How To Get Rid Of Outer Hemorrhoids

Reasons Why Your Hemorrhoids Swell

For one, your hemorrhoids are essentially swollen veinsin the lower rectal area or underneath the skin around the anus .

Having swollen internal hemorrhoids could mean the control of your anal sphincter becomes disrupted and sometimes lost, producing some, but probably not much, anal leakage of stools and fluids.

Symptoms Of Thrombosed External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids can be felt as bulges at the anus, but they usually cause few of the symptoms that are typical of internal hemorrhoids.

External hemorrhoids can cause problems, however, when blood clots inside them. This is referred to as thrombosis. Thrombosis of such a hemorrhoid causes an anal lump that is

• very painful,
• tender, and
• often requires medical attention.

The thrombosed hemorrhoid may heal with scarring, and leave a tag of skin protruding in the anus. Occasionally, the tag is large, which can make anal hygiene difficult or irritate the anus. Even after such a hemorrhoid goes away, a residual skin tag may remain, and this may need to be surgically removed.

For Seriously Bad Hemorrhoids Talk To Your Doctor About Surgical Options

If youve tried home remedies and in-office procedures but your hemorrhoids are still making you miserable, it might be time to ask your doctor about surgery. Recovery from the surgical removal of hemorrhoids can be extremely painful, notes Dr. Bernstein, but its one of the most effective ways to get rid of hemorrhoids for good.

Another surgical option is having your hemorrhoids stapled into place. This is a less painful procedure compared to a hemorrhoidectomy, but it does come with a greater risk of relapse and is not recommended if you have anal sex, as staples can cause injury, notes Dr. Ky.

Hemorrhoids can be a massive pain, but thankfully, symptoms typically go away within a week. If you still have symptoms of hemorrhoids after a week of self-care measures or youre experiencing severe pain or bleeding, seek medical attention immediately, says Dr. Thomas.

Its important to note that sometimes what might seem like symptoms of hemorrhoids could indicate something more serious. Less commonly, rectal bleeding can also be a sign of diseases such as colorectal cancer or anal cancer. Make sure to get checked out if you notice large amounts of bleeding or other changes in your bowel habits like a different stool color or consistency.

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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.

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.

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Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation And Recto Anal Repair

Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation and Recto Anal Repair is a new procedure in which a miniature Doppler sensor is inserted in the anus to detect the arteries supplying blood to hemorrhoids. The surgeon can pinpoint the arteries supplying the hemorrhoids and can tie them off to cut the blood supply. The hemorrhoids are reduced almost immediately and within weeks, are no longer noticeable. The procedure is effective and virtually painless, but it is not simple.

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Can Hemorrhoids Be Prevented

You can help prevent hemorrhoids by:

• Eating foods that are high in fiber
• Taking a stool softener or a fiber supplement
• Drinking enough fluids every day
• Not straining during bowel movements
• Not sitting on the toilet for long periods of time

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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Getting Rid Of Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids By The Numbers

• Around 20 million people in the United States suffer from hemorrhoids .
• In 2004, the National Institutes of Health noted that the diagnosis of hemorrhoids was associated with 3.2 million ambulatory care visits, 306,000 hospitalizations and 2 million prescriptions in the United States.
• The peak incidence of hemorrhoids is between the ages of 4565. Development of hemorrhoids before the age of 20 is unusual.
• The risk of developing hemorrhoids is higher in white adults than in black adults, higher in women than in men and higher for women who are pregnant.

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How Do Foods Influence Hemorrhoids Diet

Diet is believed to have a big impact in causingand preventinghemorrhoids. People who consistently eat a high-fiber diet are less likely to get hemorrhoids, while those people who prefer a diet high in processed foods face a higher hemorrhoid risk.

A low-fiber diet can leave you constipated, which can contribute to hemorrhoids in two way. For one, it promotes straining on the toilet. It also aggravates the hemorrhoids by producing hard stools that further irritate the swollen veins.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of An Internal Or Prolapsed Hemorrhoid

Most often, internal hemorrhoids have no symptoms but are only found if there is bleeding with a bowel movement or if the hemorrhoid prolapses so that it can be felt outside of the anus. This may lead to itching and pain as well as the bleeding.

