What To Use For External Hemorrhoids

Getting Rid Of Hemorrhoids Using Home Remedies

Home remedies are often ideal for relieving mild pain, inflammation caused by hemorrhoids as well as swelling. Some of the home treatment methods include

· Consuming food is rich in fiber. High fiber foods are essential when it comes to preventing constipation which is often associated with hemorrhoids. It is best to consume lots of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. These foods will aid to soften your stool as well as increases its bulk hence avoiding straining, which might cause the symptom to worsen. Therefore adding fiber to your food on a regular basis will be best for you.

· Using the topical treatment. You might consider applying the counter suppository that contains hydrocortisone or hemorrhoid cream. Furthermore, you might consider using pads that contain hazel or various agents.

· Hydration. Drinking at least six glasses of water a day will aid in lowering the risk of hemorrhoids. Drinking enough amount of water helps in improving bowel movement thus preventing straining while in the toilet.

· Soaking in a warm bath or sitz bath. Soaking your anal in lukewarm water two to three times a day for approximately 10 to 15 minutes will aid in reducing pain associated with hemorrhoids. A sitz bath will fit over your toilet.

· Painkillers. To relieve discomfort associated with hemorrhoids, it will be best to use painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.

What Natural Home Remedies Soothe Or Cure Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoid symptoms of pain and itching can be treated at home by doing the following.

Warm Sitz Baths

• Sitting in a few inches of warm water three times a day for 15 to 20 minutes may help decrease the inflammation of the hemorrhoids.
• It is important to dry off the anal area completely after each Sitz bath to minimize irritation of the skin surrounding the anus.

Dietary Changes

• Increased fluid intake and dietary fiber will decrease the potential for constipation and lessen the pressure on the rectum and anus during a bowel movement, minimizing further swelling, discomfort, and bleeding. Dietary fiber supplements also may help bulk up the stools

Stool Softeners

• Stool softeners may help. A health-care professional or a pharmacist are good resources to discuss their use.

Exercise

• Individuals with hemorrhoids should not sit for long periods of time and may benefit from sitting on an air or rubber donut available at most local pharmacies.
• Exercise is helpful in relieving constipation and in decreasing pressure on the hemorrhoidal veins. Individuals should be encouraged to have a bowel movement as soon as possible after the urge arises and not sit on the toilet for long periods of time. Once that urge passes, stools can become constipated and straining with a bowel movement may occur.

What Does Severe Fibroids And Constipation Pain Feel Like

Fibroid pain is often debilitating, affecting all areas of a womans life. Cramps are often so severe, NSAIDs dont manage the pain as well as they do for regular menstrual discomfort. Depending on the size and number of fibroids within the uterus, the pelvic area might feel full, enlarged, or heavy. Additionally, fibroids can cause back and leg pain if they press on sensitive nerves.

In comparison, hemorrhoid pain can range anywhere from little to no pain, to itching or burning. Wiping or going to the restroom might be uncomfortable and feel hot. Experiencing sharp abdominal pain is also associated with constipation and hemorrhoids. Both fibroids and rectal pain is uncomfortable and can be treated easily with the right measures.

Don’t Miss: Where To Buy Emuaid For Hemorrhoids

How Do I Shrink Hemorrhoids

Let’s talk about how you can shrink hemorrhoids. Most people go for a few common home remedies that seem to work fairly well.

Let’s take a look at some of the home remedies for shrinking hemorrhoids and see if they sound like something you might want to try.

What Color Are External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids look like flesh-colored sacs that form around the anal opening.

Sometimes external hemorrhoids have a darker color than the rest of surrounding skin, and this is because the blood vessels underneath the surface of the skin are inflamed and irritated.

The skin becomes tight in some areas that are highly aggravated, and looser in the outer region of the external hemorrhoid.

In the case of a thrombosed hemorrhoid, the color is usually purplish or blue-hued due to the blood clot beneath the surface of the skin.

When and if the blood clot bursts, the thrombosed hemorrhoid is red in color, from bursting or bleeding.

Read Also: What Will Shrink Hemorrhoids Fast

Severe Hemorrhoids Vs Mild Hemorrhoids: Stages

Many physicians use a grading system to categorize hemorrhoids along four stages:

• First-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that bleed, but do not prolapse. These are slightly enlarged hemorrhoids, but they do not protrude outside the anus.
• Second-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and retract on their own . These may come out of the anus during certain activities like passing stool, and then return back inside the body.
• Third-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and must be pushed back in by a finger.
• Fourth-degree hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids that prolapse and cannot be pushed back in the anal canal. Fourth-degree hemorrhoids also include hemorrhoids that are thrombosed or that pull much of the lining of the rectum through the anus.

