What Kind Of Doctor To Go To For Hemorrhoids

What Do I Expect After My Haemorrhoids Treatment

A: After your treatment, the nurse will go over few instructions and you will be given a prescription for few medications and an appointment for a post-operative check-up by the doctor few days later.

The majority of patients do not feel the need to take any pain medications, some they need a mild analgesic. We advise most patients to do warm sitz bath twice a day for the few days following the treatment and we prescribe a stool softener for two weeks.

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Different Types of Hemorrhoids

There are two types of hemorrhoids: external and internal. External hemorrhoids arise from the anal canal, while internal hemorrhoids arise from the rectum, immediately above the anal canal. According to Cuckoo Choudhary, MD, associate professor of gastroenterology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, one type is not worse than the other, but both can cause problems. “It all depends on the size and degree of the hemorrhoid,” Dr. Choudhary says. “Untreated internal hemorrhoids can cause bleeding. External hemorrhoids can cause thrombosis , which gives way to severe pain from hemorrhoidal strangulation.”

If you know you have hemorrhoids and you have acute and severe anal pain, it could be a sign of thrombosed hemorrhoids.

Know When to See Your Doctor

Though the annoyance of hemorrhoids can be reason enough to call your doctor, use this checklist to know when a visit is a must:

• If you’re experiencing any type of rectal bleeding
• If the hemorrhoids are causing you pain or discomfort
• If the problems persist despite trying over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams or other remedies
• If you’re passing stools that look maroon in color or tarry in color, a sign of bleeding

If you experience a large amount of rectal bleeding that is accompanied by dizziness or faintness, be sure to seek emergency medical care immediately.

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Increasing Your Fibre Intake

You can gradually increase the amount of fibre in your diet by eating foods including:

• fresh fruit and vegetables
• nuts and seeds
• pulses

Commercial fibre supplements are also available and can be useful if you think you are not getting enough of the above foods in your diet.

Make sure you increase your fibre gradually so your digestive system has time to adapt.

Its also important to increase your fluid intake at the same time. This is because fibre in the stools acts like a sponge, absorbing moisture from the body. Try to drink lots of water. Cutting down on sugary drinks will also help you to cut down on calories that cause weight gain.

What Kind Of Doctor Should I See About My Hemorrhoids

If you’re having some of the characteristic symptoms of hemorrhoids – swelling, bleeding, or pain – you may want to visit your regular doctor first. Often, hemorrhoids are mild and can be treated with certain lifestyle changes. If your doctor sees indications of a more complicated case of hemorrhoids or a more serious condition, they may refer you to a specialist like a gastroenterologist or a colon and rectal surgeon.

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What Training Does A Proctologist Have

To become a proctologist, you must first become a general surgeon. This includes 5 years of surgical residency after medical school. During their training, the general surgeons learn to perform different types of surgeries, such as hernia surgery, hemorrhoidal surgery, gallbladder surgery, breast surgery, and even vascular surgery. Thereafter, they do an extra year of specialized surgical training in surgeries on the colon, rectum, and anus to practice as a proctologist.

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The Basics

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins. Each of us has veins around the anus that tend to stretch under pressure. One set of veins is inside the rectum and another is under the skin around the anus . Hemorrhoidal tissue is thought to be helpful in holding back stool at rest and in cushioning the sphincter muscles when we empty our bowels.When these veins swell and bulge, they are called hemorrhoids or piles. Swelling can be caused by straining to move your bowels, from sitting too long on the toilet, or from other factors such as pregnancy, obesity or liver disease.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of internal hemorrhoids is bright red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. Bleeding starts when the swollen veins are scratched or broken by straining or rubbing. This can be aggravated by medicines that thin the blood. An internal hemorrhoid may protrude through the anus outside the body, becoming irritated and painful. This is known as a protruding or prolapsed hemorrhoid.

Symptoms of external hemorrhoids may include painful swelling or a hard lump around the anus that results when a blood clot forms. This condition is known as a thrombosed external hemorrhoid.

How Common Are Problems with Hemorrhoids?

Diagnosing Hemorrhoids

Treatment

Your doctor might also recommend cold packs, tub bath, warm soaks or bed rest.

Procedural Treatments

Prevention

Modified and reprinted from the American Gastroenterological Association.

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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.

What Are My Visits To The Toilet Going To Be Like

A: You will normally open your bowels within 2-3 days of your operation. This may be uncomfortable at first and there could be a sense of ‘urgency’. You may notice mild blood loss after each bowel movement, but this will gradually reduce over the next few days. Maintain hygiene and wash and keep the wound clean.