Prolapse of an internal hemorrhoid occurs when the internal hemorrhoids swell and extend from their location in the rectum through the anus. A prolapsed internal hemorrhoid:

• Can be felt as a lump outside the anus
• Can be gently pushed back through the anus, this may resolve the location of the hemorrhoid, but does not fix the hemorrhoid itself
• May enlarge and swell even more if it cannot be pushed back
• May become entrapped, which requires more urgent medical attention

Hemorrhoids may also cause anal itching , and a constant feeling of needing to have a bowel movement .

Internal hemorrhoid severity can be graded:

• Grade I: Prominent blood vessels with no prolapse
• Grade II: Prolapse with bearing down but with spontaneous reduction
• Grade III: Prolapse with bearing down but requiring manual reduction
• Grade IV: Prolapse with inability to manual reduction

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Treatment For External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids treatment often addresses hygiene issues. Usually, excess skin tags are the main problem when it comes to cleaning the anus after a bowel movement. When this becomes a significant issue, surgery becomes the most idyllic method to get rid of external hemorrhoids.

Usually, a thrombosed external hemorrhoid is extremely painful, and they are associated with a hard lump that is available within the anus area, and they cannot be pushed inside. Often this clot around the hemorrhoid will be removed using a small incision.

Once a local anesthetic is installed under the hemorrhoids skin, your doctor will use a scalpel to cut the skin and get rid of the clot. You will experience instant relief of pain however, a small ache might continue for a short while.

You might experience mild bleeding as a result of the hemorrhoids for a few days. Using over-the-counter medication as well as a sitz bath will be best for you. You might as well consider using air rubber or rubber donut to manage the pain as well as prevent constipation. As previously mentioned, thrombosed external hemorrhoids are best to be removed acutely by a doctor in an outpatient department or your doctors office.

Final Thoughts On How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids

• Hemorrhoids are a very common anorectal condition that affects millions of people around the world.
• Enlarged hemorrhoids are often associated with symptoms such as itching, mucus discharge or bleeding. Bleeding happens when hard stool damages the thin walls of the blood vessels in hemorrhoids.
• Avoidance of constipation is key when trying to get rid of hemorrhoids. Its important that you dont strain while using the bathroom, dont sit for an excessive period of time and clean yourself thoroughly when finished.
• Foods and herbal supplements that help relieve constipation can alleviate the symptoms of hemorrhoids. A high-fiber diet and drinking plenty of fluids are the most helpful dietary changes that you can make when it comes to how to get rid of hemorrhoids.
• If non-medical treatments dont work, there are relatively painless procedures that can be done to treat hemorrhoids. For extreme cases, an outpatient surgery called a hemorrhoidectomy may be required.

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Apply Witch Hazel On The Hemorrhoids

One of the best ways to get rid of hemorrhoids fast is to apply witch hazel because of its astringent properties.

The book Herbal Medicine says that witch hazel contains high levels of tannins. These astringent compounds help to relieve hemorrhoid symptoms such as itching, irritation, and also soothe inflammation around the anus.4 Witch hazel is used topically to help reduce the size of hemorrhoids and alleviate the discomfort they cause.14

You can apply pure witch hazel to the hemorrhoid using a cotton ball to reduce pain and inflammation. Even if you have large hemorrhoids, witch hazel can help to soothe hemorrhoid pain faster.

Sitz Bath Can Completely Heal Hemorrhoids

A very simple solution to soothe enlarged hemorrhoids is to use a sitz bath. The journal Women and Birth in 2018 reported that regularly using a sitz bath can heal hemorrhoids. Researchers used 2 groups of women who both took lubrication suppositories before pooping and also a daily fiber supplement. One group used an anorectal cream for hemorrhoids and the other, a sitz bath 3 times a day.16

The result was that the sitz bath group was almost as effective in curing hemorrhoids as the group using anorectal cream.

To make your own sitz bath, fill a bath with water until it reaches your genitals when sitting down. Mix in 20g of salt and sit in the bath for 10 to 15 minutes 3 times a day to treat your hemorrhoids without surgery.

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When Should I See My Doctor

Hemorrhoids are typically easy to treat and clear up on their own. In very rare cases, a hemorrhoid can cause complications.

Chronic blood loss from a hemorrhoid can cause anemia, a shortage of red blood cells. Internal hemorrhoids can also have their blood supply cut off, resulting in strangulated hemorrhoids that can cause extreme pain.

