Is Heat Good For Hemorrhoids

What Else Do You Need To Make Your Decision

Check the facts

• You’re right! Try eating more fibre, drinking more fluids, using a stool softener, and using ointments to help your symptoms.
• Sorry, that’s the wrong answer. Try home treatment first: Eat more fibre, drink more fluids, use a stool softener, and use ointments to help your symptoms.
• It may help to go back and read “Key points to remember.” Home treatments work for most people: Eat more fibre, drink more fluids, use a stool softener, and use ointments to help your symptoms.

• That’s right. Surgery may help hemorrhoids that bulge from the anus or cause symptoms that don’t get better with home treatment.
• Sorry, that’s not right. Surgery may help hemorrhoids that bulge from the anus or cause symptoms that don’t get better with home treatment.
• It may help to go back and read “Get the Facts.” Surgery may help hemorrhoids that bulge from the anus or cause symptoms that don’t get better with home treatment.

What Are The Causes

The most common causes of hemorrhoids are prolonged sitting, straining at stool, and constipation. Irritants in the diet can exacerbate hemorrhoids, including strong spices such as red pepper and mustard, and drinks such as coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and alcohol. Stress can cause hemorrhoids, as can pregnancy . Obesity, chronic diarrhea and anal intercourse can also lead to hemorrhoids.

Who Is A Candidate

Heat energy therapy is typically reserved for patients with internal grade 1 and 2 hemorrhoids.This means that patients with more severe hemorrhoids may not have success. If your typical symptoms include anal itching or discomfort, bleeding during bowel movements, or anal prolapse, then heat energy therapy may be a solution for you.

Recommended Reading: What Can I Do To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids

Will A Heating Pad Work For Hemorrhoids

Perhaps to some level of surprise, some people have claimed that heating pads have helped their hemorrhoids.

Most of us have an old heating pad lying around the house that can be used to treat painful hemorrhoids. Applying heat to your external hemorrhoids can help you manage the pain and discomfort that these hard, rubbery bumps on the rectum cause.

Sometimes, hemorrhoids are unavoidable, and this depends on specific factors that you cannot change, like your age or family history concerning hemorrhoid occurrences. While it is frustrating to be predisposed to getting bothersome hemorrhoids, there are a few things you can do to set yourself up for avoiding flare-ups.

Hemorrhoids are more likely to occur if you have poor bathroom habits, for example, if you find that you are straining more, spending a lot of time on the toilet, or if you have a poor diet.

Simple self-care practices can encourage hemorrhoids to go away. This is where your heating pad can play an essential role in healing. By sitting on a heating pad with thin clothes, you can ease the symptoms of external hemorrhoids, even temporarilyat the very least.

Warm Or Cold Water For Hemorrhoids

On average, 50-75 percent of the population develops hemorrhoids at some point. Hemorrhoids are veins in the anal canal and lower rectum that become inflamed, swollen and stretched out.

External hemorrhoids develop underneath the skins surface at the opening of the anus. Internal hemorrhoids can protrude through the anus or create a bulge in the anal canal.

Both internal and external hemorrhoids can cause bothersome symptoms such as itching, pain, burning, inflammation, irritation and bleeding. Medications and surgery can be effective at treating hemorrhoids. However, there are a variety of home remedies that can also bring relief.

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Hemorrhoid Remedies You Can Try On Your Own At Home

There are several steps you can take at home to ease the discomfort caused by hemorrhoids:

• Take a sitz bath two to three times daily for 15 to 20 minutes. Sit in warm water, covering just your hips and buttocks. This can help reduce itching and irritation. You can take a sitz bath in a few inches of water in a regular tub, but small tubs that fit over toilet seats are also available for this purpose at pharmacies. Following a sitz bath, gently pat the area dry to avoid further irritation.
• Use ice packs on the area to relieve swelling and pain.
• Don’t push too hard or strain while passing a bowel movement.
• Clean your anus after each bowel movement by gently patting with moistened pads, such as baby wipes. Using hard, dry toilet paper, which may contain fragrance, can cause further irritation.
• Keep the area clean by bathing or showering daily with warm water. After bathing, gently pat the area dry. You can even use a hair dryer to dry the area.
• Sit on cushions rather than hard surfaces to help lessen the swelling of hemorrhoids and keep new ones from forming.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin as needed.

RELATED: 6 Easy Ways to Prevent Hemorrhoids

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.

RELATED: 4 Signs Your Hemorrhoids Warrant a Doctors Visit

Recommended Reading: How Do You Stop Internal Hemorrhoids From Bleeding

Best Overall: Doctor Butler’s Hemorrhoid & Fissure Ointment

• Reapplication may be needed

Itching is a common symptom of hemorrhoids, and an itch in that particular location can be very frustrating. Preparation H’s Soothing Relief Anti-Itch Cream can provide fast, prescription-strength relief.