It is important to maintain a regular bowel movement that should be well formed but soft. You may need to take prescribed laxatives for 2-4 weeks. Eating a high fibre diet and increasing water / fluid intake will help.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Hemorrhoids

Seeing blood in your toilet bowl after a bowel movement is no doubt alarming, but its one of the main symptoms of hemorrhoids. Other symptoms include:

• Bright red blood on toilet paper or in your stool after a bowel movement
• Itching in the anal area
• Pain in the anal area, especially when sitting
• Pain during bowel movements
• One or more hard, painful lumps around the anus

If you experience any of these hemorrhoid symptoms, avoid excess straining, rubbing, or cleaning around the anus, which can make irritation and itching worse, and can even lead to bleeding. In addition, try to pat the area dry instead of wiping it.

Is Laser Treatment Good For Piles

A: Laser treatment for piles has been known to have a high success rate. It is non-surgical, non-intrusive and has no major side-effects. Some additional advantages of laser surgery are its low recurrence rate, no anaesthesia and the fact that it can be completed in the course of a day.

So, laser surgery is an ideal option for treating both, external and internal haemorrhoids.

However, laser surgery may not be required for all grades of haemorrhoids. If you do have piles, you are advised to seek medical advice before opting for this treatment.

Considering laser treatment for piles but are not sure whether it will help? Consult a Medcare specialist today to get the best treatment.

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Internal Hemorrhoids Vs External Hemorrhoids

There are two main types of hemorrhoids:

Internal Hemorrhoids These hemorrhoids develop inside the lower rectum. Internal hemorrhoids usually don’t hurt, but they often bleed painlessly, resulting in bright red blood you might notice when you go to the bathroom and wipe.

Most of the time, internal hemorrhoids are not visible to the naked eye. But in some cases, internal hemorrhoids may protrude through the anus, which is known as becoming prolapsed. When this happens, they will usually shrink back inside the rectum on their own. Protruding hemorrhoids can become irritated and itchy, and patients may find it difficult to clean themselves after a bowel movement.

Internal hemorrhoids are categorized by how prolapsed they are, which helps determine how they should be treated.

Grade 1 hemorrhoids means there is no prolapse. A prolapse that goes back in by itself is categorized as grade 2. Prolapse that needs to be pushed back in by the patient is considered grade 3. Grade 4 is when the prolapse cant be pushed back in.

External Hemorrhoids These hemorrhoids develop under the skin around the outside of the anus. They can be itchy or painful, and may feel lumpy.

External hemorrhoids are called thrombosed hemorrhoids when a blood clot develops within the hemorrhoid. The increased pressure can be very painful, especially within the first 48 hours after it develops.

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The Initial Exam By A Hemroids Doctor Proctologist

A proctologist is a specific kind of specialist hemroids doctor, that works with the anorectal canal and subsequent structures. In other words, if it has to do with your hemroids, this is probably the hemroids doctor that will be looking at it first.

The hemroids doctor will want to take a look at the area, which will involve a lot of draping and quite a bit of effort to help you feel as though you and your privacy are safe and respected. The draping helps both you and the hemroids doctor to psychologically separate looking at such a private area from any loss of comfortable mental space to communicate in.

As I found in my first gynecological exam at the age of twenty two, while under normal circumstances I would be highly upset at someone I didnt know really, really well, even seeing such a part of me, hemroids doctors are well trained to make it as painless as possible.

After draping and initial external visual examination have taken place, the hemroids doctor may insert an anoscope to check for internal hemroids. This is a small, metal tube that has a port through which to see one quarter of the anal canals wall at a time. You can have it warmed up to a decent temperature first, if necessary.

After the proctologist one specialist type of hemroids doctor has taken a thorough look at the entire area to find anything that he or she needs to, a recommendation will be made from there as to further treatment.

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How Are Hemorrhoids Diagnosed

You likely already know if you have a hemorrhoid. Its often possible to diagnose hemorrhoids just by looking. But if you have internal hemorrhoids, a doctor can perform a quick exam to confirm it. He or she will use a gloved, lubricated finger to feel in and around your rectum. Your doctor may also order a sigmoidoscopy. During a sigmoidoscopy, he or she will insert a small camera to look into your rectum. They also may perform an anoscopy. A small instrument called an anoscope is inserted a few inches into the anus to examine the anal canal.

Its important to see your doctor if you notice bleeding from your rectum. You need to make sure the cause is hemorrhoids and not some other problem. Bleeding from your rectum or anus or bloody stools may be a sign of something more serious such as cancer.