See a doctor if home treatments havent been effective after more than 2 weeks. Your primary care physician can diagnose and treat hemorrhoids. They can write prescriptions for medicated creams, ointments, and suppositories.

If these treatments dont work, a doctor may recommend treatments like rubber band ligation or surgery to remove the hemorrhoids.

Make an appointment to see a doctor right away if you notice rectal bleeding for the first time or if your rectal bleeding increases.

What Causes Hemorrhoids

Traditionally, hemorrhoids are associated with chronic constipation, straining during bowel movements, and prolonged sitting on the toilet all of which interfere with blood flow to and from the area, causing it to pool and enlarge the vessels. This also explains why hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy, when the enlarging uterus presses on the veins.

More recent studies show that patients with hemorrhoids tend to have a higher resting anal canal tone that is, the smooth muscle of the anal canal tends to be tighter than average . Constipation adds to these troubles, because straining during a bowel movement increases pressure in the anal canal and pushes the hemorrhoids against the sphincter muscle. Finally, the connective tissues that support and hold hemorrhoids in place can weaken with age, causing hemorrhoids to bulge and prolapse.

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Causes And Risk Factors

The underlying cause of hemorrhoids that form in the anus or rectum is still a matter of debate. One theory is that it is due to the breakdown of the supporting tissues in the anal canal.

When hemorrhoids are untreated, last for a long time, or are under more physical pressure, they can become prolapsed and protrude out of the anus or rectum.

There are several risk factors for prolapsed hemorrhoids, including:

• Advanced age
• Overuse of anti-diarrhea medications
• Pregnancy

Sometimes, placing something in the anus, such as during sexual activity, or for medical treatment, can also cause pressure, resulting in a prolapsed hemorrhoid.

How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed

Diagnosis of hemorrhoids is usually made by history and physical examination by the health-care professional. Inspection of the anus and a digital rectal examination are often performed. Depending upon the situation, past medical history, medications and stability of the patient, treatment may follow with no further testing.

• Internal hemorrhoids may not be diagnosed by physical exam they may not be able to be felt, even by digital rectal exam.
• Prolapsed internal and external hemorrhoids may be visualized when the health-care professional examines the anus.
• A thrombosed external hemorrhoid can be diagnosed just by looking at it.

If there is concern that significant bleeding has occurred, a complete blood count to measure blood hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and platelet count is obtained. If the patient is on warfarin , a prothrombin time or INR may be done to measure the blood clotting levels.

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There are several natural home remedies, for example warm Sitz baths, dietary changes, stool softeners, and exercise, to treat hemorrhoids. OTC or prescription medicine or surgery may be required to repair the hemorrhoids, for example, rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, laser therapy, hemorrhoidectomy, and stapled hemorrhoidectomy.

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Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute Is Centered Around Treating Diseases Of The Colon Rectum And Anus

Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute has been in practice since 1990 as a free standing, private practice located in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. We are known for our efficiency and patient care, in a more relaxed office-based setting. Our doctors are known regionally for their expertise and are active in teaching surgical residents and other physicians. We are also a major sponsor of The Rumpshaker 5K, a race that promotes awareness about colorectal cancer. Check out our website for more information, or give us a call to make an appointment at 458-5000, or email us at .

Consume More Fiber To Prevent Constipation And Straining

Its important to consume enough fiber to help get rid of hemorrhoids faster. Fiber helps relieve and prevent constipation which is a known cause of piles.

Research published in The Permanente Journal on treating hemorrhoids without surgery found that eating more fiber is essential. Scientists recommend to consume 30-35 grams of fiber a day to help treat hemorrhoids naturally. You can consume more fiber by increasing the amount of beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in your diet.9

Along with increasing fiber intake to relieve hemorrhoid discomfort, you should drink enough water to reduce constipation.

You can also consume psyllium as it helps to prevent constipation and relieve the pain from enlarged hemorrhoids. Dr. Herman Villalba who has researched remedies for hemorrhoids, recommends using psyllium as a natural hemorrhoid reliever. The increased fiber in psyllium bulks up stool and softens them to prevent straining during a bowel movement.9

Fiber is a natural laxative

Fiber is also one of the best natural laxatives. A 2005 review of 7 randomized trials found that fiber has a laxative effects and it help treat painful hemorrhoids. Some studies suggest that fiber can help reduce, pain, itching and bleeding associated with hemorrhoids.17

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