How To Reduce Swelling Hemorrhoids

When To Seek Medical Help

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.

How To Get Rid Of External Hemorrhoids Fast

This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 247,999 times.

Read Also: What To Do When Hemorrhoids Flare Up

How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed

This check is known as a digital rectal exam. During this exam, your doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into your rectum.

Depending on your risk factors for gastrointestinal disease, your doctor may order an additional test like an anoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.

In these tests, a small fiber-optic camera fits into a small tube and then inserts into your rectum. With this test, your doctor gets a clear view of the inside of your rectum so that they can examine the hemorrhoid up close.

You can find a primary care doctor, gastroenterologist, or other specialist near you through the Healthline FindCare tool.

You can have hemorrhoids treated at home or at a doctors office.

Risk Factors And Aftercare

A sitz bath carries very little risk of harm because its a noninvasive treatment. The most common adverse event associated with sitz baths is an infection of the perineum, but this rarely occurs. This may happen if youre caring for a surgical wound and dont clean the tub or plastic bath thoroughly. Never share your sitz bath with anyone else. Each person should have their own.

Stop using sitz baths and contact your doctor if the pain or itching worsens, or if your perineum becomes red and puffy.

If sitz baths bring you relief, your doctor will probably recommend taking three or four per day until the source of the itching, irritation, or pain is healed. After a sitz bath, you may immediately return to normal activities unless your doctor has told you otherwise.

Read Also: What Doctor Helps With Hemorrhoids

Treating And Preventing Hemorrhoids

Dr. Hsu says the best first step is to visit a drugstore to get some creams or suppositories that soothe inflamed rectal veins and speed healing. Look for treatments containing cortisone or lidocaine, which are especially helpful.

Stool softeners also help reduce straining and constipation, but be sure to avoid laxatives. Laxatives can cause diarrhea and further irritate swollen veins, which you definitely dont want, Dr. Hsu says. If your hemorrhoids are especially itchy or you feel a burning sensation, use baby wipes instead of toilet paper and apply witch hazel to the area with a cotton swab.

For more aggressive hemorrhoids, use a sitz bath to relieve itching, irritation and pain. Fill a bathtub with a few inches of warm water and sit in the tub, with knees bent, for 15 to 20 minutes. If getting in a bathtub isnt an option, purchase a plastic sitz bath kit, available at any drugstore, that fits over the toilet. For optimal relief, use a sitz bath several times per day.

Ease Pain And Itching

Take warm baths. Soak in a bathtub filled with a few inches of warm water for about 15 minutes at a time. Do it two or three times a day and after every bowel movement. If you want to wash the area, too, use unscented soap and don’t scrub.

Pat gently afterward to dry. You can even use a blow dryer on a cool setting if that feels better.

There are also special “sitz baths” you can put directly on your toilet seat to make soaking easier.

Rub on relief. Over-the-counter wipes or creams with witch hazel can soothe pain and itch with no side effects. Don’t use one with hydrocortisone for more than a week unless your doctor says it’s OK.

Ice it. Put a small cold pack on the trouble spot several times a day. It can dull pain and bring down the swelling for a little while.

Consider painkillers. An over-the-counter medicine, like acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, could help with soreness.

Don’t scratch. You could damage the skin and make the irritation — and the itching — worse.

Choose cotton. Wear loose, soft underwear. It keeps the area aired out and stops moisture from building up, which can bother your hemorrhoids.

Read Also: How Do I Know If I Have Internal Hemorrhoids

How To Get Rid Of Internal Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids are on the inside lining of the rectum and are not visibly seen by the eye unless they are enlarged and then they can be felt too. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless and get noticed when causing rectal bleeding with a bowel movement.

The easiest and fastest way to get rid of internal hemorrhoids is changing your lifestyle and eating habits, using stool softeners if you are constipated, using the squatting method and not straining on the toilet or sit too long.

If you are struggling with internal hemorrhoids and its making your life miserable, imagine one day when you wake up and the hemorrhoids are gone. Wouldnt that be the best feeling in the world. Have a look at this and see how it can help you in an easy and risk-free way.

