Internal Hemorrhoids Vs External Hemorrhoids
Before we get to treatments for immediate and near-term hemorrhoid pain, lets learn a bit about what hemorrhoids are and why they become a problem.
Everyone has hemorrhoids they are a normal part of human anatomy. Not everybody has symptomatic or problem hemorrhoids, which cause pain, itching or burning. Internal hemorrhoids are on the inside of your anal cavity and external hemorrhoids are on the surface of your skin. Both are simply blood vessels.
Most of the time internal and external hemorrhoids are not symptomatic. Research shows that about 50 percent of people will have symptomatic internal or external hemorrhoids at some point in their life.
Hemorrhoids sometimes get irritated through your diet. Consuming too much of a spicy food, for example, not enough fiber or dehydration. They can also get irritated by stress, which causes gastrointestinal problems and irregular bowel movements. Not getting enough exercise, doing exercises that put too much pressure on your backside or sitting too long can also be causes, along with obesity.
In short, there are many ways for hemorrhoids to become inflamed, and its important that you speak with your doctor if you notice that your hemorrhoids are becoming a regular problem for you. With your doctor and this guide, you should be able to prevent further development of symptomatic internal and/or external hemorrhoids.
Now that we have some background knowledge, we can learn how to poop with a hemorrhoid.
What Should I Eat If I Have Hemorrhoids Diet
Individuals with hemorrhoids should soften their stools by increasing the fiber in their diets.
Fiber is found in numerous foods, including
- fresh and dried fruits,
- whole grains, and
- cereals.
In general, 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day is recommended, whereas the average American diet contains less than 15 grams of fiber. Fiber supplements, like psyllium, methylcellulose, and calcium polycarbophil, also may be used to increase the intake of fiber.
Stool softeners and increased drinking of liquids also may be recommended, as well as bulk-forming laxatives. Nevertheless, the benefits of fiber, liquids, and stool softeners have not been well-tested with respect to hemorrhoidal control in scientific studies.
What Role Does Hygiene Play
Stool that is left behind after wiping can aggravate enlarged hemorrhoids even more. So its important to carefully cleanse the anus after going to the toilet, for example by wetting toilet paper with water first, and drying the anus afterwards. This can help avoid wiping yourself too roughly and making the symptoms worse.
Exaggerated hygiene can make symptoms worse too, though. Many people use things like liquid soaps and alcohol-based or perfumed wipes. But these often contain substances that can irritate the skin and lead to allergic reactions.
Also Check: Who Do You See About Hemorrhoids
How To Ease Pain When Using The Restroom With Hemorrhoids
by Doctor Cutler | Mar 12, 2021 | Hemorrhoids |
Being afraid of a painful trip to the toilet is no fun. A squeaky wheel, however, gets the grease, and because about half of all people will deal with itchy or burning hemorrhoids at some point in their life, theres actually a lot of research that has been done to treat problematic hemorrhoids. Now, you get to benefit from that!
So, if you have questions about how to poop with a hemorrhoid, know that they have been asked many times before. As a proctologist, Ive spent more than 30 years answering these and other burning questions from my patients.
The tips in this post should guide you to immediate relief and ideally towards painless trips to the toilet in the future.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Hemorrhoids
Usually, bleeding when having a bowel movement or frequent anal itching are the first signs of enlarged hemorrhoids. However, some hemorrhoid symptoms can be very uncomfortable depending on their severity.
According to Dr. Scott C. Thornton, Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, hemorrhoids can cause a number of symptoms. Some of these are:3
- Drops of blood in the toilet water or on paper after wiping
- A visible lump of soft tissue at the anal opening that is pink or blue
- An urgent urge to scratch the anus
- Pain when having a bowel movement
- Extreme pain caused by prolapsed hemorrhoids that may last for 3 or 4 days
Dr. Thornton explains that the severity of hemorrhoids is graded by their symptoms. These are as follows:3
- Grade 1 hemorrhoids. Some bleeding with a bowel movement and the swollen rectal veins are generally unseen.
- Grade 2 hemorrhoids. The hemorrhoids may protrude when straining to pass stool. The enlarged hemorrhoid will disappear when you cease straining.
