Related Conditions And Causes Of Hemorrhoids
Gastrointestinal problems such as constipation and diarrhea can lead to or worsen hemorrhoids. The prolonged sitting or straining that may occur when you’re dealing with these issues puts pressure on the hemorrhoidal tissue.
Hemorrhoids also often develop during pregnancy. This is similarly due to greater pressure in the area but can also be due to an increase in blood volume and as a result of hormonal changes that increase the likelihood of swelling. Constipation during pregnancy is a common cause of hemorrhoids.
Tips On How To Avoid Internal Or External Hemorrhoids
-Stay regular: one of the most common causes of hemorrhoids is constipation. Make sure to go to the bathroom when you need to, and try to include more high-fiber foods in your diet.
-Exercise regularly: another common cause of hemorrhoids is sitting or standing for long periods of time. When you can, get up and move around. This will help improve blood flow and reduce the chance of developing hemorrhoids.
-Avoid straining: if you’re struggling to have a bowel movement, don’t push too hard. This can cause hemorrhoids to form.
Treatment For Internal Or External Hemorrhoids
There are a few things you can do to help relieve the symptoms of internal or external hemorrhoids. For internal hemorrhoids, you can try over-the-counter medications like hemorrhoid cream or suppositories. You can also try using a cold compress to help reduce the swelling.
For external hemorrhoids, you can try using a cold compress or an ice pack, and you can also take over-the-counter pain medication. If the symptoms persist, it’s important to see a doctor for treatment: internal hemorrhoids, external hemorrhoids, symptoms, over-the-counter medications, cold compress, ice pack, doctor.
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A Rash Of Heat Symptoms
As heat waves persist across much of the country, many Americans are experiencing heat rashes small red bumps that appear on the chest, shoulders, neck and skin folds. The rash arises when sweat glands and ducts get blocked. If you get a heat rash, it may help to move to a cooler location, remove tight-fitting clothing and wash off any lotion you might have on your skin.
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What Are Hemorrhoids Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
Lindsey KonkelRobert Jasmer, MDJ. Falcetti/iStock
Everyone has hemorrhoidal tissue in this area thats made up of blood vessels, connective tissue, and some muscle. These cushions dont always become enlarged or distended, but as we age, this phenomenon becomes more common causing what we call hemorrhoids, also known as piles.
Hemorrhoids can be caused in a number of ways, most commonly by straining to make a bowel movement. Lifting heavy objects, along with other activities that may cause straining, can also lead to hemorrhoids. Experiencing increased pressure during pregnancy and being overweight are other contributing factors.
Hemorrhoids may be painful and particularly bothersome if they are recurrent, but they’re not dangerous or life-threatening, and symptoms usually go away within a few days. There are plenty of effective ways to treat them, as well as options for the less common types of hemorrhoids that may be more problematic.
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When Is It Time To Seek Medical Care For Hemorrhoids
Drinking more water, eating more fiber, and taking over-the-counter medications may help hemorrhoids to resolve on their own at home. However, often a doctor can help you get effective relief faster than you might on your own. And, in some cases, your symptoms could indicate a condition more serious than hemorrhoids. Thats why its always better to be safe than sorry and get your hemorrhoids evaluated sooner rather than later.
Hemorrhoid Treatment In A Doctors Office With Or Without Surgery
Medical procedures may be needed for hemorrhoids that dont go away with home treatments.
Painful external hemorrhoids can be excised during an office visit following a shot of local anesthetic to numb the area.
For internal hemorrhoids, a few office procedures may be considered. In rubber band ligation, the most common hemorrhoid procedure performed in the United States, the doctor places a small rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid, cutting off the hemorrhoid’s blood supply. The hemorrhoid typically shrinks and falls off within about a week, though several quick follow-up visits may be required to completely get rid of the hemorrhoid.
Other procedures include sclerotherapy, in which a chemical injected into the hemorrhoid causes scar tissue to form, shrinking the hemorrhoid and infrared coagulation, in which an intense beam of infrared light causes the scar tissue to form, cutting off the blood supply and shrinking the hemorrhoid.
If you have a large external hemorrhoid, both internal and external hemorrhoids, or an internal hemorrhoid thats prolapsed , a surgical operation called a hemorrhoidectomy may be necessary, though few patients require this procedure.
Another option that aims to reduce postoperative pain is a stapled hemorrhoidopexy, in which a device pulls the hemorrhoidal tissue upward and to its normal position, stapling it in place.
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How Are Hemorrhoids Treated
Your healthcare provider will create a care plan for you based on:
- Your age, overall health, and past health
- How serious your case is
- Whether you have internal hemorrhoids, external hemorrhoids, or both
- How well you handle certain medicines, treatments, or therapies
- If your condition is expected to get worse
- What you would like to do
The main goal of treatment is to reduce your symptoms. This may be done by:
- Sitting in plain, warm water in a bathtub several times a day
- Using ice packs to reduce swelling
- Using hemorrhoid creams or medicines inserted into your rectum
Your healthcare provider may also suggest that you add more fiber and fluids to your diet to help soften your stools. Having softer stools means you don’t have to strain during bowel movements. This reduces the pressure on your hemorrhoids.
