Many people experience hemorrhoids at some point, even pregnant women. Increased pressure on the veins in the pelvic area is the key culprit. Though a lot of people suffer from them, it is not a topic that many like to bring up. The following article is geared to helping you better understand why they occur, the treatments used, and what you can do to avoid them.
Softer Bathroom
Consider enhancing your hygiene habits, and the products you use in the bathroom, in order to help prevent painful external hemorrhoids flareups.
Softer bathroom tissue is better than tissue that is rough and leaves fibers behind. Some people use baby wipes only when they go to the bathroom and keep those next to the toilet.
A basic and easy home treatment for hemorrhoids is the application of first ice, next heat. Alternating ice and heat will shrink the hemorrhoid and help it to heal. First, apply an ice pack to the area for about ten minutes. Alternate with a warm, damp compress for twenty minutes.
There are actually a lot of things in your own kitchen that you can use to relieve yourself from hemorrhoids. Ice packs are an effective home remedy for discomfort associated with hemorrhoids. When you use an ice pack you can decrease any soreness you have that is caused by your hemorrhoids. When applied to the area affected by hemorrhoids, an ice pack can help to shrink the inflamed tissues, reducing swelling.
One simple way to help lessen the pain of hemorrhoids is to add a little lemon to your water. Lemon is a soothing fruit that can reduce the irritation you feel. If you want to feel better during the day, try drinking lemon water.
Wheat Bread
It is good to eat whole wheat bread to help digestion and help your hemorrhoids. You can also get rid of redness and irritation. From now on, use whole wheat bread in lieu of white.
Understanding exactly what a hemorrhoid is will go a long way in helping to ease your concern. Learn more about hemorrhoids if you suffer from them or have a loved one that does. Hemorrhoids form because a nerve bundle has become inflamed.
You can treat hemorrhoids with topical creams or home remedies. Sitting in a sitz bath can decrease the inflammation, pain and swelling associated with hemorrhoids. Although hemorrhoids can be extremely itchy, avoid scratching, as this can exacerbate the problem. Applications of witch hazel on a clean pad can be very effective in relieving the itch. Eating lots of fiber-rich foods, and drinking plenty of water, are both very important. This will prevent you from needing to strain during your bowel movements.
Weight Loss
Weight loss can help alleviate pain caused by hemorrhoids. Being overweight can significantly increase problems with hemorrhoids. The additional pressure placed on the abdomen due to excess pounds and waste material causes unnecessary pressure to be placed on the anal veins. Lose weight by following a high fiber diet, and you will alleviate the pressure on these areas of the body. Do not overdo laxatives for either weight loss or to ease the symptoms of hemorrhoids. Overuse of laxatives can be dangerous.
Drink plenty of water. Drinking more water keeps you hydrated and is probably of the easiest ways to prevent hemorrhoids. Water can help you more easily pass stool, and this is a reason people get hemorrhoids. Your body also uses water to cleanse and renew itself. Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water each day.
Caffeine and spicy, peppery foods are irritants to the bowel. Your intestines are bothered by all of these, and this doesn’t help hemorrhoids at all. Spicy food could cause your hemorrhoids to inflame and burn, so avoid it.
Sit in a warm bath while keeping your knees elevated. The warmth from the water can alleviate hemorrhoid pain, irritation, and swelling. Lukewarm water can help increase the flood of blow to the hemorrhoids, which helps relieve swelling or pain. You can take as many of these baths as you need to get the relief you desire.
Use a hemorrhoid cream, but avoid overusing it. Using a cream doesn’t actually reduce the irritation or swelling, but it does numb the area, making the hemorrhoids less painful. If you need to use these for more than a week, make sure your doctor is okay with it. Using creams too often could cause pain rather than relief.
Never scratch at your hemorrhoids. If you scratch them, you can get an infection, and cause a lot of damage to the affected area. It may be necessary for you to take a damp cloth and clean the area gently. The itching can be caused by bacteria present in the area.
If an external hemorrhoids becomes distended outside of the anus, you should apply gentle pressure to push it upward. Use a clean hand for preventing further inflammation and bacterial involvement. Make sure to see your doctor immediately if this happens to help prevent further damage.
A hemorrhoid pad is one of the better store-bought treatments. Virtually anyone can safely use these products, which work similarly to pads used by women during their periods.
Instead of sitting down on the toilet seat, squat during bowel movements to limit strain and prevent hemorrhoid flare-ups. This position may seem unnatural when you first try it, but you’ll quickly get used to both the position and the fact that your hemorrhoids aren’t as inflamed as they used to be.
Both pregnancy and childbirth can cause and exacerbate hemorrhoid pain and swelling. They are simply caused by increased pressure in the anus. Use the tips you’ve read here to help prevent hemorrhoids whenever possible and to treat them when they still occur.