When people first become diagnosed with hemorrhoids, obviously one of the first things they want to find is an effective hemorrhoid treatment. Of course this isn’t always that simple. Each case will be unique, so people may experience different symptoms based on the severity of their hemorrhoid condition so determining a blanket hemorrhoid treatment that would work for everyone isn’t practical. Hemorrhoid treatment solutions fall under 4 basic categories – natural hemorrhoid treatment, medicated treatment, surgery and last, but not least, prevention. This article will explain each one so you can determine which will be the best hemorrhoid treatment for you.

Natural Hemorrhoid Treatment

Natural hemorrhoid treatment is trying to control your symptoms without the use of drugs or prescription medications, usually using simple lifestyle changes or herbal creams or supplements. Preventing hemorrhoids would fall under this category, but because it is so important, I chose to give it its own category, so this will be discussed later in this article. Natural hemorrhoid treatment can be very effective for people with people with minor symptoms who are willing to make some simple changes.

 Here is a list of some of the options you can try:

There are some natural supplements that also work as natural vasoconstrictor which means they actually help to improve the veins by making them stronger. Popular ingredients in these supplements include Butcher’s Broom and Horse-chestnut extract. Many commercially made supplements can now be found on the market with these ingredients, for example both Avatrol and Venapro contain Horse-chestnut.

You may want to try warm sitz baths lasting for 15 minutes twice a day to help relax the veins around the anus. Sitz bath “tubs” are actually small water containers designed for just this purpose. They are used to submerge the genitals and anal area in a soothing bath and are used while sitting. Sitz baths are also used after child birth, for vaginal relief, and general discomfort resulting from infections of these delicate areas.  

Cold compresses to numb the area and reduce swelling may also be effective. To me this sounds very uncomfortable, but so are hemorrhoids, so I imagine it’s all relative.

Hydrotherapy with warm water may also work in much the same way as a sitz bath, both soothing the area and relaxing the enflamed blood vessels. Hydrotherapy could be done in a hot tub, a jet tub, with a bidet, or an extendable shower head.

Externally applied moisturizers can help to reduce dryness and provide some relief from symptoms.  

Externally applied herbal remedies can be readily found and are even made commercially now days. These herbal medications serve multiple purposes, they help to reduce inflammation by naturally reducing blood flow to the impacted area and they also help to alleviate symptoms. Some popular herbal “medicines” include Aloe Vera and witch hazel.

Medicated Hemorrhoid Treatment

If you find that you can’t control your hemorrhoids through natural means or with changing your diet, then you may need to resort to more drastic measures. This is especially true if you have a particularly bad case of hemorrhoids or if your symptoms are beginning to impact your day to day life. Over the counter hemroid medications such as Preparation H can be readily found at most drugstores. Another type of medicated treatment is available only from your doctor by prescription and is usually in a cream or a suppository form. Whether you would use a cream or a suppository is usually determined by whether your hemorrhoid is internal or external. Both the over the counter version and the prescription version contain similar ingredients but the prescription only version is much stronger. It has more corticosteroids which help with the pain, itching, and swelling. Common prescription medications include Anusol HC and Proctocort.

Hemorrhoid Surgery

Most people will never require surgery. Only when people have a lot of smaller hemorrhoids, a very large hemorrhoid or very painful symptoms is surgery ever required. Hemorrhoid surgery has also come along way with a lot of surgeries being done on an outpatient basis with a minimum of discomfort and fast recovery times. In the past, an actual cutting surgery was done to surgically remove hemorrhoids, this is a hemorrhoidectomy. Now days, hemorrhoidectomies have fallen out of favor and are only used in extreme cases. Most of the newer methods used today don’t involve any cutting, many of them involve cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so that the hemorrhoid dries up and naturally falls off, this is done with rubber bands, lasers, and staples.

Hemorrhoid Prevention
 

Of all the categories, this is the most important because even if you are using the methods above,
hemorrhoids is a conditions that is prone to flare ups. Usually if you have hemorrhoids, even if you control the symptoms or have them removed, they have a tendency to reappear. It’s our goal to prevent you from even having hemorrhoids in the first place, but if it’s too late for that, then we hope to help you prevent further flare ups.