This treatment can be applied four times daily and comes in an easy-to-carry tube, so you can take it with you wherever you go. It’s made with one percent hydrocortisone cream, and can be gently blotted on the affected area for immediate relief.

Active Ingredients: Hydrocortisone | Dose: Blot on affected area up to 4 times daily | Uses: For hemorrhoid and anal itching relief

Warm & Cold Water For Hemorrhoids

• Never use soap to cleanse the anal area. Use only warm water, preferably while standing in a shower. If you are serious about getting rid of your hemorrhoids, forget about bathing in a tub. If you dont have a shower, get one. OR a bidet, sort of an upside down shower.
• Never use toilet paper. Use a warm wet washcloth instead. If even a warm wet washcloth is too painful, hop in the shower and gently cleanse the area with warm water from the shower. A bidet works in this situation also.
• This rule its a bathing technique, actually plus the rules above will help you acheive a hemorrhoid-free state or will kill a flare-up in its tracks. Flare-ups will occur occasionally, from sitting for a long time or swinging an axe or sledge hammer all day, or more commonly, from forgetting the above rules! The Technique: Stand in the shower with your rear facing the shower head. Direct the shower flow with your hands directly to the anal area. Run the water as hot as you can stand for as long as you can stand try for 1 minute. Repeat for each shower you take until relief is obtained. Its delightfully refreshing and youll be amazed at the result.

Also Check: How To Care For Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

Avoid Sitting For Long Periods Of Time

You may already know that sitting too long on the toilet worsens hemorrhoid symptoms. But sitting for long periods of time in general irritates your hemorrhoids and increases pain and itching.

Whether youre taking a road trip or sitting in your backyard, be sure to take breaks to stretch your legs, move around, and prevent worsening of your hemorrhoid symptoms.

Should I Use An Ice Pack Or Heating Pad For Hemorrhoids

For painful external hemorrhoids, where hard lumps form around the anus, causing soreness, tenderness, and immense discomfort, doctors will typically advise an application of an ice pack.

An ice pack and a heating pad are both lucrative means of treating hemorrhoids, and either method is low-risk enough that it is a matter of personal preference. The difference between the two is the concern of inflammation.

Ice packs reduce inflammation, and this is why prizefighters are seen using a slab of cold meat or a pack of frozen peas against purpling bruises and cuts on their faces. The idea behind this is to target the swelling immediately and reduce it with an ice-cold application.

To use an ice pack for external hemorrhoids, take a zipped baggie of ice and wrap a towel around it for cushioning and also for lessening the cold to make it more manageable. Like a heating pad, you can use an ice pack throughout the day, as needed.

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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.

What Therapies Does Dr Weil Recommend For Hemorrhoids

• Dietary changes: To prevent hemorrhoids as well as treat them, you should increase the amount of fiber in your diet in order to relieve constipation . You can do this by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If thats not possible, take psyllium seed husks, in any of the forms available in drugstores and health-food stores. Drink lots of water, more than you think you need. Yet another healthy option is freshly ground flaxseed, a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber in addition to omega-3 fatty acids and lignans. Flax helps promote bowel motility as well as softening stool. Try one to two tablespoons daily with food. Avoid dietary irritants as much as possible.
• Exercise: Regular exercise promotes bowel function and health.
• Supplements: Triphala, a combination of three tonifying herbs from the Ayurvedic tradition, is another excellent bowel regulator. You can buy it in capsules in health food stores. Follow the dosage and directions on the label. If you can tolerate it, try taking two to three ounces of liquid pure aloe vera juice without additives after meals.
• Also: Apply aloe vera gel to the anal area frequently it feels good and promotes healing. Avoid tobacco use in all forms. Instead of dry toilet paper, use compresses of witch hazel to clean the anal area after bowel movements. You can get medicated witch hazel pads and towlettes at most drugstores.

Read Also: How To Make Hemorrhoids Go Away Forever

Ointments Creams And Suppositories

• A bland soothing cream, ointment, or suppository may ease discomfort.
• One that contains an anaesthetic may ease pain better. You should only use one of these for short periods at a time .
• Preparations which contain a corticosteroid for treating piles may be advised by a doctor if there is a lot of inflammation around the piles. This may help to ease itch and pain. You should not normally use a steroid cream or ointment for longer than one week at a time.

What Not To Do Your Hemorrhoid

Frustration, pain, discomfort, and embarrassment may prompt some individuals to take steps to make hemorrhoids go away faster. Even if youre desperate:

• Dont poke at the hemorrhoid.

