Hemorrhoids Treatment

External hemorrhoids are swollen varicose veins or blood vessels around the anal opening or the anus. This condition affects both males and females, and a higher incidence occurs between the ages of 20 and 50. Hemorrhoids sufferers may describe constipation, rectal pain and itching with bowel movements and some bright-red bleeding. These are disturbing symptoms but fortunately the diagnosis and treatment of this condition is fairly uncomplicated.

Hemorrhoids come about from increased intravenous pressure (or pressure within the portal veins) in the anal and rectal areas. This increased pressure results from straining with constipation or diarrhea, prolonged standing or sitting, and coughing or sneezing. Other factors that also contribute to increased intravenous pressure are alcoholism, anal intercourse, obesity, cirrhosis, slowed motility in the elderly, pregnancy, etc.

A confirmed diagnosis of external hemorrhoids simply involves a visual confirmation during a physical examination. These hemorrhoids are obviously swollen and enlarged. They appear like lumps or knots around the anal opening.

When blot clots form in external hemorrhoids, this indicates that blood vessels under the skin have been torn. This is called the thrombosis of the external hemorrhoids. When you strain to pass hard stool from constipation, you are in effect scraping it against the hemorrhoids. The inflamed vessel will tear leaving the skin over it unbroken, forming a thrombus or a blot clot. Thrombosed hemorrhoids produce sudden rectal pain and firm lumps that the patient can feel by touch. Bleeding will occur only if the thrombus is irritated again and the skin over it breaks causing the clot and more blood to leak out.

Treating external hemorrhoids depend on the severity of the symptoms. Obviously if they cause agonizing pain and recurrent bleeding with every activity, a hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective treatment. Otherwise mild symptoms can be treated by topical creams or ointments, warm baths and of course, improving one’s lifestyle. Improving one’s lifestyle means being educated and practicing proper dietary intake with fiber-rich foods and increased fluids, good anal hygiene like wiping with damp tissues, regular bowel habits like not sitting on the toilet for too long, and exercise.

Increased intravenous pressure causes external hemorrhoids or swollen veins around the anus. Thrombosis of these veins is the cause for the burning, pain and itchiness in the rectal area because the clots irritate the nerve endings in the anal skin. When the skin over these blood clots or thrombus is torn, the resultant symptom is bleeding from the external hemorrhoids. Confirming diagnosis and treatment of external hemorrhoids are fairly simple. Nevertheless, these have the tendency to recur when there’s no improvement in the person’s habits and lifestyle.

Tags: natural hemorrhoids treatment, health, external hemorrhoids, home cure, pain relief