The single best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to avoid straining while using the bathroom and best way to do this is to eat a lot more fiber. Fiber will soften your stools and reduce straining. Both of these things will help reduce any current symptoms you may have and also prevent hemorrhoids right at the start. Losing weight, exercise, and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can also help you prevent hemorrhoids. Obviously you can’t control all aspects that contribute to hemorrhoids such as pregnancy, aging, and genetics but we can try to better manage what is within our control.

Summary

I hope I’ve answered any questions you had about finding the best hemorrhoid treatment. As with any medical condition, it’s always advisable to discuss your symptoms and treatment options with your doctor. Even natural medications can have side effects or interact with your prescription medications so do your own research but talk with a doctor too.

Some people have had success with homeopathic hemorrhoid remedies. Please be sure to consult with your doctor before trying any new hemorrhoid treatment as there may be interactions with the medicines you are already taking.

Natural Hemorrhoid Treatment Solutions:

Natural topical astringent: Witch hazel.

Externally applied hemorrhoid topical balm: Aloe Vera.

Using an ice pack on an external hemorrhoid for 15 minutes to reduce swelling and relieve itching.

Switch to a stand up toilet or use a squatting position while using the toilet.

Using natural bulk fiber to have looser stools and reduce straining.

Drinking pure aloe juice is said to relieve hemroid itching and irritation.

Herbal Supplements: Butcher’s Broom is said to control hemroid inflammation and cause veins to constrict which tightens and strengthens the weakened veins.

Horse-chestnut contains an active ingredient which can help strengthen the vein walls which can then support the veins better so they don’t swell up.

Drink chamomile tea several times a day.

People with hemorrhoids brought on by poor circulation may obtain relief by sleeping with their legs propped up.

When should I see a hemorrhoids doctor?

 See hemorrhoids doctor if you have any of the following symptoms, but haven’t been previously diagnosed with hemorrhoids

• Anal bleeding
• Anal pain
• Swelling at the anal opening
• Anal discharge
• Dark black stools
• A fever combined with bloody stools
• Very thin stools
• Inability to pass stools
• Chronic diarrhea
• Chronic constipation

See a hemorrhoids doctor if you have any of the following symptoms and have already been diagnosed with hemorrhoids:

• Severe pain
• Moderate pain that doesn’t get better after one week of treatment
• If the hemorrhoids don’t start to improve
• Hemorrhoids prolapse (fall out of the anal canal)
• If the bleeding changes from bright red to a darker color
• Stools get darker
• If bleeding gets worse 

Will I need a colonoscopy?

If you have external hemorrhoids your hemorrhoids doctor may only do a visual exam, but more likely than not you will need a colonoscopy or another type of colon exam. This is especially true if you have internal hemorrhoids, a colonoscopy may be the only way to identify the hemorrhoids.

Why do I need a colonoscopy?

The main reason is so the hemorrhoids doctor can give you a proper diagnosis, there are other colorectal diseases such as colon cancer, polyps, fissures, and fistulas that may have symptoms that are the same as hemorrhoids. It’s important to rule these diseases out as a possible cause of symptoms. Plus, in the case of internal hemorrhoids, this may be the only way that the doctor can see them. 

Everyone over the age of 50 years old should already be getting preventative colon screening exams done. This is because the incidence of colon cancer increases as we get older. Early screening and treatment has helped to lower the death rates associated with colon cancer making colonoscopies an important diagnostic tool.

What kind of doctor specializes in hemorrhoids?

Gastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in the digestive system from the mouth to the anal canal.

After high school, training includes: 

 

• 4 years bachelor’s degree
• 4 years medical school
• 3 years residency
• 2-3 years fellowship in gastroenterology

If the gastroenterologist specialized in a gastroenterology field like GI radiology, or hepatology, which is the study of the liver and the liver, pancreas and biliary tree, then an additional 2-3 years in the specialty field will also be required.

