Hemorrhoid Treatment Guide

Hemorrhoids are very uncomfortable.  Just ask anyone who’s had one. Hemorrhoids occur when the veins that line the anal canal and lower rectum get swollen and stretched-out.  They can be internal and are called prolapsed when they either bulge into the anal canal or protrude out through the anus.  The external hemorrhoids occur just under the skin near the anal opening.  All of them burn, itch and hurt.  Sometimes they even bleed.  They are very common –three-fourths of all Americans will have one in their lifetime. 

The best thing to do is know how to avoid them. Especially if you have a family history because chances are you will get them if both your parents had them.

-Poor diet. A diet high in refined carbohydrates does not contain enough of the fiber your colon needs to work properly. Avoid white flour and sugar products. Eat alot of fruits and vegetables which contain tons of water and fiber.  Eating healthy is a proactive natural hemorrhoids treatment that will help immensely.
-Obesity. When you are heavy, too much weight puts pressure on your veins resulting in hemorrhoids and vericose veins. . Also, most obese people eat an unhealthy diet which results in constipation.
- Standing for long periods of time. The gravitational pull from standing too long puts pressure on your veins.
-Sitting for long periods of time. Invest in a donut cushion to take pressure off of your anus when you have to sit for a while.
-Pregnancy. As the fetus grows bigger, it put pressure on the veins in the rectal area. These will most likely go away after the baby is born.
- Anal sex. Anal intercourse irritates and puts pressure on the veins in the anus.
-Constipation. Constipation either from a poor diet or certain medications put pressure on the anal veins.
-Hemorrhoids could be a sign of something more. Seek out a doctors help if you are unsure.

The best hemorrhoidal treatment is preventative care..

-Eat a diet rich in fiber and drink lots of water. What you want to produce are easy and soft bowel movements. The correct diet goes a long, long way in preventing both constipation and hemorrhoids. If your stools are hard -you are dehydrated and need more water.
-Anal muscle exercises are said to really help. Contract and release your anul muscle for 5 minutes every day.
-Metamucil. Metamucil is a great fiber supplement to take. Be sure to drink a lot of water with fiber or you can make the problem worse.
-Do not do any heavy lifting.
-Do not stand or sit for prolonged periods of time.

-Use a donut pillow to take the pressure off your anus when you are sitting.

-Use soft non-perfumed, non-colored toilet paper and be very gentle when you wipe yourself or better yet, use a moisturized facial tissue to gently clean your anal area.
-No scratching. You can make them worse by scratching and harming the walls of the rectal veins.
-Take a sitz bath. You want to increase the flow of blood to the hemorrhoid with the warm water. Sit with your knees raised to allow the water to flow to the anus. Increased circulation to the hemorrhoid will help to shrink it.
-Use a hemorrhoid medication. Most medications on the market are designed to alleviate the pain more than shrink them. They can help a lot. A cream is recommended over a suppository.
-Witch Hazel causes the blood vessels to shrink down and contract. Apply a cotton ball saturated in witch hazel for quick relief.  This is a good bleeding hemorrhoids treatment . Keep the witch hazel in the refrigerator for added cooling relief.
-Easy on the salt. Salt makes your body retain fluids in the circulatory system which can cause the veins to bulge in the anus.
-If your pregnant – lie on your left side for 20 minutes every 5-6 hours to decrease the pressure on the veins.
-don't sit on anything too cold, or too hot, and if you are willing you can apply, and hold, slight pressure to them as frequently as you can which will gradually allow the blood buildup to dissipate back throughout the body.
-Hang upside down! An inversion table is said to be great for relieving hemorrhoids. The sudden reduction in blood pressure in the area helps to empty the hemorrhoid "sacks" from blood, and then gravity pulls them back with the sphincter contracting.
-Try the rubber band procedure to help hemorrhoids. More information at: http://www.crhcenter.com/patients/about_hemorrhoids/our_procedure.html

Drink ½ cup aloe vera juice 3 times daily for 3-5 days. This can help tighten the tissue and soothe the hemorrhoids. Also, marshmallow or slippery elm tea works too.
-Eating more garlic, ginger and onion helps the body break down the fibrin in the veins so they can be reshaped.
-Beta carotene, vitamin A,C and zinc are all healing agents for hemorrhoids.

If your hemorrhoids are very bad your doctor may recommend surgery. But first, make sure your diet is rich in fiber and water. This is the best hemorrhoid treatment there is. Eating right may circumvent the route of surgery by making them go away. Remember the old wise saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”