Relief for Bleeding Hemorrhoids

Though generally harmless, bleeding hemorrhoids can cause both physical pain and mental anguish. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus or rectum that have a number of causes, including constipation and pregnancy. While treatment options abound for this common malady, it is best to begin with a more conservative approach before trying more expensive and advanced medical interventions.

Self-Treatment Options

• Fortunately, there are a number of inexpensive self-treatment methods for managing bleeding hemorrhoids. Experts at the Mayo clinic recommend making dietary changes, including drinking more water and eating more fiber-rich foods. Over-the-counter fiber supplements are also a means of increasing daily fiber content. The Mayo Clinic also advises against sitting or standing for extended periods of time. Other simple lifestyle changes, such as walking or low-impact exercise, are also recommended by experts to help resolve the underlying constipation that commonly accompanies bleeding hemorrhoids. Additionally, taking warm baths, including sitz baths, can be beneficial in controlling bleeding hemorrhoids by reducing swelling and inflammation. Lastly, avoiding excessive straining during bowel movements is crucial to prevent further swelling and bleeding.
  Various over-the-counter products are also beneficial in soothing bleeding hemorrhoids. Ointments, gels and suppositories to relieve itching, swelling and pain are widely available, as are oral pain relievers containing ibuprofen or naproxin. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as Advil and Aleve are preferred over pain relievers with acetaminophen, as they help reduce swelling and inflammation. Also, acetaminophen-based pain relievers are blood thinners, so they should be avoided (unless directed by a physician) as they may actually contribute to increased bleeding.

Non-Surgical Medical Intervention

• If simple self-treatment remedies do not resolve bleeding hemorrhoids, then non-surgical medical procedures are generally effective. These methods involve cutting off the blood supply to the swollen veins to control bleeding. There are two separate approaches to accomplishing this goal. Infrared coagulation is a non-surgical technique that involves delivering a quick pulse of infrared light to the tissue above the swollen hemorrhoid via a small probe. The infrared light coagulates the vein and causes it to shrink, thus controlling bleeding. The second technique is known as rubber band ligation. It involves the insertion of a small rubber band on the tissue above the swollen veins to cut off its blood supply and reduce swelling. The rubber band and dead tissue sloughs off a few days later and the involved area heals naturally. Both of these methods accomplish the same goal of shrinking the swollen hemorrhoids by cutting of their blood supply; these methods are preferred over surgery, as risks are minimized and the technique is fast and causes little or no pain.

Surgical Intervention

• If relief from chronically bleeding hemorrhoids cannot be obtained through conservative measures, then surgical intervention is a final option. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons notes that hemorrhoidectomies are only performed in about 10 percent of all cases of bleeding hemorrhoids; they are generally done after all other treatment options have failed. When surgery is recommended, it is usually reserved for cases of internal or strangulated hemorrhoids that are in advanced stages of pathology. As with all surgeries, hemorrhoidectomies do involve risk, pain and a protracted healing process.