- Grade 3 hemorrhoids. Larger hemorrhoids that pop out of the anus while straining during a bowel movement. The hemorrhoid lump will need to be pushed back in.
- Grade 4 hemorrhoids. Prolapsed hemorrhoid where the large lumps stay on the outside of the anus. May require surgery or other procedure to get rid of hemorrhoids permanently.
Read Also: What To Do When Your Hemorrhoids Are Bleeding
Can Running Cause A Hemorrhoid To Bleed
If you have external hemorrhoids, running will most likely not cause them to bleed.
If your hemorrhoids have formed a blood clot and burst during a run, then will you see bleeding.
If you have internal hemorrhoids, running will likely help promote a healthier bowel movement.
However, you might see some anal bleeding after elimination.
Exercise, while beneficial in the prevention of hemorrhoids, tends to worsen some symptoms.
If you correctly lubricate your hemorrhoids with creams or ointments such as Preparation H or other over the counter medications designed to relieve symptoms of hemorrhoids, then you can lessen the amount of chaffing during a run.
Strain Less And Reduce Time On The Toilet
Straining on the toilet puts extra pressure on your hemorrhoids. Because hemorrhoids are protruded blood vessels, more pressure causes them to swell up and become primed for tears or irritation as a stool passes over them. Try a step stool to elevate your feet while sitting on the toilet this change in position of the rectum helps for easier passage of stools.
Likewise, its easy to become distracted by a book or your phone while in the bathroom, but you may actually be causing problems by sitting on the toilet for a long time. As you sit, blood pools into the veins in your anorectal area, causing further stretching of protruded blood vessels, or hemorrhoids. If the blood vessel gets too big, it could break and cause bleeding.
That said, dont delay bowel movements out of fear of straining or extended time on the toilet. Go to the bathroom when you feel the need, because delaying causes further harmful straining.
Also Check: How Do You Remove Hemorrhoids
What Are Hemorrhoids Exactly
Hemorrhoids are caused by the swelling or displacement of tissue located in the anus and rectum. Although they can be painful and uncomfortable, hemorrhoids are usually not serious.
Internal hemorrhoids are located inside the rectum. They generally do not cause pain since this area does not have sensory nerves.
External hemorrhoids are located under the skin, very close to the anal aperture. They can swell, itch and be very painful, especially during a bowel movement. When hemorrhoids are external and cannot be pushed back inside, a medical consultation is necessary.
Mixed hemorrhoids are a combination of internal and external hemorrhoids.
Apply Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has many uses in keeping your skin healthy, and helping skin fissures heal quickly is just one of them.
Although there is no scientific research on using apple cider vinegar for hemorrhoids, there is evidence that it helps reduce inflammation and kills bacteria. Research published in journal Medscape General Medicine found that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar kills off various strains of bacteria.8
To use apple cider vinegar to get rid of hemorrhoid, dilute equal parts of raw apple cider vinegar with water. Soak the mixture in a cotton ball and apply to your anal area for quick relief from the discomfort caused by hemorrhoids. Use the apple cider vinegar hemorrhoid remedy every time after you use the bathroom.
You May Like: What Kind Of Doctor To See For Hemorrhoids
Cold Compress To Reduce Hemorrhoid Pain Fast
Doctors from the Mayo Clinic recommend placing a cold compress on your anus to help get rid of hemorrhoid pain fast. The cold pack reduces swelling and restricts blood flow to the area and can help to shrink hemorrhoids. This helps to stop itching almost instantly and provide quick hemorrhoid pain relief.15
To find out how to make a cold compress to relieve hemorrhoid pain, please see my article on when to use cold compress for pain.
How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed
You likely already know if you have a hemorrhoid. Its often possible to diagnose hemorrhoids just by looking. But if you have internal hemorrhoids, a doctor can perform a quick exam to confirm it. He or she will use a gloved, lubricated finger to feel in and around your rectum. Your doctor may also order a sigmoidoscopy. During a sigmoidoscopy, he or she will insert a small camera to look into your rectum. They also may perform an anoscopy. A small instrument called an anoscope is inserted a few inches into the anus to examine the anal canal.