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

Also Check: What Herbs Are Good For Hemorrhoids

What Is The Best Hemorrhoid Medication

With so many medications available to treat hemorrhoids, you may be wondering which option is the best. Like most prescriptions, that can only be determined by your healthcare provider on a case by case basis. The best option will depend on your medical history, the severity of your hemorrhoids, and if youre taking any other medications that may negatively interact with hemorrhoid medication.

To make things easier to understand, weve broken down some of the different prescription medications available to treat hemorrhoids:

Dosage is determined by your doctor based on your medical condition, response to treatment, age, and weight. Other possible side effects exist. This is not a complete list.

Again, the best option available for you will be determined by having an open conversation with your healthcare providers. Theyll take all the variables into account, such as your symptoms, lifestyle, medical history, and if youre taking any other medications that may interact with treatment.

Aloe Vera For Hemorrhoids While Pregnant

Is It Safe To Consume Aloe Vera During Pregnancy? Generally considered as a health drink, pregnant women should not take aloe vera internally. Pregnancy is one of the causes of hemorrhoids and using it externally on your skin can reduce discomforts caused by hemorrhoids.

When you are pregnant, what you eat is very important to keep your child safe and to carry out a successful delivery. This herb may contribute to unwanted contraction of your uterus which can lead to miscarriage.

Topical application is very much healthy and has a nourishing effect on your skin.

You May Like: Where Do I Go For Hemorrhoids

How Do You Stop External Hemorrhoid Bleeding

External hemorrhoids can bleed if they become thrombosed and the blood clot bursts.

Thrombosed hemorrhoids are not as common as external hemorrhoids, but if a blood clot does happen to form, you should tell your doctor right away in the case of it needing to be lanced and drained.

In the case of a bleeding external hemorrhoid, apply pressure with a clean towel, rag, or toilet paper.

Make sure that the opened wound is thoroughly cleaned so you can prevent infection . If the bleeding does not subside and continues, contact your doctor or emergency services right away.

Medical Procedures For Hemorrhoids

If your symptoms are severe or aren’t getting better after a couple of weeks, your doctor may suggest a procedure to shrink or remove the hemorrhoids. Many can be performed in their office.

Injection. Your doctor can inject an internal hemorrhoid with a solution to create a scar and close off the hemorrhoid. The shot hurts only a little.

Rubber band ligation. This procedure is often done on prolapsed hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids that can be seen or felt outside. Using a special tool, the doctor puts a tiny rubber band around the hemorrhoid, which shuts off its blood supply almost instantly. Within a week, the hemorrhoid will dry up, shrink, and fall off.

Coagulation or cauterization. With an electric probe, a laser beam, or an infrared light, your doctor will make a tiny burn to remove tissue and painlessly seal the end of the hemorrhoid, causing it to close off and shrink. This works best for prolapsed hemorrhoids.

Surgery. For large internal hemorrhoids or extremely uncomfortable external hemorrhoids, your doctor may recommend surgery.

• Hemorrhoidectomy. The most effective technique is to completely remove the hemorrhoids. But recovery is painful and can take several weeks.
• Hemorrhoid stapling. This technique cuts blood flow to internal hemorrhoids and moves prolapsed tissue back in place. Recovery is easier, but thereâs a greater chance of the hemorrhoids coming back.

Don’t Miss: What Foods Cause Hemorrhoids To Bleed

When Hemorrhoid Surgery May Be Necessary

Very few people fewer than 10 percent of all adults who see a doctor because of symptomatic hemorrhoids will require a surgical operation.

Surgery to remove hemorrhoids is called a hemorrhoidectomy.

Your doctor may recommend a hemorrhoidectomy if:

• You have large external hemorrhoids
• You have both internal and external hemorrhoids
• An internal hemorrhoid has prolapsed

In a hemorrhoidectomy, the doctor makes a small incision to remove the hemorrhoid and surrounding tissue before closing the wound with stitches.

A hemorrhoidectomy is performed in an operating room and can be done under general anesthesia, in which you are unconscious and unable to feel pain.

It can also be done with a spinal anesthetic block while you are awake , or with a combination of relaxing and sedating drugs given intravenously and a local anesthetic injected around the anus.

Hemorrhoidectomy is associated with postoperative pain, but the procedure is successful for 95 percent of cases.

More recently, another option aimed at avoiding the postoperative pain of a hemorrhoidectomy has become available, called a stapled hemorrhoidopexy. A circular stapling device pulls the hemorrhoidal tissue upward and to its normal position, stapling it in place. The staples eventually fall out over time.

There are many options for the treatment of hemorrhoids. Its best to discuss the benefits and risks of each of these with your doctor in order to come up with the treatment plan that is best for your particular case.