Adding more fiber to your diet means eating more:
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Best Treatments For Internal Hemorrhoids
There are various modes of management for internal hemorrhoids starting from home remedies to surgical methods
- home remedies which include lifestyle modifications such as a high fiber diet, drinking more water, warm sitz bath
- nonsurgical management such as over the counter creams, analgesics, laxatives, and stool softeners
- Minimally invasive procedures such as
- Lords dilatation
- Injection sclerosant therapy
- Barron’s banding
Newer methods such as harmonic scalpel therapy
- HAL – RAR Doppler-guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation & rectoanal repair proctoplasty
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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
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- Why did I get hemorrhoids?
- What is the best treatment for me?
- What lifestyle changes can I make to keep from getting hemorrhoids again?
- When will symptoms improve?
- Should I look out for signs of complications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
An estimated 15 million Americans have sought treatments for hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. But many more suffer needlessly. Dont be too embarrassed to talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms. If hemorrhoids cause pain or discomfort, your provider has treatments that can help. You can also take steps to keep hemorrhoids from coming back.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/18/2021.
References
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Stages Or Grades Of Internal Hemorrhoids
There are different stages of hemorrhoids and not all of them form because of the same reasons. These stages are measured by intensity and severity.
Stage ThreeAt this stage, the hemorrhoids dont reduce and its even further prolapsed than in the previous stage. Although they can manually reduce themselves which is good news. Using different methods, these hemorrhoids can be pushed back into the rectum. Read the article, How to push hemorrhoid back in or watch the YouTube video here.
Stage FourThe internal hemorrhoids at this stage are the most intense and severe for the patient. At this stage, the internal hemorrhoids can not be reduced and they remain like that. Even if you try manual reduction methods, they wont exactly work on this.
How Are Haemorrhoids Treated
Haemorrhoids often go away after a few days without any special treatment. In most cases your doctor will recommend measures to relieve constipation if you have it.
If your haemorrhoids are causing you pain or discomfort, ask your doctor or chemist about medicated creams or ointments that may ease your symptoms.
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Serious Hemorrhoids Can Be Treated With Surgery
A handful of surgical options are available. One is an excisional hemorrhoidectomy, which is the surgical removal of the hemorrhoid, Dr. Narang explained. Another option is stapled anopexy , in which a doctor removes part of the hemorrhoid and then staples it back together, reducing it to a normal size, Dr. Cima said. Some doctors instead use Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation, which is a good choice for hemorrhoids that bleed a lot, Dr. Narang said. In this procedure, a doctor ties off the main arteries feeding the hemorrhoid, causing it to wither and fall off.
Although surgical procedures often work, they arent without potential downsides, Dr. Mathur said. They can have painful and longer recoveries than the office procedures and can cause fecal incontinence. Also, even after surgery, hemorrhoids can return some surgeries, such as the artery ligation, are associated with up to a 30 percent chance of recurrence, Dr. Narang said. Thats in part because these treatments remove or kill off a portion of the bodys hemorrhoidal tissue, but leave behind the rest, which can then become engorged and inflamed, Dr. Cima said. If people dont address the lifestyle factors that cause hemorrhoids, they are more likely to see their hemorrhoids return.
What Are Possible Complications Of Piles
A possible complication of piles that hang down is that they can strangulate. This means that the blood supply to the pile has been cut off. A blood clot can form within the pile. This causes really severe pain if it occurs. The pain usually reaches a peak after 48-72 hours and then gradually goes away over 7-10 days.
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Procedures For Hemorrhoids Treatment
Some hemorrhoids can’t be managed with conservative treatments alone, either because symptoms persist or because an internal hemorrhoid has prolapsed. Fortunately, a number of minimally invasive hemorrhoid treatments are available that are less painful than traditional hemorrhoid removal and allow a quicker recovery. These procedures are generally performed in a surgeon’s office or as outpatient surgery in a hospital.
Band it. The most commonly used hemorrhoid treatment in the United States is rubber band ligation, in which a small elastic band is placed around the base of a hemorrhoid . The band causes the hemorrhoid to shrink and the surrounding tissue to scar as it heals, holding the hemorrhoid in place. It takes two to four procedures, done six to eight weeks apart, to completely eliminate the hemorrhoid. Complications, which are rare, include mild pain or tightness , bleeding, and infection. Other office procedures include laser or infrared coagulation, sclerotherapy, and cryosurgery. They all work on the same principle as rubber band ligation but are not quite as effective in preventing recurrence. Side effects and recurrence vary with the procedure, so consult your physician about what’s best for your situation.
