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.
Cream For Hemorrhoids In Pregnancy
It may be useful to make moist warm compresses after evacuation to limit the painful sensation of hemorrhoids and pregnancy, or to apply locally a witch hazel ointment, a calendula ointment with two drops of Swedish Amaro or a zinc oxide ointment with function of calming.
Aloe vera gel can be used to calm inflammation and decrease bleeding. The topical use of colostrum-based compounds was found to be very effective thanks to the presence of immunoglobulins, cytokines, lysozyme, lactoferrin and thanks to its bacteriostatic properties.
Also excellent preparations and ointments that contain flavonoids and horse chestnut derivatives, even with associated local and oral therapy, because they improve the tone of the smooth muscles that form the blood vessels. If the symptoms persist, a visit to the proctologist specialist is useful because it is necessary to evaluate the possibility of conservative pharmacological therapy or if surgical therapy is necessary.
Generally, surgical therapy should never be considered during pregnancy, because hemorrhoids tend to recur spontaneously once the baby is born. A post-partum checkup is therefore useful to assess the local state, associated disorders and any improvement in symptoms.
Why And When Do Pregnant Women Get Hemorrhoids
Mostly, pregnant women get hemorrhoids at the last months of pregnancy or during the labor time.
During pregnancy, our body tends to produce everything in excess. Same is the case with the blood flow. There will be surplus blood flow through the veins and in a few instances, it will pool up in parts of the body especially in the rectal area.
Moreover, the growing uterus puts an additional pressure on the pelvic veins and the inferior vena cava thus slowing down the return of blood from the lower limbs. This will contribute much pressure on the veins below the uterus resulting in the inflammation of that region.
For few others, hemorrhoids develop during the time of labor. This is caused when women exert much effort to push the baby out. This will result in the veins in the rectal area and anus to bulge.
The other reason for hemorrhoid is straining exerted by a constipated pregnant woman. Constipation during pregnancy is usually caused by the intake of iron tablets and fewer amounts of water and fiber intake.
A hike in the hormone progesterone also plays a role in developing hemorrhoids. The increase in the progesterone hormone relaxes the walls of the veins and slows down the intestinal tract. This also results in the formation of hemorrhoids during pregnancy.
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Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is familiar ingredient in your kitchen and it benefits are various. This fluid not only helps you fight some kinds of bacteria, reduce blood sugar level, lose weight, protect your heart, and prevent cancers, but it also supports you treating hemorrhoid efficiently. Just use cotton ball and apply the vinegar in the affected area, you will feel the obvious change in some times of using.
When To Call A Doctor
If you have any pain or bleeding in your anal area, call your doctor right away. These may be signs of hemorrhoids or another condition. Any perineal discomfort or unusual discharge that doesnt go away after a few sitz baths warrants a call to your doctor to rule out an infection or other causes.
If youre pregnant or have recently given birth, ask your doctor or nurse about when you can start taking sitz baths. Theyll likely give you specific instructions on when and how to take them.
Below are some frequently asked questions about sitz baths.
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Home Remedies For Hemorrhoids While Pregnant
If you have symptoms of hemorrhoids while pregnant, consider one of the following eight home remedies:
What Can Cause Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy
As your unborn baby grows, your uterus gets bigger and begins to press against your pelvis. This growth puts a lot of pressure on the veins near your anus and rectum, and these veins may become swollen and painful as a result.
The increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy can also contribute to the development of hemorrhoids, as it relaxes the walls of your veins, making them more prone to swelling. An increase in blood volume, which enlarges veins, can also contribute to hemorrhoids during pregnancy.
Three common additional causes of hemorrhoids during pregnancy include:
- Straining during bowel movements
- Straining from carrying extra pregnancy weight
- Sitting or standing for long periods of time
Hemorrhoids are most common in pregnant women who experience constipation.
As many as 38 percent of pregnant women become constipated at some point during their pregnancy, according to research published in the journal BMJ Clinical Evidence.
One cause of constipation during pregnancy may be when the growing uterus pushes against the bowel. Iron supplements you may take can also contribute to constipation, so its worth trying to get the iron you need naturally through your diet.
Pregnancy hormones can also slow down the movement of food through the digestive tract, making constipation more likely.
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What Are Two Types Of Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are enlarged, swollen veins in the lowest part of the rectum and anus. These veins bulge and get irritated, especially when the patient defecates, and cause bleeding. Hemorrhoids are also commonly called piles. It is one of the most common causes of rectal bleeding. Hemorrhoids occur in adults. It can cause significant pain and discomfort if left untreated.
There are two types of hemorrhoids:
- Internal hemorrhoids: They are present deep inside the rectum. They are usually not seen externally or felt and are painless.
- External hemorrhoids: They are present under the skin surrounding the anus. They are painful because of the painful, sensitive nerves surrounding the anus.
