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Is a hemorrhoidectomy right for you? Many people who suffer from severe hemorrhoids are faced with this question. In this article, we will discuss a little bit about the process of getting a hemorrhoidectomy as well as the pros and cons of the surgery. When you are finished reading you will have the information you need to make an informed decision.

Hemorrhoids occur as a result of inflammation in the normal veins of both the anus and rectum. About three quarters of Americans suffer from hemorrhoids, and while most don’t need of medical assistance, for those who do the decision can feel intimidating. If you have excessive bleeding, and other less invasive methods have not solved the problem, or if your hemorrhoids are very large, your doctor may suggest a hemorrhoidectomy. A hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the entire hemorrhoid. The doctor makes an incision around the hemorrhoid tissue, ties off the swelled vein in the hemorrhoid to stop the bleeding, and then removes the hemorrhoid. Your doctor may choose to leave the surgical area open or stitch it up depending on what would be more medically beneficial. In either case the wound is covered with a medicated gauze.

You will have to go to a surgical center to have the procedure done. Usually you’ll be able to go home on the same day. A hemorrhoidectomy may be done with either a scalpel, a cautery pencil, or with a laser. Whether you use the traditional scalpel or newer instruments, the level of success is the same. While lasers seem fancier, they cost more, take longer, and even cause deeper injury to tissue.

Hemorrhoidectomy is about 95% effective in protecting against recurrence of hemorrhoids. Some early side effects include bleeding, problems with urination including urinary tract infections and difficulty urinating, pain, infection, impacted feces, and incontinence. Long-term issues include the forming of a fistula, or abnormal passage between the rectal or anal canal and other areas, rectal prolapse (rectum pushes through the anal opening), stenosis (the anal canal narrows), and hemorrhoid recurrence. Depending on the severity of your hemorrhoids, risking these side effects might be worthwhile. However, it is worth noting that the majority of internal hemorrhoids get smaller and show a reduction in discomfort with noninvasive procedures or home treatment. These less invasive procedures are less risky, hurt less, and mean less time out of work or other important activities of daily life. If internal hemorrhoids are small, doctors do not recommend surgery.

If you are going to have success following up a hemorrhoidectomy, the most important factor is to make the necessary changes to your bowel habits. It is essential to do what you can to pass stools as easily as possible. While you may see better results in the long term from a hemorrhoidectomy as opposed to less invasive, fixative procedures that work by cutting off the flow of blood to the hemorrhoid, surgery is expensive, offers more risks and complications, and generally has greater pain.

If you suffer from severe hemorrhoids, a hemorrhoidectomy is worth considering. Make sure to consult with your doctor the specifics of your medical condition and create a plan of action for the modification of your bowel habits so that you can have the greatest chance of success.

So you have hemorrhoids and you want to know why. With knowledge comes power, and once you have finished reading this article you will have a good knowledge of the three most common causes of hemorrhoids: bowel habits, diet and exercise, and medical. From there you’ll be able to take on the hemorrhoids at the source and defeat them.

In order to understand the root causes of hemorrhoids you have to understand the nature of them. When you think hemorrhoids, think pressure, specifically pressure in the veins of the rectal and pelvic region. When this swelling in the veins expands into the surrounding tissue, you get hemorrhoids. So the key to reducing hemorrhoids is to reduce pressure. One of the most common reasons for excessive amount of pressure that leads to hemorrhoids is one’s bowel habits. If you hurry to make a bowel movement, this excessive speed can cause you to strain too much. Conversely, if you try to avoid making a bowel movement by putting it off, you can also have straining.  You want to avoid straining, as it increases the pressure on your rectal veins. Another associated problem related to bowel habits is persistent constipation or diarrhea. Both of these lead to greater pressure on the anal canal veins due to straining. Do your best to stay regular, and if you are suffering from either of these conditions make sure to consult your doctor.
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In addition, diet and exercise play a role in the causing and the prevention of hemorrhoids. Diets that are low in fiber can lead to straining and thus hemorrhoids, so make sure to get plenty of fiber by eating whole grains and vegetables, including lots of salads with leafy greens chock-full of that roughage that grandma recommends. You can also try out a fiber supplement. Not exercising or not getting enough exercise can also contribute to hemorrhoids. This is especially true if you have put on a few extra pounds, especially around the pelvis or abdomen, as this can lead to increased pressure in the veins of the pelvis. Lastly, make sure to drink plenty of water, as dehydration can harden the stool and lead to straining.