Image: LuisPortugal/Getty Images
If Discomfort From Hemorrhoids Isnt Resolved Within A Week
When youve had persistent discomfort, pain, or itching for a week, its time to talk to a doctor. While some symptoms of hemorrhoids resolve on their own, others do not and can be treated by a doctor, so you dont have to live with the daily symptoms. Your doctor can recommend treatments that range from the conservative, like dietary and behavioral changes, or in-office procedures, such as rubber band ligation, to more invasive approaches like surgery.
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Internal Hemorrhoid Treatment Options
Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of time to ease a hemorrhoid flareup. After a few days, the inflammation and irritation may subside. Soaking in a sitz bath, resting on a soft cushion, using oral or topical pain relievers, and applying ice packs can help while you’re waiting for relief.
If your hemorrhoid causes bleeding, make an appointment with your doctor. Other colorectal conditions list bleeding as a symptom, and a doctor can confirm which one is plaguing you.
If there’s no bleeding, give the irritation a week to go away before scheduling an appointment. After that, it’s smart to see the doctor so that you can get an official diagnosis and discuss whether you’d benefit from additional treatment.
Your doctor might be most likely to recommend a procedure if your hemorrhoids are advanced or have recurred multiple times.
One of the best treatments for hemorrhoids is rubber band ligation. The doctor places a small band around the base of the inflamed tissue. This restricts blood flow, and the swollen tissue will shrivel and then fall off. Hemorrhoid banding is often recommended for Grades I through III.
Lasers can also be used for minimally invasive hemorrhoid treatment. The laser ablates the tissue so that it shrinks. This procedure is suitable for many Grade II and III hemorrhoids.
Constipation Or Diarrhea Or Both
Having either of these conditions puts a lot of pressure on your intestines. Straining the rectum or too many bowel movements in small time can cause stress on your rectal area. It can even cause IBS and furthermore, end up with hemorroides if not treated quickly.
Constipation is a medical condition that causes the passage of hard, dry stools. It can be caused by a range of factors, including diet and lifestyle, medication side effects, chronic diseases, and some types of foods.
The symptoms can include abdominal pain or discomfort and bloating. Constipation is classified as chronic when it lasts for more than 3 weeks or if it occurs more than twice per week. In this section, we will explore different types of constipation and how to prevent it from happening.
Constipation is defined as infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stool with straining due to hard stool consistency or infrequent bowel movements that cause abdominal discomfort. Constipation can occur when there are changes in dietary habits such as eating less fiber which can lead to a lack of water in the stool and hardened stools. In this article, we will go over the most common causes of constipation and different treatment options. Constipation is caused by a lack of dietary fiber which can be caused by a change in diet or healthcare issues such as surgery where the intestines have been affected due to increased pressure. The most common types of constipation are:
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What Are The Symptoms Of Internal Hemorrhoids
The first symptom of internal hemorrhoids is bleeding, either you see the blood that is bright red on the stool or on toilet paper. The other symptom is if the hemorrhoid prolapse and comes out.
Unlike external hemorrhoids, cant be seen from the outside since external hemorrhoids are located below the pectinate line. Internal hemorrhoids are covered with intestine cells and they can be harder to diagnose. External hemorrhoids, on the other hand, can be easily diagnosed since theyre not concealed inside the rectum, unlike the internal ones.
If you have internal hemorrhoids try this to get rid of them, this both clears hemorrhoids out and prevents them from coming again.
TIPS FOR GOING TO THE TOILET: If you suffer from hemorrhoids and have the habit of sitting long on the toilet, the hemorrhoids have a tendency to come out without even pushing the poop out. To avoid this condition you may want to try to raise your butt up from the toilet by placing your hands on either side of you. When sitting on the toilet and letting your butt fall down it automatically makes the hemorrhoids come out.
Make sure to watch the video too about symptoms of internal hemorrhoids!
There are some ways you can use to notice internal hemorrhoids and there sure are different options to treat them as well.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hemorrhoids Are They Painful
It depends on the type of hemorrhoids you have, Dr. Nelson says. If you have external hemorrhoids, youll probably have the following symptoms:
If you have internal hemorrhoids, youll likely have these symptoms:
- bleeding from your rectum
Hemorrhoids, for the most part, do not cause pain when you have a bowel movement, says Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. However, if you have a prolapsed hemorrhoid, you can also experience swelling and pain if it doesnt go back inside your body, Dr. Nelson says.
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When Should I See My Doctor
Haemorrhoids often go away without any treatment. However, if you notice blood when you have a bowel motion, it is important to get checked out by a doctor, to make sure your symptoms are not a sign of something more serious. The symptoms of haemorrhoids can be very similar to those of bowel cancer.
Tell your doctor if you have noticed:
- blood or mucus in your stools
- changes in your bowel habits or movements
- changes in the colour of your stools
- recent weight loss
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