Can You Treat Hemorrhoids at Home?

Pregnancy, obesity and bad eating habits are just some reasons that can cause hemorrhoids. A full 50% of the American population has experienced pain, itching, bleeding or prolapse at some point. It is rarely life threatening but can be a painful problem that repeats as often as monthly. Hemorrhoids are a debilitating illness – especially when they end up heavily bleeding or causing pain. At the same time, there is plenty that can be done to help prevent the occurrence of hemorrhoids particularly during your midlife years.

Causes of Hemorrhoids

Aging

Hemorrhoids are still most common among adults over age 50 years old, but no one is safe from them. Young people and even children are also susceptible to the disease.

Pregnancy

It is a very delicate phase for women. During this period, women may be more prone to hemorrhoids which are likely to occur during the first and third trimester of the pregnancy. One may not even realize that they have hemorrhoids as not many pregnant women experience pain from it, but bleeding may be present especially when one engages in “defecation activities”.

Chronic Constipation

It can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Constipation may put too much pressure from the contents of your bowels. When it does not come out easily, you are putting added force on veins which are in turn constricted and expanding. This can be a prompt for hemorrhoids.

Diarrhea

Patients may experience hemorrhoids when dealing with cases of chronic diarrhea. If a person has been suffering from symptoms of extreme constipation or blood in stool, he/she may want to visit a doctor to get treated right away.

Diet

Watch that fiber count! Eating foods with low fiber may cause hemorrhoids.

Obesity

It is generally agreed upon within the research community that being overweight may lead to hemorrhoids. Recent studies have shown that this may be the result of increased pressure within the abdomen when there is a build up of fat around the digestive organs.

Signs of Hemorrhoids

Seeing blood in your toilet bowl or in your stool is not necessarily an abnormal occurrence, but it could be shocking if it happens while having a bowel movement. But hemorrhoids actually cause this startling symptom. Other signs include itchiness in the anal area, experiencing pain in your anus most especially while sitting down, painful pile and turgid in the anal region, lastly feeling pain and discomfort while doing defecation activities.

Hemorrhoids can be caused by straining too much and too often. To help relieve irritation and itching, avoid excessive cleaning or rubbing. At times, hemorrhoids will bleed as a result of passing hard stool.

Home Remedies

Sitz Bath

To cure the itchiness of the hemorrhoid, you need to fill up a tub with warm water that covers the knees and soak in it for at least ten minutes without rubbing the afflicted area. Gently pat yourself dry but please do not rub the area all over too much because that can irritate it and cause aggravating itching. 

Increase Fiber Intake

It is highly recommended to increase fiber in the diet. Foods high in fiber, such as whole-grain foods, cereals with at least 2 grams of fiber per serving, vegetables, and fruits are all recommended. Another way to intake fiber is by supplements. It is a good way to relieve hemorrhoids that are inflamed from chronic constipation. It can make bowel movements softer and more comfortable while reducing the risk of bleeding and future discomfort. Psyllium may cause gas or bloating, which irritates your gut lining. If you choose this treatment, cut back gradually until you know how much drug you can take without having mild side effects.

Look for a Common Remedy for Hemorrhoids 

Temporary relief is possible through medications that are available over-the-counter as well as some other common remedy. One solution commonly used is an ice pack which will help to reduce the pain and swelling of hemorrhoids in the short term. Also by using a cushion for your chair or for sitting when one needs to relieve himself. This way you do not have to always use the ice pack. Another good remedy is to avoid sitting on hard surfaces whenever possible because this could lead to swelling and pain.

Change Sitting Position

One should make sure not to spend too long sitting on the toilet. This can cause hemorrhoids to swell and become irritated.  An easy solution to prevent this from happening is to elevate your feet using a small chair as you defecate . This raises the angle at which your rear end is positioned and makes it easier for stools to pass through more freely.

Stay Clean

After every bowel movement, it is incredibly important to clean your anal region as gently as possible with a soothing baby wipes or clean cotton cloth soaked in warm water. It is also important that you use petroleum jelly or aloe vera gel to sooth any irritation afterward.

Key Takeaway

When hemorrhoids cause burning or itching, it can be tempting to try and treat them with suppositories, and home remedies. Of course, it’s important to understand that there isn’t a single cure or treatment that works for everyone. The best thing you can do is to understand the options available to you, so that you can make an informed decision about the best way to treat your hemorrhoids.