Lastly there are medical factors that can lead to hemorrhoids. For example if you are pregnant, the changes in your hormone levels will lead to greater blood flow in the pelvis, and the relaxing of your regular supporting tissues of the growing fetus adds pressure to the blood vessels. While you’re in labor you may develop hemorrhoids because the anal area is subject to intense pressures as you push while delivering the baby. Also, if you have liver or heart disease, long-term sufferers can have a condition where blood pools in the pelvic region or abdomen. This causes the veins to enlarge and causes hemorrhoids. Lastly there is the possibility of a tumor in the pelvic region. These are rare but worth checking out with your doctor.

Knowing the causes of hemorrhoids is the first step towards preventing them. Make sure to practice proper bowel habits, a good regimen of diet and exercise, and rule out medical conditions, and you’ll be happier and healthier. You can do it!

If you are suffering from bleeding when you pass stool, i.e. if you see blood of a bright red color inside the toilet water or on your toilet paper, you have pain, irritation or an itchy feeling around your anus, or an obvious protrusion from your anus or swelling in that area, you may have a condition known as hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids occur when the veins in the rectum and anus swell or become inflamed. There are a number of popular medical treatments for hemorrhoids, some medicinal, while others involve going to a doctor’s office for treatment. In this article we will discuss a little bit more about the types of hemorrhoids, when you need to see the doctor, and some common treatments. When you’re finished reading you’ll have a clear understanding of what you need to do and how doctor can help with your hemorrhoid treatment.
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Where your hemorrhoid is located determines the symptoms. Inside the rectum is where you will find internal hemorrhoids. These generally are not uncomfortable; in fact you won’t be able to feel or see them. If you are straining when you make a bowel movement this can injure the surface of the hemorrhoid causing bleeding. Sometimes, an internal hemorrhoid can be pushed through the anal opening by excessive straining. When that happens, you have what is called a prolapsed or protruding hemorrhoid which can be frightening as well is causing irritation and pain. Under the skin in your anal region is where you will find external hemorrhoids. Unlike internal hemorrhoids which are generally not painful, external hemorrhoids when irritated itch and bleed, sometimes even pooling to form a clot. Hemorrhoidal clots are very painful and accompanied by inflammation and swelling.

If you experience bleeding during a bowel movement, you should see a doctor. Not all bleeding from the anal area is caused by hemorrhoids. Let your doctor do the physical and medical tests to rule out other conditions and diseases, providing you an accurate diagnosis of whether or not you have hemorrhoids. If you know you have hemorrhoids, and they are painful, frequently or excessively bleeding, and don’t respond to treatment at home. If you are passing bowel movements that are black, maroon, tarry, loaded with blood clots, or have an excessive amount of blood mixed in with the school, get to your doctor immediately. Schools like that can show a severe bleed somewhere in your digestive tract. Also go straight to the emergency room if you are experiencing severe rectal bleeding, are lightheaded, feel like you are going to faint, or are dizzy.

If you have an external hemorrhoid, the doctor will be able to palpate it for diagnosis by inserting a finger (they will wear gloves) into the rectum. However, as internal hemorrhoids may not be felt in a rectal because they are very soft, your doctor may also choose to use an anoscope, sigmoidoscope, or proctoscope to get a good look at the lower area of the colon and rectum.