Some complex cases of hemorrhoids may need surgery to treat them, but most cases can be cured by following only some home procedures, including:

Make sure you watch the video too about internal hemorrhoids!

What If A Hemorrhoid Wont Go Away

Most people will get relief from at-home treatments. However, sometimes these remedies do not work, or dont work well enough. In that case, there are treatments that the doctor can provide. These can range from pills to prescription creams to minimally invasive procedures, and even to hemorrhoid removal surgery.

Recommended Reading: What To Do For Very Painful Hemorrhoids

What Are The Treatment Options

Small hemorrhoids often clear up without treatment or with home treatment and lifestyle changes. If youve continued problems or complications, such as bleeding, you should see your doctor.

Your doctor can rule out other causes of bleeding during bowel movements, such as colon or . If your symptoms become severe, your doctor may recommend medical procedures to remove or shrink the hemorrhoids.

Your doctor may recommend a minimally invasive outpatient treatment. Outpatient treatments are treatments that your doctor performs in their office. Some treatments include the following:

• Rubber band ligation is the most common nonsurgical treatment, and it involves your doctor tying a tight band around the base of the hemorrhoid to cut off the blood supply. Eighty percent of people who receive treatment for hemorrhoids have this type of treatment.
• During coagulation, your doctor uses infrared light, heat, or extreme cold to shrink the hemorrhoid.
• During sclerotherapy, your doctor injects a chemical to shrink the hemorrhoid.

If you have severe hemorrhoids or hemorrhoids that dont respond to in-office medical treatments, you may need a doctor to surgically extract them. This has been shown to provide symptom relief and reduce future outbreaks.

study in 2004 compared the rate of recurrence of hemorrhoids in 231 people.

What Makes This Hemorrhoids Breakthrough So Exciting Is That It Gives You The Power Tohow To Reduce Swelling Hemorrhoids

How to Reduce Swelling Hemorrhoids Hemorrhoid No MoreT is a 150 page downloadable e-book, jam-packed cover to cover with all the secret natural Hemorrhoids cure methods, unique powerful techniques and the step-by step holistic Hemorrhoids system Ive discovered in over 14 years of research. This program contains all the information youll ever need to eliminate your Hemorrhoids permanently in weeks, without using drugs, without surgery and without any side effects.

Don’t Miss: Doctor That Deals With Hemorrhoids

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.

Also Check: Is Cranberry Juice Good For Hemorrhoids

Add Fiber To Your Diet

Adding fiber to your diet can help relieve constipation by making stools softer and easier to pass. To increase your fiber intake, your healthcare provider may recommend a bulking agent, such as psyllium. This is a high-fiber supplement available at most grocery stores and drugstores. Eating more fiber-rich foods will also help. There are two types of fiber:

• Insoluble fiber is the main ingredient in bulking agents. Its also found in foods such as wheat bran, whole-grain breads, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

• Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oat bran. Although soluble fiber is good for you, it may not ease constipation as much as foods high in insoluble fiber.

Also Check: What Kind Of Witch Hazel Is Best For Hemorrhoids

Medical Procedures To Shrink Hemorrhoids

If medications and remedies dont alleviate your discomfort and need further help, plenty of safe and fast procedures are available. Many methods only require one quick office visit. The risk of hemorrhoids returning is very low. And almost all of the procedures are minimally invasive, relatively painless, and produce lasting results.

Procedures include:

• Traditional : The hemorrhoids are removed by an instrument, usually a scalpel. This is a standard procedure that easily keeps hemorrhoids from coming back.
• Rubber Banding Ligation: Common and proven highly effective, the external hemorrhoids are banded near the base to cut off blood flow, allowing the unwanted skin tag to fall off naturally.
• Infrared Therapy: This method uses an infrared laser to create fibrous tissue, preventing blood flow. This procedure will shrink hemorrhoids, and the skin tags will then fall right off.
• Electrotherapy: Much like the traditional method, electrotherapy works by using a heated element, like a cautery pencil to remove the troublesome issue safely.
• Cryotherapy: After a local anesthetic, the doctor will freeze and remove the hemorrhoid. This method may leave you with a small amount of discomfort and requires about two weeks of recovery.
• Stapling: This method uses circular titanium staples and shares a similar goal with the same desired results as banding, infrared, and cryotherapy.