Hemorrhoids may go away on their own or with home remedies in a couple of weeks. If the hemorrhoids dont improve or the symptoms worsen, it is advised to consult a doctor to seek medical treatment.
What Are The Treatments For Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy
The good news is that the problem usually improves after the baby is born. In the meantime, there are a number of things you can do to treat hemorrhoids.
- Place baking soda on the area to reduce itching
- Take a warm bath with baking soda in the water
- Use witch hazel to reduce swelling or bleeding
- Avoid sitting for long periods
- Use Tucks Medicated Pads
- Analgesics: Ointment or cream can be used for external hemorrhoids, if it involves pain and irritation
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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 anal cancer. 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.
The risk factors for hemorrhoids are mostly related to increased pressure on the anal and rectal veins. A family history of hemorrhoids may increase your risk. The risk factors include:
- age
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Dont Hold It When Youve Got To Go
Many of us hold our bowel movementsif were stuck in traffic, trying to finish a work project, or its just an inopportune moment. However, if you have the urge to go, dont fight gravity, just find a washroom and go!
Research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that holding in a bowel movement for excessive periods can cause stool to dry up and harden in the bowel as the intestines leech water away.
Why Are Hemorrhoids More Common During Pregnancy
Some people are predisposed to them, but for most women, hemorrhoids are more common during pregnancy. One reason is that moms-to-be frequently find themselves dealing with constipation. The straining causes blood vessels to become swollen, says Candice Wood, MD, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Arizona and Banner University Medical Center Phoenix. In addition, higher progesterone levels cause the vessels to relax and swell.
During pregnancy, a womans blood volume will also increase significantly, by about 50 percent. That means theres more circulating blood and fluid inside the veinsso the veins are bigger just from being pregnant. Exacerbating matters is that blood flow from the lower half of the body tends to be sluggish and obstructed because of the enlarged uterusand a growing baby puts even more pressure on the blood vessels. The weight of the baby and uterus on the rectum helps push hemorrhoids out. Thats why when moms-to-be have hemorrhoids, they tend to have the worst symptoms late in the third trimester. And guess what? Youre not the only one suffering silently back there: Almost all women have hemorrhoids during pregnancy to a greater or lesser degree, Minkin says.
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Epsom Salts And Glycerin
It has been seen that this home remedy has an effect similar to Sitz Bath but the process can simply be done in a bathtub instead or even by using a gauze pad. For using this method, you would need to mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts with a further 2 tablespoons of Glycerin. Then, all you would need to do is apply this mixture to a gauze pad and then place the pad over hemorrhoid for about 15-20 minutes.
Conventional Treatment For Hemorrhoids
When you go to see a doctor for enlarged hemorrhoids, he or she will look at your anus to see if its inflamed and whether the hemorrhoids come out of the anus when you push or if theyre already outside. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, there are a number of examinations your doctor may choose to perform in order to make a diagnosis. Doctors typically do a digital rectal examination first, which involves gently inserting a finger into the anus with gloves and lubricant. The doctor will feel the inside of the anal canal using circular movements, which allows him to examine the sphincter muscles and the texture of the membranes lining the anus.
If your doctor believes that you do have enlarged hemorrhoids, she will most likely perform a proctoscopy next. This involves inserting a short tube with a light and lens on it that exams the membranes lining the rectum. The doctor is looking to see if there are enlarged hemorrhoids and how big they are. People tend to fear the pain and discomfort that come with these procedures, but they usually dont hurt and do help your doctor make suggestions about how to get rid of hemorrhoids.
Most of the patients suffering from hemorrhoids have their symptoms alleviated through diet therapy, fiber supplements, hemorrhoid cream and medical treatments, such as sclerotherapy, rubber band ligation and infrared coagulation.
1. Sclerotherapy
2. Rubber Band Ligation
3. Infrared Coagulation
4. Hemorrhoid Surgery
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Will They Go Away On Their Own
Hemorrhoids will usually go away on their own. Depending on their size, location, and severity, this can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
Occasionally, hemorrhoids form a painful blood clot. This is known as a thrombosed hemorrhoid. While these clots arent dangerous, they can be extremely painful. A doctor can treat this type of hemorrhoid with a minimally invasive in-office procedure.
In addition, some hemorrhoids that become chronic, lasting several months or more. Like thrombosed hemorrhoids, these can usually be treated by a doctor.
How Do You Know If You Have Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy
There are a few telltale symptoms to look out for. Pain and itching are the two main things, which can be there all the time and worsen during bowel movements, Wood says. Sometimes you can see the hemorrhoids, which look like skin tags sticking out. You may also feel a lump or a mass, or even a general pressure in the rectal area. Pregnancy hemorrhoids also tend to bleed, so check for spotting when you wipe.
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Tips To Avoid Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, your body goes through several changes, and one of them is swollen veins. During prenatal classes, talk to other expectant moms, share your experiences and ask your instructor about natural therapies.
Hemorrhoids during pregnancy can be avoided by taking the following steps:
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.
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