Once your hemorrhoids are diagnosed, the next step is treatment. With hemorrhoids that cause just mild discomfort, you may be told to pick up over-the-counter ointment, cream, pad, or suppository. These products may use hydrocortisone or witch hazel to help with the itching and pain for at least a short time. If the over-the-counter treatments don’t work, they are procedures that are minimally invasive to help. For example, if you have a blood clot inside of external hemorrhoid, the doctor will do a minor incision to remove it, a treatment that works quickly and effectively.

If your hemorrhoids are painful or bleed a lot, there is an outpatient procedures. One is rubber band ligation, where the doctor places tiny rubber bands around an internal hemorrhoid’s base in order to cut the circulation of blood to the area. This might cause bleeding or be uncomfortable, but it’s not usually severe. The onset of the symptoms is usually somewhere between two and four days after the procedure. You can also have the doctor inject into the hemorrhoid tissue a chemical solution which will shrink it. This is called sclerotherapy. While injection causes minimal to no pain, it is often not as effective as rubber band ligation. Lastly, you may end up using infrared, bipolar, or laser coagulation. What this does is harden bleeding internal hemorrhoids and make them shrivel away. Even though coagulation doesn’t have a lot of side effects, there is more of a chance of your hemorrhoids coming back then if you were to use rubber band ligation.

If these outpatient procedures don’t do the trick, or if your hemorrhoids are particularly large, your doctor may suggest surgery. Some common surgical procedures include the hemorrhoidectomy, where the surgeon takes out the excess tissue that causes your bleeding. This can be done with sedation and a local anesthetic, a spinal anesthetic, or under general anesthesia. Hemorrhoidectomy, while it offers the most complete and effective method for the removal of hemorrhoids, it also has the most complications. Complications include temporary difficulty urinating and associated infections of the urinary tract. Most people also have pain after a hemorrhoidectomy. There are medications for this, and also a warm bath can be effective in helping to relieve pain. Another surgical procedure is a stapled hemorrhoidectomy. What this does is cut off the flow of blood to the hemorrhoid’s tissue. This is less painful than a hemorrhoidectomy and lets you get back to work faster, but it also offers a greater chance that the hemorrhoidal return as well as the possibility of a prolapsed rectum, which means that there is a part of the rectum that sticks out from the anus. It’s up to you and your doctor to decide which of these surgical procedures would work best for you.

You not have to suffer alone with it with hemorrhoids. There are a number of treatments that can be tailored to your needs. Make sure to consult with your doctor if you are concerned that you might have hemorrhoids, and you in your doctor can work out a plan for effective treatment.

If you’ve had a bout with hemorrhoids, suffered from the itching, pain, and associated bleeding from the anus, then you know this is an experience you don’t want to repeat. In this article we will discuss some common causes of hemorrhoids and discuss five useful ways to prevent them. When you are finished reading, you will have all the tools you need to keep hemorrhoids out of your life.

You’ll be surprised to know that everyone has hemorrhoids, but most of the time because they are not inflamed, they don’t give us any trouble. The condition that we call hemorrhoids happens when there is inflammation and swelling in the anus or rectum. Three out of four people in the US have had hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. Hemorrhoids come in two categories: external hemorrhoids which are located under the skin around the anus, and internal hemorrhoids in the lower rectum. External hemorrhoids are the ones that cause the most irritation and pain, especially if there is a clot inside the hemorrhoid. Conversely, internal hemorrhoids are pretty much painless, though you may see some blood on your toilet paper with your stool if you are suffering from internal hemorrhoids.

The major reason why people get hemorrhoids is because of pressure in the pelvic or rectal area. This pressure makes the veins swell up. Other causes of the problem include pregnancy, anal sex, chronic diarrhea or constipation, and putting off bowel movements. The key is to change your existing habits and add preventative habits to help get the pressure off and reduce inflammation. Diet and exercise can do a lot to help prevent hemorrhoids, as well as a change in one’s bowel habits. Adding fiber to your diet is very important to the prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids. Fiber bulks up the stool and makes it softer, both of which really help with hemorrhoids prevention. Make sure to have plenty of green vegetables, salads, fruit, wheat and flaxseed, and you’ll go a long way to adding the fiber necessary to make your hemorrhoids a distant memory. Also don’t neglect water. One common cause of constipation is dehydration, and proper intake of liquids will generally help soften the stool.

