Wow To Remove External Memorrhoids At Home:
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External hemorrhoids can be a real pain in the, well, you know where. These swollen veins around the anus not only cause discomfort but can also interfere with your daily life. If you’ve been searching for ways to alleviate this issue without a trip to the doctor, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explore various home remedies that can help you manage and potentially remove external hemorrhoids.
Understanding External Hemorrhoids
Before diving into the remedies, let’s get a clear understanding of what external hemorrhoids are. These are swollen veins located under the skin around your anus. Common symptoms include itching, pain, and sometimes bleeding during bowel movements. Factors like straining during bowel movements, sitting for long periods, and a low-fiber diet can contribute to the development of hemorrhoids.
Home Remedies for External Hemorrhoids
When it comes to treating hemorrhoids at home, natural methods can be very effective. Addressing hemorrhoids promptly is crucial to prevent them from getting worse. Here are some tried-and-true remedies you can use to manage your symptoms and possibly get rid of external hemorrhoids.
Warm Sitz Baths
One of the most soothing treatments for external hemorrhoids is a warm sitz bath. This involves sitting in a few inches of warm water, which can help reduce inflammation and provide relief from pain and itching. To prepare a sitz bath, fill your bathtub or a special sitz bath basin with warm water and sit in it for 15-20 minutes, several times a day.
High-Fiber Diet
Diet plays a significant role in preventing and treating hemorrhoids. A high-fiber diet helps soften stools and promotes regular bowel movements, reducing the need to strain. Include foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in your diet. These foods help keep your digestive system healthy and prevent constipation.
Adequate Hydration
Staying hydrated is another essential factor in managing hemorrhoids. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps keep stools soft, making them easier to pass. Aim for at least eight glasses of water daily, and avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
There are various over-the-counter (OTC) treatments available that can help alleviate hemorrhoid symptoms. These include creams, ointments, and suppositories that contain ingredients like hydrocortisone or witch hazel. These products can reduce itching, swelling, and discomfort. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package for best results.
Cold Compresses
Applying a cold compress to the affected area can provide immediate relief from pain and swelling. Wrap some ice in a clean cloth and apply it to the hemorrhoids for about 15 minutes. Repeat this process several times a day to reduce inflammation.
Topical Treatments
In addition to OTC treatments, there are several natural topical treatments you can use. Aloe vera gel, coconut oil, and witch hazel are all known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Apply these directly to the hemorrhoids to soothe irritation and reduce swelling.
Regular Exercise
Exercise is beneficial for overall health and can also help prevent hemorrhoids. Physical activity promotes regular bowel movements and reduces pressure on the veins in the rectum. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking or swimming, most days of the week.
Avoiding Strain
Straining during bowel movements can exacerbate hemorrhoids. To avoid this, don’t force a bowel movement if you’re not ready. Instead, wait until you feel the urge to go. Using a footstool to elevate your feet while on the toilet can also help make bowel movements easier.
Proper Hygiene
Maintaining good hygiene is crucial when dealing with hemorrhoids. Clean the anal area gently but thoroughly after each bowel movement. Use unscented, alcohol-free wipes or a soft washcloth with warm water. Avoid using dry toilet paper, which can irritate the skin.
When to See a Doctor
While home remedies can be very effective, there are times when professional treatment is necessary. If you experience severe pain, excessive bleeding, or if your hemorrhoids do not improve with home treatments, it’s time to see a doctor. They may recommend medical procedures such as rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, or surgery in severe cases.
Prevention Tips
Preventing hemorrhoids is all about making some lifestyle changes. Eating a high-fiber diet, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and maintaining proper hygiene can go a long way in preventing hemorrhoids from developing or recurring. Additionally, avoid sitting for prolonged periods and take breaks to move around if you have a sedentary job.
Diagnosis
Your health care provider might be able to see external hemorrhoids. Diagnosing internal hemorrhoids might include an exam of your anal canal and rectum.
- Digital examination. Your health care provider inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum. This allows your provider to check for anything unusual, such as growths.
- Visual inspection. Internal hemorrhoids are often too soft to be felt during a rectal exam. Your health care provider might look at the lower part of your colon and rectum with a tool such as an anoscope, a proctoscope or a sigmoidoscope.
Your health care provider might want to look at your entire colon using colonoscopy if:
- Your symptoms suggest you might have another digestive system disease.
- You have risk factors for colorectal cancer.
- You are middle aged and haven’t had a recent colonoscopy.
Treatment
Home remedies
You can often relieve the mild pain, swelling and inflammation of hemorrhoids with home treatments.
- Eat high-fiber foods. Eat more foods that are high in fiber. This helps softens the stool and increases its bulk, which will help you avoid straining. Add fiber to your diet slowly to avoid problems with gas.
- Use topical treatments. Apply a hemorrhoid cream or suppository containing hydrocortisone that you can buy without a prescription. You also can use pads containing witch hazel or a numbing medicine.