Proctology surgery and gastroenterological surgery are not included in gastroenterology, these are surgical specialties.

So, a gastroenterologist isn’t just a hemorrhoids doctor, they are much more than that, they are trained to treat diseases and disorders of the entire digestive system.

Top 10 Causes of Hemroids

1) Constipation or diarrhea: This causes straining during bowel movements which puts stress on the anal wall causing it to bulge out causing a hemroid.

2) Hypertension: Due to the increased blood pressure rushing through the veins, the veins in the rectum become stressed which then leads to hemroids.

3) Pregnancy: Because pregnant women’s bodies are under a lot of different stresses, hemorrhoids can be a problem both during pregnancy and then after the birth. During pregnancy, a woman’s body has an increase in progesterone which relaxes the blood vessels and also can slow digestion down which leads to straining during bowel movements. During the birth itself, the actually strain of pushing the baby through the birth canal can put undo stress on the anal area also resulting in hemroids after the birth. Also, because of the huge hormonal stress that the body is under during pregnancy, hypertension can develop which can then sometimes lead to constipation.

4) Obesity: Poor muscle tone and bad posture cause strain on the rectal veins which can then lead to the formation of hemroids.

5) Alcohol or Caffeine: Use of both in excessive amounts can lead to diarrhea which puts strain on the internal veins. In addition, alcoholism can cause liver problems which then leads to hypertension another cause of hemroids.

6) Age: A general loss of muscle and tissue elasticity is lost in the aging process and although it is entirely natural, it can lead to hemroids.

7) Anal sex: Of course any penetration of the anal cavity has the potential to strain both the walls and the vessels of the anal cavity.

8) General straining: Any activity that causes the anal muscles to strain can potentially cause damage or stress by increasing pressure on the rectal veins. This includes weight lifting, biking and strenuous workouts.

9) Poor diet: Lack of fiber can lead to constipation and straining which are a major contributor to hemroids.

10) Genetic: Some people are just born with a genetic predisposition to weak rectal vein walls and/or valves.

For many people, hemorrhoids are a source of amusement or perhaps material for a comedians stand up routine. And while it’s true that hemroids might not be the worst thing that could happen to a person, it can cause itching, anal bleeding and in some more extreme cases a great deal of pain and discomfort.

If you do have itching, discomfort when using the bathroom, blood on the toilet paper or in the fecal material or any pain in the anal area, you may potentially have hemorrhoids, but a medical exam is necessary to rule out any potentially more dangerous conditions. A doctor needs to do a complete visual inspection of the outer rectal area and also an interior exam which may include a more detailed exam like a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy. A colonoscopy is when the entire bowel is examined and a sigmoidoscopy is when only the last two feet of the colon is examined.

As unpleasant as the prospect of a colonoscopy sounds, it is actually a very safe, low risk procedure that should be a part of your general health screening when you reach a certain age. People with a family risk of colon cancer should get screened starting at age 40 and everyone else generally at the age of 50. After you have a yearly exam, you will need to be retested only every five to ten years if your tests were negative for any disease or growth. Probably the most unpleasant part of the colonoscopy is the bowel cleansing that needs to be done the day before the procedure. Generally a heavy duty laxative is prescribed which helps clean all the material out of the anal cavity. This bowel cleaning laxative treatment means spending the day at home in easy reach of a toilet. But other than that bit of unpleasantness the procedure itself is done under sedation so it’s not much of a worry.

The reason a visit to the doctor is recommended is to rule out the other more serious medical conditions that have similar symptoms to hemorrhoids. These can include colon cancer, polyps, rectal cancer, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis which are inflammatory bowel diseases. Other general problems with the anal cavity can be tears which are called anal fissures and anal abscesses which are infections next to the anus. Because the symptoms for these conditions are very similar to hemroids, it is necessary to rule them out.

Since hemorrhoids are much more common than the other medical conditions, it is more likely than not that your diagnosis will be hemorrhoids, but a doctor’s visit is necessary. So give yourself the gift of good health and peace of mind and make that doctor’s appointment.

