What are Hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids are swollen, inflamed veins. Which is around your anus or the lower part of your rectum.
There are of Two Types :
• External hemorrhoids- External hemorrhoids is form under the skin around your anus
• Internal hemorrhoids- Internal hemorrhoids is form in the lining of your anus and lower rectum
What causes hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids occurs when there is more pressure on the veins around the anus. This can be caused by:
Straining during bowel movements,
Sitting on the toilet for long time,
Chronic constipation or diarrhea,
A low-fiber diet,
Weakening of the supporting tissues in your anus and rectum. This can happen with aging and pregnancy,
Oftenly lifting heavy objects.
What are the Symptoms of Hemorrhoids?
The symptoms of hemorrhoids depend on type of hemorrhoids you have :
• With external hemorrhoids, you can have:
- Anal itching,
- One or many hard, tender lumps near your anus,
- Anal pain, mostly when sitting.
Too much of straining, rubbing, or cleaning around your anus may make your symptoms even worse. For moat of the people, the symptoms of external hemorrhoids go away within a few days.
With internal hemorrhoids, you may have:
Bleeding from your rectum - you would see bright red blood in your stool, on toilet paper, or in the toilet bowl after a bowel movement.
Prolapse- which is a hemorrhoid that has fallen from your anal opening.
Internal hemorrhoids are normally not painful unless they are prolapsed. Prolapsed internal hemorrhoids cam lead to pain and discomfort.
How can I treat hemorrhoids at home?
You can most frequently treat your hemorrhoids at home by:
Eating foods that are high in fiber,
Eating a fiber supplement or a stool softener,
Drinking sufficient fluids every day,
Not straining during bowel movements,
Not sitting on the toilet for long time,
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers,
Taking warm baths many times a day to help relieve pain. This could be a normal daily bath or a sitz bath. With a sitz bath, you use a special plastic tub that allows you to sit in a few inches of warm water,
Using over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams, ointments, or suppositories to better mild pain, swelling, and itching of external hemorrhoids
When do I need to see a health care team for hemorrhoids?
You should see your health care team if you are:
Still having symptoms after 1 week of home treatment
Have bleeding from your rectum. Hemorrhoids are a normal cause of bleeding, but other conditions can also lead to bleeding. They involve Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, and anal cancer. So it is important to see your doctor to find the cause of the bleeding.
How are hemorrhoids diagnosed?
To make a diagnosis, your health care team:
Will ask about your medical history,
Will do a physical exam. Frequently health care team can diagnose external hemorrhoids by looking at the area around your anus,
Will do a digital rectal exam to look for internal hemorrhoids. For this, the health care team will insert a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for anything that is abnormal.
Can do procedures like an anoscopy to check for internal hemorrhoids.
What are the treatments for hemorrhoids?
If at-home treatments for hemorrhoids do not help you, you can need a medical procedure. There are many different procedures that your provider can do in the office. These procedures use different techniques to cause scar tissue to form in the hemorrhoids. This cuts off the blood supply, which normally shrinks the hemorrhoids. In critical cases, you can require a surgery.
Can hemorrhoids be prevented?
You can help prevent hemorrhoids by:
Eating foods that are high in fiber,
Eating a fiber supplement or a stool softener,
Drinking sufficient fluids every day,
Not straining during bowel movements,
Not sitting on the toilet for long time.