Its important to see your doctor if you notice bleeding from your rectum. You need to make sure the cause is hemorrhoids and not some other problem. Bleeding from your rectum or anus or bloody stools may be a sign of something more serious such as cancer.
Don’t Miss: What Helps With Hemorrhoids After Delivery
Treating Bleeding Hemorrhoids At Home
Hemorrhoids Treatment: Rubber Band Ligation
The principle of rubber band ligation is to encircle the base of the hemorrhoidal clump with a tight rubber band. The tissue cut off by the rubber band dies, and is replaced by an ulcer that heals with scarring.
A similar procedure was described in 460 BC by the Greek physician Hippocrates:
And hemorrhoids you may treat by transfixing them with a needle and tying them with very thick and woolen thread, for application, and do not foment until they drop off, and always leave one behind and when the patient recovers, let him be put on a course of Hellebore.
Rubber band ligation can be used with first-, second-, and third-degree hemorrhoids, and may be more effective than sclerotherapy. Symptoms frequently recur several years later, but usually can be treated with further ligation.
The most common complication of ligation is pain. However, bleeding one or two weeks after ligation or bacterial infection in the tissues surrounding the hemorrhoids may occur.
You May Like: How Long Do Hemorrhoids Take To Heal
How To Make Hemorrhoids Stop Hurting
No one likes the feeling of having a lump popping out of his or her anus. The extreme pain, bleeding, and itching that caused by hemorrhoid distress is going to be the start of a horrible nightmare.
This is often a disorder that most sufferers would not like to consult with doctors as it is going to be awkward having to bare their anus right in front of doctors.
Fortunately aside from doctors, there are natural WAYS that can help to ease off the discomfort caused by hemorrhoid in anus spot.
Understanding And Examining Hemorrhoids
Recommended Reading: How To Use Tucks Pads For Hemorrhoids
How Do Doctors Treat Hemorrhoids
Doctors can treat hemorrhoids by prescribing medications or by performing minor surgery to major surgery. Here are several treatment options:
These usually contain an emollient . In addition, there may be an anesthetic and/or steroid . Prescription strength medications often work better than their over-the-counter cousins. But sometimes not so much.
An oral tablet called Vasculera comes with some prescription treatment kits and also helps reduce the size of hemorrhoids.
In this common treatment, the doctor applies miniature rubber bands to the internal hemorrhoids. This causes them to shrink up, stop bleeding and pull back inside. There are several different techniques for performing the procedure.
In one form, single bands are applied once a week for several weeks. This is done as an outpatient in the doctors office. Multiple bands can also be placed right after a colonoscopy or other endoscopic procedure while you are still sedated. This would be done in an outpatient surgery center or hospital procedure room. Bands can also be placed without another procedure.
Depending on the doctor and your individual situation, it could be with or without sedation. While rubber band ligation works for most patients, it doesnt work all the time. Also, there are some potential complications bleeding, pain and infection. Recovery can range from a day or 2 to 6 weeks.
The advantages include:
Do Hemorrhoids Bleed Bright Red Blood
Yes, hemorrhoids are known to bleed bright red blood. One type of hemorrhoids called internal hemorrhoids is the leading cause of bleeding.
The cluster of veins and blood vessels inside of your lower rectum become inflamed, and occasionally, a hard stool will scrape the surface of the lining in this area.
This tear of the tissue is the primary cause of the bright red blood you see after a bowel movement.
The bright red blood covers the stool either entirely or partially, drips from the rectum after a bowel movement, or you will see blood on the toilet paper while wiping.
This bleeding is often painless and the only indication that you have internal hemorrhoids.
Don’t Miss: How To Heal Bleeding Hemorrhoids Fast
Peppermint Oil To Soothe Hemorrhoid Pain
Peppermint oil has a high menthol content that produces a cooling and refreshing sensation when applied to the hemorrhoids.
The European Journal of Dentistry reported that peppermint essential oil can have a cooling effect on hemorrhoids.11
You can use a blend of peppermint oil and coconut oil to help get rid of hemorrhoid pain fast.
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.
Recommended Reading: What To Do For Bloody Hemorrhoids