Also, try to increase your water intake. Drinking enough water can keep your stool from hardening. Use the restroom as soon as you feel a bowel movement coming on to prevent hemorrhoids from developing.
Exercise regularly to prevent becoming constipated , and avoid sitting for long periods, especially on hard surfaces like concrete or tile. Consuming foods that are high in dietary fiber can minimize the risk of developing hemorrhoids in the future. Dietary fiber helps create bulk in the intestines, which softens the stool, making it easier to pass. Hemorrhoids are enlarged and bulging veins in and around the anus and rectum. Risk factors include experiencing chronic constipation, pushing during bowel movements, having a family history of hemorrhoids, and being pregnant.
Most hemorrhoids go away on their own. Treatments usually focus on relieving symptoms and may include taking warm baths and using a hydrocortisone or a hemorrhoid cream or suppository. Exercising, drinking plenty of water, and eating more fiber can all help relieve constipation and prevent hemorrhoids from forming in the future.
Blood in the stool has multiple causes, such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Discover how it's diagnosed, treatment, when to see a doctor, and more. Hemorrhoids occur when veins of the rectum or anus become inflamed because of straining the area too much. Learn about thrombosed hemorrhoids and how they are different from regular hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that appear near the rectum. If you have a severe case that doesn't resolve with home treatment, there are a number of…. Hemorrhoids are an extremely common problem, causing symptoms of pain, itching, and rectal bleeding.
While they typically go away on their own, you…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly.
You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. The veins around your anus tend to stretch under pressure and may bulge or swell.
Hemorrhoids can develop from increased pressure in the lower rectum due to:. As you age, your risk of hemorrhoids increases. That's because the tissues that support the veins in your rectum and anus can weaken and stretch.
This can also happen when you're pregnant, because the baby's weight puts pressure on the anal region.
The best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to keep your stools soft, so they pass easily. To prevent hemorrhoids and reduce symptoms of hemorrhoids, follow these tips:. Consider fiber supplements. Most people don't get enough of the recommended amount of fiber — 20 to 30 grams a day — in their diet. Studies have shown that over-the-counter fiber supplements, such as psyllium Metamucil or methylcellulose Citrucel , improve overall symptoms and bleeding from hemorrhoids.
If you use fiber supplements, be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water or other fluids every day. Otherwise, the supplements can cause or worsen constipation.
Hemorrhoids care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Straining, constipation, and prolonged sitting can all affect the blood flow in the area, causing blood to not move at its expected rate known as pooling within the vessels, leading to hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, when the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the pelvis and the veins near the anus and rectum. The increased level of the hormone progesterone during pregnancy can also contribute to the development of hemorrhoids: Progesterone relaxes the walls of the veins, making them more likely to swell. Fortunately, hemorrhoids usually aren't harmful to your health or the health of your baby, and they typically go away on their own once you give birth.
You can often alleviate symptoms with home care, but check with your doctor first to make sure any treatments are safe to take during your pregnancy. Learn More About Hemorrhoids and Pregnancy. Your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms and will take your medical history.
They may also look for skin irritation, lumps or swelling, external hemorrhoids , prolapsed internal hemorrhoids , skin tags excess skin left when the blood clot in a thrombosed hemorrhoid is absorbed by the body , and anal fissures small tears in the anus that can lead to itching and bleeding.
Your doctor may also check for blood in the stool, examine the muscle tone of your anus, and perform a rectal exam to diagnose internal hemorrhoids. You can often treat hemorrhoids yourself at home, and symptoms should ease within a week.
But if they don't, or if you have rectal bleeding , you should see your doctor, according to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Avoiding constipation is key in treating hemorrhoids. And diet and lifestyle changes, especially consuming more fiber, may help reduce hemorrhoid symptoms.
A fiber supplement , like Metamucil psyllium , and stool softeners, like Citrucel methylcellulose , can help prevent constipation. But avoid laxatives , which can cause diarrhea and worsen hemorrhoid symptoms.
Painful external hemorrhoids can be excised cut off during an office visit following a shot of local anesthetic to numb the area. For internal hemorrhoids, a few office procedures may be considered. In rubber band ligation, the most common hemorrhoid procedure performed in the United States, the doctor places a small rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid, cutting off the hemorrhoid's blood supply.
