What Can Cause External Hemorrhoids

Put An End To Painful Hemorrhoid Symptoms

Although theyre rarely serious, hemorrhoids can still take a major toll on your comfort and your quality of life. At Hawaii Gastroenterology Specialist, we offer custom treatment solutions to help patients eliminate painful symptoms of internal and external hemorrhoids. To eliminate your hemorrhoid symptoms, book an appointment online today.

Dietary Changes And Self Care

If constipation is thought to be the cause of your haemorrhoids, you need to keep your stools soft and regular, so that you don’t strain when passing stools.

You can do this by increasing the amount of fibre in your diet. Good sources of fibre include wholegrain bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables.

You should also drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine .

When going to the toilet, you should:

• avoid straining to pass stools, because it may make your haemorrhoids worse
• use moist toilet paper, rather than dry toilet paper, or baby wipes to clean your bottom after passing a stool
• pat the area around your bottom, rather than rubbing it

Read more about preventing constipation.

What Are The Symptoms Of Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids rarely cause pain unless they prolapse. Many people with internal hemorrhoids dont know they have them because they dont have symptoms.

If you have symptoms of internal hemorrhoids, you might see blood on toilet paper, in stool or the toilet bowl. These are signs of rectal bleeding.

Signs of external hemorrhoids include:

• Rectal bleeding.

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Whom Do Hemorrhoids Affect

Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, almost everyone has them. Hemorrhoids help control bowel movements. Hemorrhoids cause problems and can be considered abnormal or a disease only when the hemorrhoidal clumps of vessels enlarge.

Hemorrhoids occur in almost everyone, and an estimated 75% of people will experience enlarged hemorrhoids at some point. However only about 4% will go to a doctor because of hemorrhoid problems. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.

Get Enough Fiber Water And Exercise

To prevent constipation, you need to exercise, drink plenty of water during the day, and eat a high-fiber diet. Some great sources of fiber include beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains like oats and bran.

If you live in or around Brielle or Manahawkin, New Jersey, and need expert care for hemorrhoids, call Paonessa Colon and Rectal Surgery or schedule an appointment online today.

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What Causes Hemorrhoids To Swell

Hemorrhoids form because they become swollen and enlargedso what causes the swelling in the first place?

Things like constipation, hard stools, sitting for a long time, and anything that adds more pressure to these veins cause them to swell.

The disruption of the blood flow from any of these factors will lead to the swelling of the veins.

Apple Cider Vinegar On External Hemorrhoids Does It Work

Apple Cider Vinegar has been known to relieve the symptoms of external hemorrhoids. A topical solution of apple cider vinegar can reduce the symptoms in a few weeks. When applied to the affected area two or three times a day, it can temporarily reduce the symptoms of swelling and irritation.

It should be noted apple cider vinegar is not a solution and will only provide temporary relief. Be careful as well! Apple cider vinegar can burn very bad and be harmful if too much is applied or it is ingested. Do not use if you havenât spoken with your doctor.

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How Can I Tell If I Have Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are hard to miss, so if you think that you might have one, theres a good chance that youre right. Some of the common signs and symptoms include:

• A feeling of skin protruding during bowel movements.
• Bleeding during bowel movements, which you might notice as blood in your stool, in the toilet bowl, or on toilet paper after wiping.

How Can I Take Care Of Myself

Always tell your healthcare provider when you have rectal bleeding. Although bleeding is often from hemorrhoids, more serious illnesses, such as colon cancer, can also cause bleeding.

Follow these guidelines to help prevent hemorrhoids and to relieve their discomfort:

• Do not strain during bowel movements. The straining makes hemorrhoids swell.
• Follow your high-fiber diet and drink plenty of water. If necessary, take a stool softener, such as Haley’s M-O, psyllium, Metamucil or Citrucel, or mineral oil. Softer stools make it easier to empty the bowels and reduce pressure on the veins.
• Ask your healthcare provider what nonprescription product you should buy to relieve pain and itching. Also, ask about any side effects of any medications prescribed for you.
• Exercise regularly to help prevent constipation.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects when you have hemorrhoids. It may increase the pressure on the veins and make the hemorrhoids worse.

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What Do External Hemorrhoids Look Like

External hemorrhoids are much easier to self-diagnose because they can be seen and felt, while internal hemorrhoids tend to be less obvious.

External hemorrhoids can be described as any of the following:

• Mucus-covered bumps.
• Bumps that secrete blood when wiped with toilet paper.

Many symptoms of external hemorrhoids, such as pain, can also be caused by other conditions. Therefore, it is important to see a health care practitioner for a formal diagnosis.