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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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Common Types Of Hemorrhoids

1. Internal Hemorrhoids are a type of hemorrhoid that is located inside your rectum. Oftentimes they are not visible, and frequently they disappear without any treatment. Some of the time, an internal hemorrhoid may swell up and when this happens, it may rise out of your anus. When this occurs it is referred to as a prolapsed hemorrhoid.

Many times you do not even know if you have an internal hemorrhoid because there arent nerves that identify pain in this part of your body. It may be something that comes to your attention when your physician makes note of it following a colonoscopy or childbirth. If hemorrhoids expand in size, you may experience more symptoms that are typical of larger hemorrhoids. This can include a protrusion that you can actually feel as a soft lump, along with burning, cutting or itching sensations and sometimes severe pain.

When you go to the bathroom, feces passing through your rectal area may agitate internal hemorrhoids which can cause some bleeding that you may see on toilet paper. Please note: Any kind of rectal bleeding can be a sign of other more serious health problems, so it is always advisable to discuss this symptom with your doctor.

2. Prolapsed Hemorrhoid is a term used to describe internal hemorrhoids that have swollen and may appear outside of your anus. This type of hemorrhoid, which appears like a swollen lump, may be visible with a mirror. Some people do not experience any symptoms with prolapsed hemorrhoids, while others

What Are The Symptoms Of Haemorrhoids

If you have haemorrhoids you may notice bright red blood on the toilet paper or in the toilet when you have a bowel motion . There may be some itchiness, discomfort or pain around the anus. Sometimes there can be a noticeable lump that sticks out of the anus.

Many people experience no symptoms or very mild symptoms that disappear after a couple of days. For other people, haemorrhoids are more painful.

Haemorrhoids are classified into 4 different types based on their size and how severe they are:

• First degree haemorrhoids often bleed a little bit when you pass a bowel motion, but stay inside the anus and are not usually very painful.
• Second degree haemorrhoids bleed and stick out of the anus when you pass a bowel motion. Once the bowel motion is over, they disappear back inside the anus by themselves.
• Third degree haemorrhoids have to be physically pushed back inside the anus after passing a bowel motion. They may be painful if they are large.
• Fourth degree haemorrhoids are larger lumps that stick out of the anus permanently, and cannot be placed back inside. The blood inside these haemorrhoids may clot and the lumps can become very painful.

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How Do I Know My Condition Warrants A Doctor Visit

This is one of the most common questions patients with hemorrhoids ask before seeing a doctor.

While all the symptoms of hemorrhoids can be irritating and leave you in serious discomfort, there are some telltale signs that you need to seek the advice of a medical professional.

Here are the signs from hemorrhoids that let you know you need to see a doctor:

• The presence of any type of rectal bleeding – While this is common amongst patients with hemorrhoids, there are some underlying conditions that can present with this symptom as well. Because these conditions are more severe, it is important to have your doctor diagnose your hemorrhoids properly to eliminate the idea that there is another condition causing the bleeding.
• Pain or discomfort that cant be ignored
• Persistence of your symptoms despite at-home remedies and over-the-counter treatments
• Black, maroon, or tarry looking stool, this can be a sign of rectal bleeding

Prevention Of Rectal Bleeding

The best way to prevent rectal bleeding is to prevent its chief causes.

People at high risk for colorectal cancer should undergo regular screenings, primarily colonoscopy. Colorectal cancer screenings can detect precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screenings can also identify colorectal cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful.

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A Physical Exam Is Usually Done To Make A Hemorrhoids Diagnosis

• Treating Hemorrhoids: From Home Remedies to Surgery

Hemorrhoids may feel embarrassing to address, which is why many people try to diagnose themselves and avoid seeing a healthcare provider. However, its important to see a healthcare provider to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. Hemorrhoids can have symptoms similar to other, more serious conditions, and those should be ruled out before assuming symptoms are from hemorrhoid. In most cases, hemorrhoids can be easily diagnosed with a history and a physical exam.

How Do You Know If You Have Hemorrhoids

The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids are:

• Anal pain/painful bowel movements
• Rectal bleeding
• Itchiness
• Swelling around the anus

However, these symptoms could also be a sign of something more serious, like anal cancer or polyps. Hemorrhoids also have many symptoms in common with anal fissures, which occur when the skin around the anus is torn. Anal fissures tend to be much more painful than hemorrhoids, however.

Even if youre fairly certain youre dealing with hemorrhoids, its still a good idea to go see a doctor to rule out any serious conditions, especially if youre over the age of 50.

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