Other procedures include sclerotherapy, in which a chemical injected into the hemorrhoid causes scar tissue to form, shrinking the hemorrhoid; and infrared coagulation, in which an intense beam of infrared light causes the scar tissue to form, cutting off the blood supply and shrinking the hemorrhoid. During a hemorrhoidectomy, the hemorrhoid and surrounding tissue are removed via a small incision, which is usually closed up with stitches afterward.
The procedure is performed in an operating room with either localized or general anesthesia, or a spinal block that numbs the bottom half of the body. The procedure is successful in 95 percent of cases, though patients may experience postoperative pain. Another option that aims to reduce postoperative pain is a stapled hemorrhoidopexy, in which a device pulls the hemorrhoidal tissue upward and to its normal position, stapling it in place.
The staples fall out over time. Preventing constipation by keeping your stool soft and having regular bowel movements is one of the best ways to help prevent hemorrhoids. Get plenty of fiber in your diet. A high-fiber diet can make stool softer and bulkier so that it passes easily. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, adult men under age 50 should aim for at least 38 grams of fiber a day and adult women under age 50 should aim for 25 grams. For those older than 50, the recommendation is slightly lower: 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women.
There are a number of easy, healthy ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Fiber-filled foods include fruits such as berries , avocados , and pears especially when you eat the skin. Broccoli , artichokes, and Brussels sprouts are among the vegetables that can up your fiber intake.
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa , and oatmeal, are also an important source. Legumes, including lentils, various beans, and green peas, are a great way to get fiber. Take care to gently pat the anal area dry afterward; do not rub or wipe hard.
You can also use a hair dryer to dry the area. Seek topical relief for hemorrhoids. Over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams containing a local anesthetic can temporarily soothe pain. Witch hazel wipes Tucks are soothing and have no harmful effects. A small ice pack placed against the anal area for a few minutes can also help reduce pain and swelling. Finally, sitting on a cushion rather than a hard surface helps reduce the swelling of existing hemorrhoids and prevents the formation of new ones.
Treat the clot. When an external hemorrhoid forms a blood clot, the pain can be excruciating. If pain is tolerable and the clot has been present for longer than two days, apply home treatments for the symptoms while waiting for it to go away on its own. If the clot is more recent, the hemorrhoid can be surgically removed or the clot withdrawn from the vein in a minor office procedure performed by a surgeon.
To perform a rubber band ligation, the clinician places a ligator over the hemorrhoid to position a rubber band around its base. Some hemorrhoids can't be managed with conservative treatments alone, either because symptoms persist or because an internal hemorrhoid has prolapsed.
Fortunately, a number of minimally invasive hemorrhoid treatments are available that are less painful than traditional hemorrhoid removal hemorrhoidectomy and allow a quicker recovery. These procedures are generally performed in a surgeon's office or as outpatient surgery in a hospital.
Band it. The most commonly used hemorrhoid treatment in the United States is rubber band ligation, in which a small elastic band is placed around the base of a hemorrhoid see box above. The band causes the hemorrhoid to shrink and the surrounding tissue to scar as it heals, holding the hemorrhoid in place. It takes two to four procedures, done six to eight weeks apart, to completely eliminate the hemorrhoid. Complications, which are rare, include mild pain or tightness usually relieved with a sitz bath , bleeding, and infection.
Other office procedures include laser or infrared coagulation, sclerotherapy, and cryosurgery. They all work on the same principle as rubber band ligation but are not quite as effective in preventing recurrence. Side effects and recurrence vary with the procedure, so consult your physician about what's best for your situation.
You may need surgery if you have large protruding hemorrhoids, persistently symptomatic external hemorrhoids, or internal hemorrhoids that return despite rubber band ligation. In a traditional hemorrhoidectomy, a narrow incision is made around both external and internal hemorrhoid tissue and the offending blood vessels are removed.
The procedure requires general anesthesia, but patients can go home the same day. Patients can usually return to work after 7—10 days. Despite the drawbacks, many people are pleased to have a definitive solution to their hemorrhoids.
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