What Causes Internal And External Hemorrhoids And Simple Ways To Treat Them

Hemorrhoids are usually caused by increased pressure due to pregnancy, being overweight, or straining during bowel movements. By midlife, hemorrhoids often become an ongoing complaint. By age 50, about half the population has experienced one or more of the classic symptoms, which include rectal pain, itching, bleeding, and possibly prolapse . Although hemorrhoids are rarely dangerous, they can be a recurrent and painful intrusion. Fortunately, there’s a lot we can do about hemorrhoids.

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Diagnosis For Bleeding Hemorrhoids

A licensed healthcare professional can help diagnose bleeding hemorrhoids. To get the diagnosis, your doctor may have you undergo a physical examination and:

• Rectal examination, where a doctor uses a gloved finger to check inside your rectum.
• Colonoscopy, where a doctor places a long flexible tube with a tiny camera into your rectum to examine the entire colon.

There are two types of hemorrhoids:

• Internal hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids hidden inside the rectum are called internal hemorrhoids. These are usually painless but can cause bleeding when you use the bathroom.
• External hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that you can see or feel are called external hemorrhoids. These are usually more painful because the skin becomes irritated and eroded.

A health care provider will help you determine what kind of hemorrhoids you have and discuss the best treatment options.

• Fibersupplements to help soften your stool
• Laxatives to help you make healthy stools

Over-the-counter creams and rectal suppositories may be another option to treat a bleeding hemorrhoid. These can help relieve pain, itching, and inflammation temporarily:

Minimally invasive treatments

In other cases, your doctor might recommend sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is when a doctor injects a chemical solution into a hemorrhoid, causing it to break down and scar.

Surgery

Who Is At Risk For Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common gastrointestinal illnesses. They affect both males and females of all races, in all age groups. But there are some factors that can put you at higher risk including:

• GeneticsA family history of hemorrhoids puts you at higher risk. Doctors will often ask whether family members suffer from hemorrhoids in order to identify a genetic tendency.
• AgingThe risk of hemorrhoids increases with age. While children and young adults do experience hemorrhoids, they are most common in adults 45-65 years old.
• ObesityBody weight can contribute to the risk of hemorrhoids since heavier weight can cause additional strain on the body and contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle.
• NutritionA poor diet that lacks fiber often leads to constipation and straining during bowel movements.
• PregnancyThe weight of carrying a baby during pregnancy can put increased pressure on the pelvic area. Thankfully, these will often resolve completely after delivery of the baby.

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Can I Prevent Hemorrhoids

Benjamin Franklins phrase, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, was made in reference to fire prevention, but the same wisdom applies to health and specifically to hemorrhoids. Making proactive lifestyle choices can help prevent hemorrhoids from occurring or recurring.

Most important? Eat a high-fiber diet. Consuming lots of fruits, vegetables, and other high-fiber foods including nuts, seeds, and whole grains will help produce normal bowel movements. Drinking plenty of water is central to a high-fiber diet. Hydration works together with the fiber to help keep you regular. And dont forget to exercise! Keeping the body moving helps keep everything inside the body moving as well.

Two more tips for prevention: First, when you feel the urge to go, go! Allowing bowel movements to happen regularly will help prevent constipation. Second, limit the time you spend sitting on the toilet to reduce pressure on the rectal area.

What Causes Haemorrhoids

Many cases are thought to be caused by too much straining on the toilet, due to prolonged constipation this is often due to a lack of fibre in a persons diet. Chronic diarrhoea can also make you more vulnerable to getting haemorrhoids.

Other factors that might increase your risk of developing haemorrhoids include:

• being overweight or obese
• age as you get older, your bodys supporting tissues get weaker, increasing your risk of haemorrhoids
• being pregnant which can place increased pressure on your pelvic blood vessels, causing them to enlarge
• having a family history of haemorrhoids
• regularly lifting heavy objects

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When To Call Your Doctor

“Hemorrhoids are not dangerous and typically don’t turn into more severe problems, but they can be distressing and uncomfortable,” says Dr. Langenfeld. “The important thing is to rule out other causes if they do not go away on their own within one to two weeks after trying some simple lifestyle changes.”

If you continue to have rectal bleeding, depending on your age and risk factors, your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy to rule out other possible sources of blood loss, says Dr. Langenfeld.

Diarrhea Prevention Strategies You Need To Know

To ease the discomfort caused by hemorrhoids, you can do several things on your own at home:

• Take a sitz bath. This is a warm shallow bath that specifically targets the area most drugstores sell a plastic kit that fits over your toilet.
• Use an ice pack.
• Avoid straining during bowel movements.
• Sit on cushioned surfaces rather than hard ones, to reduce swelling and prevent new hemorrhoids from forming.
• As needed, take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen , acetaminophen , or aspirin.
• Try over-the-counter creams, ointments, or pads containing hydrocortisone or witch hazel. These can relieve swelling, pain, and itching.

