Hemorrhoid treatments are often searched for on the internet because they are such a common problem, and you, the hemorrhoid sufferer, want to find the quickest and easiest solution to your problem. Finding the right hemorrhoid treatment may be your best hope to eliminating your hemorrhoids before resorting to surgery. You probably have tried ignoring your hemorrhoids at the beginning, but have gotten to the point, where that is no longer possible. Turning to the internet to find hemorrhoid treatments, you know that there are many websites offering their products out in cyberspace.
It can be confusing to read the various ads which usually contain only sales pitches, and little factual information about hemorrhoid treatments. Our company, Natural Herbway, emphasizes that we have your well-being as our first priority, and we want you to be as informed as possible about all the types of home remedies and medical treatments available. We believe that the more informed you are, the better will be your choice in selecting an appropriate hemorrhoid treatment for yourself.
We can not stress enough that before you attempt to find a hemorrhoid treatment for yourself, you should see your doctor for a diagnosis. You need to be sure that you have hemorrhoids. There are other diseases that should be ruled out, such as anal cancer, fissures, pruritus ani, and other conditions. At the doctor's office, you will likely receive a digital rectal examine, and if necessary an instrument will be used to view the interior of the rectum. Further testing may be advised to rule out other gastrointestinal diseases which can cause bleeding. Once you have that diagnosis, you can begin to consider what hemorrhoid treatment will be right for you, and you will be on the path to eliminating hemorrhoids from your life.
Home Remedies are anything that you can find or do in your own house which will lessen your symptoms. If your hemorrhoids are caught early enough, you can make simple lifestyle changes to clear them up, and you can avoid hemorrhoid treatments altogether.
Do not use dry toilet paper because it is an irritant to the sensitive skin of the anal area and can contain harmful chemicals. An alternative is to use baby wipes or towelettes which will cleanse and soothe the area.
Do not sit on the toilet for long periods of time. Wait till you feel the urge to have a bowel movement and then relieve yourself. Avoid straining and sitting for more than a few minutes, even if you feel you are not done. The urge will return and do not stifle it; otherwise, it can lead to constipation.
Avoid carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, citrus juices, wine, and beer. This will help lower the acidity of your bowel movements which contributes to the itching. Avoid caffeine which relaxes the sphincter muscle contributing to flatulence and skin sensitivity.
Drink more water and add more fiber to your diet to soften your bowel movements and promote regularity. This is probably the most important lifestyle change that you can make because constipation and straining are the usual causes of hemorrhoids.
Consider using enemas that can keep the rectum clean and remove irritants with the use of warm water. Also, enemas can stimulate a bowel movement if you are constipated.
Use ice packs to help relieve inflamed hemorrhoids. Icing the anal area for 10 to 15 minutes, five times a day often provides relief and is an effective hemorrhoid treatment.
Keep the anal area dry with the use of baby powder or corn starch applied to a cotton roll. Placed between the buttocks, the cotton will absorb excess moisture.
Soak in your bathtub using plain warm water, but not hot water, to give moist heat to the anal region. The water should be soap-free because soap is an irritant. The warm water around the anal area causes the veins to relax. This should give you temporary relief from hemorrhoidal pain, and can be done as often as you want during the day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Use a sitz bath as an alternative to soaking in your bathtub, especially today when many homes only have showers. You can buy a sitz bath that will fit over your toilet, and they are relatively inexpensive, most cost less than twenty dollars. They are usually made of plastic in a basin shape that will hold the water you need to immerse your rectal area.
Pregnancy often causes hemorrhoids because of the added pressure of the developing baby in the pelvic area and hormonal changes that are taking place in your body. The good news is that hemorrhoids usually clear up after giving birth. Remember that adding more liquid and fiber to your diet along with moderate exercise will help prevent hemorrhoids during your pregnancy. However, if problems due develop, the hemorrhoid treatments are similar to the home remedies for any typical sufferer.
Soak your bottom in plain, warm water (without soap) as often as you want during the day.
Use a sitz bath which is a plastic basin that will fit on the toilet where you can soak your rectal area for a few minutes. Although, remember that you do not want to sit too long on the toilet as it can create additional pressure on the hemorrhoids.
Apply an ice pack to the affected area several times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. This is an effective hemorrhoid treatment because it can decrease the swelling and discomfort.
Try using both warm and cold treatments, alternating between a warm tub or sitz bath, and an ice pack.
Keep the anal area as dry as possible; use baby wipes or towelettes as toilet tissue. Avoid rubbing the area and pat dry. A cotton roll with baby powder or corn starch placed between the buttocks will help absorb the moisture.
If you sit for long periods of time during the day, be sure that every hour that you get up and move around. This will help relieve the pressure in the pelvic area.
Minimally invasive hemorrhoid treatments are procedures that can be done in your doctor's office or on an outpatient basis, and usually require no time away from your job. They are quick and effective for many people.
Coagulation is a technique where lasers or infrared lights are used on the hemorrhoid. The method causes the internal hemorrhoid to harden and dry-up. It has few side effects, but the hemorrhoids often return.
Rubber band ligation has a better success rate than coagulation. In this method, the doctor ties off the hemorrhoid at the base with one or two rubber bands. Without a blood supply, the hemorrhoid falls off in a few days. The patient may experience discomfort and bleeding after the procedure, but complications are rare.
Sclerotherapy is a hemorrhoid treatment where a chemical solution is injected into the hemorrhoid causing it to shrink. It is a painless technique, although it seems to be less successful than rubber band ligation and is usually only used on smaller hemorrhoids.
Surgical procedures are the alternatives of last resort in hemorrhoid treatments. If you suffer from severe prolapsed hemorrhoids where all other hemorrhoid treatments have failed, you may be urged to have surgery. This is a difficult option to undergo because of the longer and painful recuperation period, and the considerable expense involved with an operation. Hemorrhoids are usually classified into four degrees for the purpose of surgery. The first degree is for hemorrhoids that bleed but do not prolapse outside the anus. The second degree is for hemorrhoids that prolapse outside the anus but will retract. This usually happens during a bowel movement, and afterward the hemorrhoid retracts by itself into the rectum. The third degree is for hemorrhoids that need to be pushed back manually into the anus after a bowel movement. The fourth degree is for hemorrhoids that cannot be pushed back, and they usually contain rectal tissue which is strangulated or thrombosed (contains blood clots). Usually, surgery is only prescribed for the third and fourth category.
A hemorrhoidectomy is the complete removal of the hemorrhoid by surgery under anesthesia. The procedure has a high complications rate which may include temporary inability to void urine and high urinary tract infection rates. Recovery can be long and painful, so this surgery isn't usually undertaken except in the severest of cases. Also, studies have shown a possible link between this surgery and lack of bladder control in later life.
Stapled hemorrhoidectomy or PPH (procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids) surgery is the newest innovation in hemorrhoid treatments. It was developed in the early 1990's as a less drastic surgery with a quicker recovery period. The nontraditional surgery usually lasts from 15 - 30 minutes and the patient can be back at work in a few days. Hemorrhoids are not removed during the surgery but the tissue which supports the hemorrhoids is removed. Usually, it is used in cases of third and fourth degree hemorrhoids which have fallen outside of the anus (prolapsed). Risks that are associated with this procedure are damage to the sphincter muscle or rectal wall, pelvic infection, and persistent pain. Also, the hemorrhoids may reoccur, and it is possible that rectal prolapse (the rectum protrudes from the anus) can result from the surgery
