Hemorrhoid Relief

Although hemorrhoids may seem like growths within the anal/rectal region, hemorrhoids are nothing more than swollen, bulging blood vessels. As these blood vessels grow, they can rupture and bleed, resulting in the often scary sight of blood during a bowel movement. Left untreated, hemorrhoids can protrude and lead to more serious complications. Many treatments can shrink and manage hemorrhoids. To prevent further flare ups, those who suffer from hemorrhoids must undergo certain lifestyle changes in addition to treatment of the hemorrhoids themselves.

External Hemorrhoid Relief

• Hemorrhoids that develop on the outside of the anus are known as external hemorrhoids. Usually painless at first, most people don't notice external hemorrhoids until they bleed and the blood pools and clots within the hemorrhoid. The resulting lump can be quite painful and if it ruptures, it can produce blood. For relief of a smaller lump, medicine such as Preparation H can dull the pain and help shrink the hemorrhoid. However, should a thrombosis (blood cot) form in the hemorrhoid, you will probably need an incision in the lump to drain the clot.

  Severely swollen external hemorrhoids may require a surgical procedure (hemorrhoidectomy) to remove excess tissue, but this treatment is more often used for internal hemorrhoids.

Internal Hemorrhoid Relif

• Internal hemorrhoids develop on the inside of the anus. Usually people with internal hemorrhoids don't notice them unless they rupture and bleed or swell so much that they protrude during bowel movements. For moderately swollen internal hemorrhoids, doctors will usually inject the hemorrhoids with medicine.

  If the injected medicine does not properly shrink the hemorrhoids (or your hemorrhoids have already begun to protrude), your doctor may opt for rubber band ligation. Rubber band ligation is a treatment in which your doctor will wrap small rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid, cutting off the circulation to the hemorrhoid. Over the course of a couple days, the hemorrhoid will wither up and the excess tissue will fall off.

  For hemorrhoids that don't respond to injection, ligation or other treatments like infrared coagulation (laser treatment), a hemorrhoidectomy may be performed. During a hemorrhoidectomy, your surgeon will remove the excess tissue around the hemorrhoid. Since excess tissue around hemorrhoids can lead to bleeding and hemorrhoid re-occurrence, hemorrhoidectomies are the most effective hemorrhoid treatments.

  Other internal hemorrhoid treatment includes stapling (staples that cut off the flow of blood to the hemorrhoids) and heat therapy.

Home Care and Prevention

• Depending on whether you have internal or external hemorrhoids, home care may or may not help your condition. For small external hemorrhoids, ointments and warm sitz baths can relieve pain and even help to treat the hemorrhoid. Internal hemorrhoids on the other hand, require some form of outpatient treatment.

  One of the best overall ways to "cure" hemorrhoids is to adopt lifestyle changes that prevent hemorrhoid formation. Diets high in fiber help your overall digestive function and allow for bowel movements to exit your system more easily. Hydration also softens the stool. Since constant straining during bowel movements can promote hemorrhoid growth, people are advised not to read on the toilet or push too hard while going to the bathroom. Likewise, people are advised not to delay the urge to go to the bathroom since stool will press against the hemorrhoids and further irritate them, increasing the risk of bleeding.