Use Simple Toilet Paper

Scented and coloured toilet paper contain extra chemicals that could irritate sensitive areas. Dampen plain, white, unscented toilet paper or use a moist towelette when you need to wipe. Follow up by applying an unscented moisturizer with a facial tissue.

Here are seven tips for healthy bowel movements.

Also Check: Can You Band Your Own Hemorrhoids

What Type Of Doctor Treats External Hemorrhoids

Your primary care physician can treat smaller, less severe external hemorrhoids. In some cases, they can prescribe a stronger hemorrhoid cream or suppository. If you have a more serious case of hemorrhoids, or your external hemorrhoids are persistent, your doctor may refer you to a specialist called a gastroenterologist. If you require a surgical procedure for your hemorrhoids, you will want to find a colon and rectal surgeon.

External hemorrhoids are the most bothersome type of hemorrhoids. Although they can be painful and uncomfortable, they are treatable and can often be resolved without a surgical procedure.

External Hemorrhoids Guide 101-Continued

Can External Hemorrhoids Go Away On Their Own

Do external hemorrhoids ever go away? If your hemorrhoids are small, they can go away on their own in a couple of days. Most hemorrhoids go away on their own, but it will take some time.

If your hemorrhoids are causing you severe pain or discomfort, it is best to seek treatment for your hemorrhoids.

Changes to your diet and lifestyle can help resolve the issue of external hemorrhoids in some cases.

Women who experience external hemorrhoids during pregnancy often notice they go away once they give birth. Make sure you take a look at what causes hemorrhoids for you when determining treatment.

Don’t Miss: What Over The Counter Medicine For Hemorrhoids

How To Get Rid Of External Hemorrhoids

Natural remedies and botanicals can be used to treat and get rid of external hemorrhoids, even at your home.

Hemorrhoids are often referred to as piles, which are swollen veins in your anus and rectum. Moreover, it can develop inside or outside .

Regardless of where it developed, it would make you uncomfortable.

Fortunately, theres a wide variety of treatments and options exist to get rid of external hemorrhoids. Aside from prescriptions, you can try botanicals that can make pains more tolerable.

At some point, you should never hesitate to go to a doctor. Although its a common problem among adults, severe external hemorrhoids cases might require medical attention.

So, here are the things you ought to know when you have one, along with the natural remedies you can try at home to get rid of external hemorrhoids.

Contents

How Can I Treat My Hemorrhoids

You can most often treat your hemorrhoids at home by

• taking a stool softener or a fiber supplement such as psyllium or methylcellulose
• drinking water or other nonalcoholic liquids each day as recommended by your health care professional
• not straining during bowel movements
• not sitting on the toilet for long periods of time
• taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin
• sitting in a tub of warm water, called a sitz bath, several times a day to help relieve pain

Applying over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams or ointments or using suppositoriesa medicine you insert into your rectummay relieve mild pain, swelling, and itching of external hemorrhoids. Most often, doctors recommend using over-the-counter products for 1 week. You should follow up with your doctor if the products

• do not relieve your symptoms after 1 week
• cause side effects such dry skin around your anus or a rash

Most prolapsed internal hemorrhoids go away without at-home treatment. However, severely prolapsed or bleeding internal hemorrhoids may need medical treatment.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Hemorrhoids Fast After Birth

Hemorrhoids: Diagnosis And Treatment Options

TIMOTHY MOTT, MD, Naval Hospital Pensacola, Pensacola, Florida

KELLY LATIMER, MD, MPH, U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, Catania, Italy

CHAD EDWARDS, MD, Hamilton Medical Center, Dalton, Georgia

Am Fam Physician. 2018 Feb 1 97:172-179.

Patient information: A handout on hemorrhoids is available.

• References

Hemorrhoids develop when the venous drainage of the anus is altered, causing the venous plexus and connecting tissue to dilate, creating an outgrowth of anal mucosa from the rectal wall. However, the exact pathophysiology is unknown. Hemorrhoids occur above or below the dentate line where the proximal columnar transitions to the distal squamous epithelium . The anus is approximately 4 cm long in adults, with the dentate line located roughly at the midpoint.2 Hemorrhoids developing above the dentate line are internal. They are painless because they are viscerally innervated. External hemorrhoids develop below the dentate line and can become painful when swollen. The extent of prolapse of internal hemorrhoids can be graded on a scale from I to IV, which guides effective treatment . This grading system is incomplete, however, because it focuses exclusively on the extent of prolapse and does not consider other clinical factors, such as size and number of hemorrhoids, amount of pain and bleeding, and patient comorbidities and preferences.3

SORT: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Increasing fiber intake is an effective first-line, non-surgical treatment for hemorrhoids.

FIGURE 1.