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External Hemorrhoids Symptoms Treatment And Surgery

Hemorrhoids are made of vascular tissue and typically formin the rectum. One of the most common reasons for bleeding hemorrhoids isstraining or constipation and they can cause pain, itching, itching, and minorbleeding, especially during bowel movements or diarrhea.

Hemorrhoids can be categorized into two types InternalHemorrhoids and External Hemorrhoids. An individual may have both types ofhemorrhoids at the same time.

Hemorrhoids of both sorts generally go away on their own,although medical treatment may be required in some cases.

Hemorrhoids affect an estimated 50 million Americans everyyear, 10 million in the US alone, and 1 in 5 men and almost 1 in 20 women inthe U.S. They are caused by the build-up of excess tissue in the rectum and/oranus, which can lead to bleeding, prolapse, pain, and discomfort.

If left untreated, hemorrhoids can cause extreme discomfortand can lead to more serious health issues, such as a hemorrhage, thrombosis,and infection. In case, you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may besuffering from hemorrhoids.

If youre struggling to get rid of your hemorrhoids, thenseeking the advice of a healthcare professional is the next best thing to doingwhat works for you at home

Causes And Risk Factors Of Hemorrhoids

You may be more likely to get hemorrhoids if other family members, like your parents, had them.

Pressure building up in your lower rectum can affect blood flow and make the veins there swell. That may happen from:

• Pushing during bowel movements

People who stand or sit for long stretches of time are at greater risk, too.

You may get them when you have constipation or diarrhea that doesn’t clear up. Coughing, sneezing, and vomiting could make them worse.

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What Causes Internal Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids have similar causes to external hemorrhoids. They are a result of pressure and strain on the body. The pressure is often caused by constipation but can also be caused by sitting for long periods and pregnancy. Diets low in fiber can risk internal hemorrhoidal blood vessels, as can dehydration and age.

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 To Get Rid Of Piles

Banding treatmentBanding is the most commonly used piles treatment, especially for grade 2 and 3 piles. It may also be done to treat grade 1 piles which have not settled with the simple advice and treatment outlined above.

This procedure is usually done by a surgeon in an outpatient clinic. A haemorrhoid is grasped by the surgeon with forceps or a suction device. A rubber band is then placed at the base of the haemorrhoid. This cuts off the blood supply to the haemorrhoid which then dies and drops off after a few days. The tissue at the base of the haemorrhoid heals with some scar tissue.

In about 8 in 10 cases, the piles are cured by this technique. In about 2 in 10 cases, the piles come back at some stage. Piles are less likely to come back after banding if you do not become constipated and do not strain on the toilet .

A small number of people have complications following banding, such as bleeding, infection or ulcers forming at the site of a treated haemorrhoid, or urinary problems.

Injection sclerotherapyPhenol in oil is injected into the tissues at the base of the piles. This causes a scarring reaction which obliterates the blood vessels going to the piles. The piles then die and drop off, similar to after banding.

Cure For External Hemorrhoid Thrombosis

There are a number of treatments for external hemorrhoid thrombosis. The most common of these are non-surgical treatments such as using stool softeners, increasing your intake of fiber, taking more fluid everyday and adopting warm baths.

Also, there are some newer and more conservative treatment options that are available today and among them are topical nifedipine. This treatment offers better and quick results than lidocaine ointment which has been the preferred choice of treatment for many years now.

Surgery is also an effective choice of treatment for external hemorrhoid thrombosis. This is especially the case if its in an acute condition. This kind of surgery can be done in an outpatient department of a hospital or in the doctors clinic. The result for those who opt for surgery is quick and has scored a high level of satisfaction and acceptance among patients.

Your doctor will recommend a method of treatment after evaluating you. Depending on whether the condition is mild, serious or moderate, the right treatment will be recommended.

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How To Remove External Hemorrhoids Without Surgery

Although some external hemorrhoids will require surgery, there are many ways to treat hemorrhoids without surgery.

Focusing on your hygiene is one way to relieve hemorrhoids.

Keeping a close eye on your eating and drinking habits can help as well. You should have a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in fiber. Additionally, you should drink the right amount of water daily to keep yourself hydrated. Avoid prolonger periods of sitting as well.

How Can I Prevent Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are common as you get older. These steps can help prevent hard stools and constipation that can lead to hemorrhoids:

• Dont sit too long or push too hard on the toilet.
• Go the toilet when the urge hits dont delay bowel movements.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Eat more high-fiber foods or take supplements. Generally, women should aim for 25 grams of fiber per day, while men should get 35 grams of fiber.
• Stay physically active. Being on the move keeps bowels moving.
• Take laxatives or use enemas only as recommended by your healthcare provider. Too many laxatives or enemas can make it hard for your body to regulate how you poop.

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