How to Treat Hemorrhoids - Top Hemorrhoid Treatment

How to Treat Hemorrhoids – Top Hemorrhoid Treatment : Almost every adult has had hemorrhoids at least once in their life. They know how uncomfortable the burning, itching, and irritation can be. Hemorrhoids can also cause pain and discomfort when using the bathroom (while they are inflamed). In this article, we are discussing on treatment options, and how you can treat them yourself, or what to do if you have to go to the hemorrhoid doctor for treatment.

Constipation Causes Much of the Problem

One of the most common causes of hemorrhoids is constipation. By eating a healthy variety of fibers, you can ensure that you can limit your chance of getting hemorrhoids. Many fruits (such as apples), vegetables (lentils, split peas, black beans, and more), healthy grains (oatmeal has been proven to not only help prevent hemorrhoids, but also to help reduce the swelling, as well as provide plenty of fiber for your diet). You can also supplement your fiber with a product such as Metamucil, just be sure to not overdo it – too much fiber can actually cause severe constipation.

DIY Hemorrhoid Treatments

Take a warm bath (with or without Epsom salts – which contain magnesium sulfate; a well known healing agent) a couple times a day. Use warm/hot (but not too hot) water that just goes up to your waist. This can help reduce irritation.
Take an over the counter anti-inflammatory and pain reliever if possible. Medicines such as Tylenol, aspirin or ibuprofen, and Aleve (naproxen sodium) can help alleviate pain associated with hemorrhoids.
Switch to baby wipes or wet wipes to heal, treat, and even prevent causing issues with future hemorrhoids. Toilet paper almost always has dust, sometimes fragrance, and leaves residue behind that can cause further irritation, drying, and scratching (which can cause hemorrhoids to be more irritated and bleed).
Shower and wash the area daily.
Use an over the counter ointment or oil to treat hemorrhoids. Many over the counter ointments include petroleum jelly, shark liver or cod liver oil, hydrocortisone (an anti-itch agent), or phenylephrene to help shrink the blood vessels, and even shrink the hemorrhoids which will cause them to heal faster and be less irritating.

What a Doctor Can Do for You

If you have external hemorrhoids which are causing too much of a problem, your doctor can remove them in one fell swoop. You get a local pain relieving shot to numb the area before removal. These are considered some of the worst kind of hemorrhoids and are some of the most uncomfortable.

The most common treatment performed by a doctor in the U.S. is called rubber band ligation. This is when hemorrhoids are extremely severe, and a doctor “rubber bands” the hemorrhoid to cut the blood supply of the hemorrhoid, which results in the hemorrhoid just falling off. The downside is only some minor bleeding and irritation (from the pressure) may be present, and you can easily take over the counter pain relievers listed above (which can also help the inflammation).

In worst case scenarios, a surgery called hemorrhoidectomy (surgical operation to remove hemorrhoids). This is usually only a problem with about 10% of adults who have to see a physician due to their hemorrhoids. There are also a few other options when it comes to hemorrhoid surgeries, but they are very uncommon. Most of the time, if treated normally, you can eliminate and treat your hemorrhoids yourself, and it’s recommended to try those methods above all other methods first.

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How to treat hemorrhoids with Epsom Salt