Will Hemorrhoids Ever Go Away

In general, small hemorrhoids can go away on their own in a few days. Larger hemorrhoids, particularly ones that cause a lot of pain, swelling, and itchiness, can’t go away on their own and may require treatment from a doctor to heal. Pregnant patients may find that hemorrhoids only go away after they give birth.

You May Like: How To Use Preparation H For Internal Hemorrhoids

How To Relieve Your Haemmorrhoids During Your Pregnancy

There are a few things that will help manage the symptoms of haemorrhoids during pregnancy:

• Maintaining a high fruit and fibre diet will help keep constipation at bay, ensuring that the haemorrhoid isnt aggravated by increased straining.

• In the same way, drinking plenty of water will have a similar benefit.

• If you can, try to avoid sitting for too long and take gentle walks to keep the blood moving around your body. This produces benefits by reducing the pressure around your bottom.

• For instant relief there are a number of creams and ointments that you can try. These are available from your pharmacy and work by numbing the haemorrhoid, reducing the itchiness that you might experience. Read our useful guide about cream and ointments.

Don’t Make Things Worse

Bump up the fiber. It softens your stools and makes them move through your body more easily. You’ll find it in beans, whole-grain breads and cereals, and fresh fruits and veggies. You may also want to try a supplement if you can’t get enough from foods. Add fiber slowly to help avoid gas and bloating.

Drink lots of fluids. Stay well hydrated to keep stools soft so they’re easier to pass. Water is the best choice. Drink plenty throughout the day. Prune juice is a natural laxative and can help you go.

Exercise regularly. Even brisk walking 20-30 minutes every day can help keep you from getting stopped up.

Breathe! Keep the air moving in and out when you’re working hard. It’s common to hold your breath as you’re pushing, pulling, or making an effort — and that can lead to hemorrhoid pain and bleeding.

Use a pillow. Sit on a cushion instead of a hard surface. It will ease swelling for any hemorrhoids you have. It may also help prevent new ones from forming.

Take breaks. If you must sit for a long time, get up every hour and move around for at least 5 minutes.

Show Sources

Don’t Miss: How Does It Take For Hemorrhoids To Go Away

Managing The Pain From Hemorrhoids

As many of you know, hemorrhoids can be very painful. In most cases, common over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be taken to relieve the pain associated with hemorrhoids. Ibuprofen also has a benefit of being an anti-inflammatory drug, which can help reduce swelling. As always, one should use caution with both of these drugs, as taking too much can have damaging effects on your health. If your pain is too severe to be managed by recommended doses of these pain killers, talk to your doctor.

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.

About the Author

Also Check: How To Treat Hemorrhoids After Diarrhea

How Does Stress Cause Hemorrhoids

When humans are under stress, it can cause more of the hormone cortisol to be released into our body which contracts muscles, lessens circulation including to the rectum lining- and increases peristalsis .

The increased peristalsis caused by high cortisol levels is likely why hemorrhoids form from too much pressure on veins just below the surface or at cuff level. This is compounded by constipation which puts further pressure on these veins.

While stress can cause your body to produce more blood than usual, hemorrhoids are not caused by stress alone.

The type of stress that causes hemorrhoids is persistent, chronic stress. The kind of stress that lingers on for hours or days at a time.

This can happen when people dont take enough time to relax and recuperate from work and other activities they just keep pushing themselves without letting up.

Non-stop strain is burdensome to any system in the body including the bowel system so its understandable how chronic, persistent stress could lead to an increased risk of developing hemorrhoids.

Chronic exposure to stress can affect the immune systems ability to create anti-inflammatory cells such as T-cells that help provide localized protection from inflammation in tissues like the rectum due to fecal matter or wiping.

Second, when youre chronically stressed your body releases cortisol and adrenaline which can cause sphincter muscles to tighten up causing constipation which then applies pressure on the blood vessels.