Make sure not to rush your bowels. This can cause straining which leads to hemorrhoids. You want to do everything you can to pass regular stool. On the other hand, you don’t want to avoid or try to stop yourself from making a bowl movement. Allowing things to get back up to the point where you have piles is a surefire way to give yourself hemorrhoids. And incorporate more exercise into your life. Working out regularly is an easy way to improve your overall health as well as avoid hemorrhoids. Try to avoid clothing that is too tight around the rear, and take frequent baths using warm water and salt.

With these simple tips, a focus on pressure reduction, diet and exercise, the proper clothing, a change in one’s toilet habits, and warm water bath with salt, will go a long way towards keeping hemorrhoids out of your life.

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Did you know there are a number of effective natural remedies that you can use at home to treat hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids happen when the normal veins of the rectum and anus become inflamed and swollen. Hemorrhoids are very common — three of four people in the US have suffered from hemorrhoids at some point. The range of ages most commonly associated with hemorrhoids is 45 to 65, but research on 21 to 55-year-olds has found that most have had a bout with hemorrhoids, between 50% and 85%. Luckily, most people with hemorrhoids do not require medical assistance.

Hemorrhoids come in two types: external and internal. Basically external hemorrhoids are located around the anus under the skin, while internal hemorrhoids are found in the lower rectum. External hemorrhoids cause the most discomfort because the skin can erode or get irritated; and if there is a blood clot on the inside part of an external hemorrhoid, severe and sudden pain can ensue. With the external hemorrhoid you may even see a lump or feel it around the anus. On the other hand, internal hemorrhoids are generally painless.

Whether you are suffering from internal or external hemorrhoids, there are five good natural remedies that you can make a part of your hemorrhoid treatment regimen. The first is fiber. Fiber is great as it not only increases the stool’s bulk but can also soften it, both of which cause a reduction in straining. In a study of 378 hemorrhoid sufferers, seven random trials showed the fiber helps relieve itching, pain, and discomfort associated with hemorrhoids. You can get more fiber in food, increasing your intake of vegetables and whole grains. Also you can find fiber supplements in powdered form such as Psyllium. And don’t neglect ground flaxseed.

Another natural remedy you may want to try is a plant compound called bioflavonoids. These strengthen and stabilize the walls of the blood vessels and cut down on inflammation. Side effects are both rare and mild, which makes bioflavonoids useful in treating pregnancy related hemorrhoids. Avoid flavonoid tangeretin if you are taking a treatment for breast cancer called tamoxifen. Flavanoids are common in citrus fruits, herperidin, oxerutins, and diosmin.

Another useful natural remedy is Butcher’s Broom. This plant is known as box holly, knee holly, and sweet broom, and has been used in Europe historically to treat varicose veins and hemorrhoids, as it helps with poor circulation. However if you have high blood pressure, are pregnant or nursing, have BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), are taking an MAO inhibitor or alpha blocker, make sure to check with your doctor before taking butcher’s broom.

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The fourth common natural remedy is Horse Chestnut. Like butchers broom, horse chestnut is also helpful in increasing circulation in the veins, has anti-inflammatory properties, and improves the strength of the walls of the blood vessels. You can take force chestnut in a capsule or in tea form. Make sure you don’t have a bleeding disorder, allergies to anything in the force chestnut family, or are taking a blood thinner, as force chestnut can have an adverse affect. Also, though these side effects are not common, you can suffer from severe bleeding, bruising, kidney or liver damage, when using a horse chestnut treatment.

The last treatment for hemorrhoids we will discuss is witch hazel. You can get witch hazel in either a compress or a cream. Witch hazel is known to cut down on hemorrhoids bleeding because it has astringent properties.

With these natural remedies, you now have the tools to treat your hemorrhoids at home.