- Soak regularly in a warm bath or sitz bath. Soak your anal area in plain warm water for 10 to 15 minutes two or three times a day. A sitz bath fits over the toilet.
- Take pain relievers by mouth. You can temporarily use acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) to help relieve your discomfort.
With these treatments, hemorrhoid symptoms often go away within a week. See your health care provider within a week if you don’t get relief. Contact your provider sooner if you have severe pain or bleeding.
Medicines
Your hemorrhoids might only produce mild discomfort. In this case, your health care provider may suggest creams, ointments, suppositories or pads that you can buy without a prescription. These products contain ingredients such as witch hazel, or hydrocortisone and lidocaine, which can temporarily relieve pain and itching.
Hydrocortisone is a steroid that can thin your skin when used for more than a week. Ask your health care provider how long you should use it.
External hemorrhoid thrombectomy
If a painful blood clot has formed within an external hemorrhoid, your health care provider can remove the hemorrhoid. Removal can provide relief right away. This procedure, done with a medicine that numbs a part of the body, also called a local anesthetic, works best when done within 72 hours of getting a clot.
Minimally invasive procedures:
To remove a hemorrhoid using rubber band ligation, a health care provider inserts a small tool called a ligator through a lighted tube, called a scope, into the anal canal and grasps the hemorrhoid with forceps. Sliding the ligator cylinder upward releases rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid. Rubber bands cut off the hemorrhoid’s blood supply, causing the hemorrhoid to wither and drop off. Source – mayoclinic
For bleeding that doesn’t stop or for painful hemorrhoids, your health care provider might recommend one of the other minimally invasive procedures available. These treatments can be done in your provider’s office or another outpatient setting. They don’t usually require numbing medicine.
- Rubber band ligation. Your health care provider places one or two tiny rubber bands around the base of an internal hemorrhoid to cut off its blood flow. The hemorrhoid withers and falls off within a week.Hemorrhoid banding can be uncomfortable and cause bleeding. The bleeding might begin 2 to 4 days after the procedure but is rarely severe. Sometimes, more-serious complications can occur.
- Sclerotherapy. With sclerotherapy, your health care provider injects a chemical solution into the hemorrhoid tissue to shrink it. While the injection causes little or no pain, it might be less effective than rubber band ligation.
- Coagulation. Coagulation techniques use laser or infrared light or heat. They cause small, bleeding internal hemorrhoids to harden and shrivel. Coagulation has few side effects and usually causes little discomfort.
Surgical procedures
Only a small percentage of people with hemorrhoids need surgery to remove them. However, if other procedures haven’t worked or you have large hemorrhoids, your health care provider might recommend one of the following:
- Hemorrhoid removal, also called a hemorrhoidectomy. Your surgeon removes extra tissue that causes bleeding by using one of various techniques. The surgery can be done with a local anesthetic combined with a medicine to help you feel calm or less anxious, also called a sedative. Spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia also may be used.Hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective and complete way to treat severe or recurring hemorrhoids. Complications can include temporarily having a hard time urinating, which can lead to urinary tract infections. This complication happens mainly after spinal anesthesia.Most people have some pain after the procedure, which medicines can relieve. Soaking in a warm bath also might help.
- Hemorrhoid stapling. This procedure, called stapled hemorrhoidopexy, blocks blood flow to hemorrhoidal tissue. It is typically used only for internal hemorrhoids.Stapling generally involves less pain than hemorrhoidectomy and lets you get back to regular activities sooner. Compared with hemorrhoidectomy, however, stapling has been associated with a greater risk of hemorrhoids coming back and rectal prolapse. Rectal prolapse is when part of the rectum pushes through the anus.Complications also can include bleeding, troubles emptying the bladder and pain. A rare complication is a life-threatening blood infection called sepsis.
External hemorrhoids can be uncomfortable, but with the right home remedies and lifestyle changes, you can manage and even remove them. From warm sitz baths to a high-fiber diet and proper hygiene, these methods are effective in providing relief and preventing future occurrences. Remember, if your symptoms persist, don’t hesitate to seek medical advice. Taking action now can lead to a more comfortable and hemorrhoid-free life.
Can external hemorrhoids be permanently removed at home?
While home remedies can effectively manage and reduce hemorrhoids, they may not permanently remove them. Persistent or severe cases may require medical treatment.
How long do home remedies take to work on hemorrhoids?
The effectiveness of home remedies varies. Some people may see improvement within a few days, while others might take a few weeks to notice significant relief.
Are there any risks associated with home treatments for hemorrhoids?
Home treatments are generally safe, but it’s important to use them as directed. Overuse of certain products or improper hygiene can cause irritation or infection.
Can diet alone cure external hemorrhoids?
A high-fiber diet can significantly alleviate symptoms and prevent hemorrhoids, but it may not cure them completely. Combining dietary changes with other treatments is often most effective.
Is it safe to exercise with external hemorrhoids?
Yes, regular exercise can help prevent and alleviate hemorrhoids. However, avoid activities that strain the abdominal area, and opt for low-impact exercises like walking or swimming.