestive diseases.

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How Are Haemorrhoids Treated

Mild symptoms may go away after a few days without any special treatment. In most cases your doctor will recommend measures to relieve constipation if you have it.

If your haemorrhoids are causing you pain or discomfort, ask your doctor or chemist about medicated creams or ointments that may ease your symptoms.

When Hemorrhoid Surgery May Be Necessary

Very few people fewer than 10 percent of all adults who see a doctor because of symptomatic hemorrhoids will require a surgical operation.

Surgery to remove hemorrhoids is called a hemorrhoidectomy.

Your doctor may recommend a hemorrhoidectomy if:

• You have large external hemorrhoids
• You have both internal and external hemorrhoids
• An internal hemorrhoid has prolapsed

In a hemorrhoidectomy, the doctor makes a small incision to remove the hemorrhoid and surrounding tissue before closing the wound with stitches.

A hemorrhoidectomy is performed in an operating room and can be done under general anesthesia, in which you are unconscious and unable to feel pain.

It can also be done with a spinal anesthetic block while you are awake , or with a combination of relaxing and sedating drugs given intravenously and a local anesthetic injected around the anus.

Hemorrhoidectomy is associated with postoperative pain, but the procedure is successful for 95 percent of cases.

More recently, another option aimed at avoiding the postoperative pain of a hemorrhoidectomy has become available, called a stapled hemorrhoidopexy. A circular stapling device pulls the hemorrhoidal tissue upward and to its normal position, stapling it in place. The staples eventually fall out over time.

There are many options for the treatment of hemorrhoids. Its best to discuss the benefits and risks of each of these with your doctor in order to come up with the treatment plan that is best for your particular case.

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Classification Of Internal Hemorrhoids:

• Grade 1 – A hemorrhoid is present but only visualized by a doctor with ansocopy or colonoscopy. The hemorrhoid does not extend out the anus.
• Grade 2 – The hemorrhoid extends out of the anus with a bowel movement or with straining. After your BM, the hemorrhoid goes back inside on its own.
• Grade 3 – The hemorrhoid extends out of the anus with a bowel movement or with straining. You have to manually push the hemorrhoid back inside the anus. If you have this, you should seek medical attention, but it is not urgent.
• Grade 4 – A hemorrhoid extends outside the anus and are not able to be manually pushed back inside. If you have this seek medical attention immediately. There are significant potential complications.

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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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.

Possible Complications And Side Effects

If you have a bleeding hemorrhoid, you might consider it a small problem, but it can still be a very painful experience. Seeing blood after we use the bathroom can be scary, but youre not alone.

There are a lot of different ways to treat a bleeding hemorrhoid and in some cases, its best to seek medical attention sooner rather than later if:

• Youre experiencing rectal bleeding or see blood on your toilet paper
• You have pain in and around your anus
• Youve tried over the counter treatments for a week with no change in symptoms
• Your bowel movements look maroon or tarry in color

If your doctor recommends surgery to treat a bleeding hemorrhoid, there are some possible complications to be aware of like :

• Bleeding
• Injury to the anus
• Narrowing of the anus

Other treatments and medications may have different side effects. Consult your healthcare provider about possible complications of any medications you might take for a bleeding hemorrhoid.

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Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar

Aside from making a delicious salad dressing or adding some zest to a recipe, apple cider vinegar can have some health benefits. Its worth noting that much of the evidence about the advantages of ACV is anecdotal and that research is lacking.

Adding more ACV to your diet may provide the following perks.

• Can help kill harmful bacteria: ACV has an acidity of around 5 or 6%, which means that its acidic enough to kill bacteria. Vinegar is so acidic and antibacterial that its a natural cleaning agent. While you may not want to swap out a prescription antibiotic for ACV the next time you have an infection, it can be comforting to know that a bottle of ACV in the pantry can help protect you against germs.
• Can help you manage your weight: While ACV might not be the magic bullet to weight loss, some studies have suggested that adding it to your diet can help you reach your goals. One possible explanation is that vinegar can make you feel full, so you end up eating less than you usually would.
• Can help lower blood sugar: ACV may help keep blood sugar levels in check, whether you have diabetes or not. While it isnt a substitute for managing diabetes or reducing the amount of sugar or refined carbohydrates in your diet, it can be a tool to help control your blood sugar levels.