What You Should Know About Hemorrhoids
Posted on 28. Nov, 2009 by Ellen Roberts in Diet & Nutrition
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins found in the rectum or anus. The swelling is caused by the strain during bowel movement. Pregnancy, chronic constipation, and diarrhea are other factors that can cause increase pressure in the rectum. There are two types of hemorrhoids which are internal and external.
External Hemorrhoids:
Just like the name, the hemorrhoids in the external hemorrhoids are located outside of the rectum. Its sensitive to the touch and it feels like a small lump. Hemorrhoids that are external are usually itchy and irritating. It’s also more painful that internal hemorrhoids.
Internal Hemorrhoids:
Compared to external hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids usually don’t hurt at all. Just as external hemorrhoids are found on the outside of the rectum, internal are found in the inside of the anus and on occasions may bleed. Blood on the toilet paper or in the toilet after bowel movement are common symptoms of internal hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoid Symptoms:
Blood on the toilet paper or blood in the toilet after bowel movement is the most common symptoms of hemorrhoids. Sensitive lumps along with irritation and painful swelling around the anus area are all symptoms of external hemorrhoids. A symptom of internal hemorrhoids is an odd itch inside of your anus.
Hemorrhoid Prevention:
Having the right diet is the best prevention for hemorrhoids. Drink lots of water to soften the stool for easy strain during bowel movement. It’s unhealthy to eat lots of processed food so in order to prevent hemorrhoids, add some fiber to your diet. More foods to increase your chances to prevent hemorrhoids are bran, fruits and vegetable.
Certain toilet habits will also help with avoiding hemorrhoids such as reading while your on the toilet. Sitting on the toilet for long periods of time can cause straining. So when you have a bowel movement, try to get the “job” done without reading.
If your job requires you to sit for long periods of time, make sure you try to get up and walk around for five minutes per every hour. This advice will help you immensely because exercising and moving around is also a good hemorrhoid prevention.
Hemorrhoid Treatment:
The nature of your hemorrhoid will determine the best treatment for you. Natural home treatment and surgery are two types of treatment that are both effective.
You would use the natural home hemorrhoid treatments to reduce the swelling and ease some of the pain.
A treatment to treat both the swelling and the pain is called a sitz bath where you sit in a tub of warm water for ten minutes a few times a day to treat both the swelling and the pain.
Using ice packs is another way to reduce hemorrhoid swelling and will also numb the area for pain.
What can help with irritation is applying creams with a natural astringent called witch hazel around the effected area.
When the hemorrhoid is too painful, if the hemorrhoid persist, or in extreme cases, surgery is performed.
A common form of uncomplicated hemorrhoid treatment is called rubber band ligation. It’s basically a rubber band that is placed around the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum. The blood flow will be cut off from the hemorrhoid causing it to deteriorate and wither away within a few days.
A surgery that is used for smaller hemorrhoids is called Infrared Coagulations which can be used on external and internal hemorrhoids. Infrared light is used in this procedure to burn off the hemorrhoids.
A hardening agent injection is a form of hemorrhoid treatment called Sclerotherapy. It is a type of surgery used for small internal hemorroids that will it cause it to lose circulation and shrivel.
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