A hemorrhoid is not a pimple. For some, the discomfort of a hemorrhoid, along with accompanied itching, prompts some to poke at it with a safety pin, a needle, or other sharp object. This is certainly not recommended. Risk of bleeding or infection can lead to more severe complications.

A much more effective home-based remedy to relieve itching and discomfort involves soaking in a warm Epsom salt bath for 15 minutes three times daily. This soothes irritated tissues and may help reduce inflammation.

• Dont place an ice cube directly on the hemorrhoid.

While ice may seem like a good idea and provide immediate relief and aid in decreasing inflammation, it is not advised to apply ice directly to a hemorrhoid. A barrier such as a washcloth between the hemorrhoid and the ice cube is recommended. Contact should be limited to 10 or 15 minutes. Relief will be temporary but appreciated.

• Dont sit in a very hot bath, sitz bath, or hot bucket of water. Excessive heat can actually increase anal swelling and lead to pooling of blood, exacerbating the size and irritation of the hemorrhoid.

Instead, sit in a lukewarm sitz bath for approximately 15 minutes several times a day to provide temporary relief. Follow with a witch hazel compress.

• Dont soak the hemorrhoid in apple cider vinegar.

Also Check: How To Heal Hemorrhoids After Birth

What Types Of Hemorrhoids Are There

• External hemorrhoids are near the opening of the anus. They may be painful, but home treatments usually work to control them.
• Internal hemorrhoids are inside the anal canal. They usually don’t cause pain. But they can itch, cause a feeling of pressure, and make it hard to clean around the anus. They may also bleed or leak mucus. Sometimes they stick out of the anus.

How To Heal Hemorrhoids: Over

Products used to treat hemorrhoids are available as

• ointments,
• foams, and
• pads.

When used around the anus, ointments, creams, and gels should be applied as a thin covering. When applied to the anal canal, these products should be inserted with a finger or a “pile pipe.” Pile pipes are most efficient when they have holes on the sides as well as at the end. Pile pipes should be lubricated with ointment prior to insertion. Suppositories or foams do not have advantages over ointments, creams, and gels.

Recommended Reading: How Can I Shrink My Hemorrhoids

Recovering From Heat Energy Therapy

Since this treatment is so minimally-invasive, patients can return to their regular daily activities right after heat energy therapy. Many patients even return to work the same day. In most cases, there is no pain or discomfort experienced following the gentle treatment.

How Infrared Saunas Can Help With Hemorrhoids

Like many gastrointestinal issues, hemorrhoids may be associated to some degree of poor circulation. Enlarged blood vessels begin to form piles, and further irritation is caused from pressure and friction, which can result in inflammation, irritation, and pain. And while these piles can be surgically removed, infrared sauna hemorrhoid therapy may be a good, natural alternative to decrease the pain associated with hemorrhoids, especially the external varieties of hemorrhoids. A Good Health Saunas’ infrared sauna may give individuals treatments that work on hemorrhoids in a number of incredible ways. As the healthy infrared rays and heat penetrates below the skin at all angles of your body, with our 360 degrees of penetration, a brief, yet beneficial, increase in localized body temperature occurs. This effect is somewhat like an artificial fever, which helps kick in the bodys natural immune system-boosting mechanism. While it doesnt cause any ill health effects, this artificial fever does help to eliminate viruses, toxins, and bacteria. Plus, as your body temperature begins to rise, so too does your circulation improve. More blood flow means inflammation and pain are also reduced, and that your time spent in an infrared sauna may speed healing, a reduction in inflammation, and reduce the psychological distress caused by hemorrhoids.

Recommended Reading: How To Treat Inside Hemorrhoids

Heating Pad For Thrombosed Hemorrhoids

Complications can arise for hemorrhoids, and it is at this point, you should talk to your doctor before the difficulties worsen and become unmanageable. Complications are the reason why you should always keep an eye on the condition of your external or internal hemorrhoids, and look for any visible changes that could indicate the hemorrhoids have moved to a more severe stage.

When blood collects inside of an external hemorrhoid, doctors refer to it as a thrombosed hemorrhoid. A thrombosed hemorrhoid is considered a complication of an external hemorrhoid and should be addressed immediately. A thrombosed hemorrhoid will look dark purple or even reddened. The blood clot can engorge the size of the external hemorrhoid and make sitting and standing even more painful than previous.

A heating pad may not be the best solution on its own for a blood clot that has formed inside of an external hemorrhoid. Using more than one method of relief would be more helpful in alleviating pain.

In combination with an ice pack, you can use alternate hot and cold to help manage pain. A blood clot is incredibly painful, and you should have your doctor examine it, then lance and drain it in a medical setting. Having your doctor do this procedure will prevent the thrombosed hemorrhoid from worsening, bursting on its own, and accumulating an infection.