Any discussion about bleeding hemorrhoids must first begin with a discussion about the two main types of hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids. These hemorrhoids are exactly what you might guess from the name alone, internal hemorrhoids are hemroids located within the anal cavity and external hemroids are ones that are located at the opening of the anal canal. Both of these types of hemorrhoids can become bleeding hemorrhoids and vary in their severity.

In the case of internal hemroids, bleeding may be the only symptom present. With a bleeding hemorrhoid, you may notice blood on your tissue paper, in the bowel, or covering the stool itself. Because internal hemorrhoids remain “protected” in the anal canal, they aren’t being subjected to the air, pressure from sitting and rubbing from clothes, so on the whole, they are a lot less painful than external hemorrhoids.

But, just because an internal hemorrhoid isn’t causing you problems doesn’t mean you should ignore it, because left untreated, an internal hemorrhoid can turn into a more serious condition such as a prolapsed or strangulated hemorrhoid. A prolapsed hemorrhoid is when an internal hemorrhoid becomes so inflamed it is forced out the anal opening and a strangulated hemorrhoid is when this prolapsed hemorrhoid then becomes trapped there due to the contracting of the sphincter muscles. Both of these conditions are more serious than a simple than a bleeding hemorrhoid so it’s best to start treating your hemorrhoids immediately.

External hemorrhoids are also prone to be bleeding hemorrhoids, but unlike with internal hemorrhoids if you have external hemorrhoids you’ll have a lot more than bleeding to contend with. External hemorrhoids are more painful and annoying. Common symptoms are bleeding, itching, and pain. In some cases, the external hemorrhoid can actually be seen and felt as a small swelling near the anal opening.

If you think you have bleeding hemorrhoids, it is very important to see a doctor immediately. Any sign of anal bleeding warrants a complete medical exam and this may even include colonoscopy. The reason for this is to rule out any other causes of the bleeding or discomfort, because some serious medical conditions like cancer can also cause these symptoms. It is tempting to just start treating your bleeding hemorrhoid on your and skip the doctor’s visit, but this is an important step that should not be avoided.

In the case of most bleeding hemorrhoids, they are mostly just embarrassing and annoying and not dangerous in any way. Most bleeding hemorrhoids don’t require surgery and are controllable with simple medications and lifestyle changes. So, start taking control of your health and schedule that doctor’s appointment today. The sooner you start treatment, the sooner you can start to feel better and avoid further complications.

Well, quite possibly it does, but since Venapro is a homeopathic hemorrhoid remedy, it is not approved by the FDA meaning that it has not under gone the rigorous testing that is required by the FDA for traditional medicines. According to the official Venapro website, the ingredients are as follows – Horse Chestnut, Arnica, Fluoride of Lime, St. Mary’s Thistle, Stone Root, Witch Hazel, Muriatic Acid, Krameria’Mapato, alcohol and purified water.

Some of these nutritional supplements have been used for years in homeopathic medicines and may prove helpful to many hemorrhoid sufferers. For example, some studies have shown that horse chestnut does work to reduce swelling and therefore would naturally provide some hemorrhoid relief. In addition horse chestnut also may improve and strengthen vein walls leading to a reduction in hemroid flare ups. Many of these ingredients are thought to exhibit similar properties to the horse chestnut, improving veins, reducing swelling, improving circulation, and just generally reducing hemroid symptoms. According to the Venapro website, the alcohol and purified water are used for preservation and serve no medicinal purpose.

The Venapro website contains this usage information:

INDICATIONS Treats symptoms associated with hemorrhoids
DIRECTIONS Adults and children over 12: Spray twice under the tongue 3 times per day. Children 2 to 12: Spray once under the tongue 3 times per day. Children under 2: Consult a doctor prior to use.
WARNINGS If symptoms persist, consult a doctor. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away. If pregnant or breast feeding, ask a doctor before use. DO Not use if TAMPER EVIDENT seal around entire bottle is missing or broken.
Keep out of reach of children.

The Venapro website also contains this disclaimer:

This statement has not been evaluated by the FDS. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Information on this site is provided form informational purposes only.  It is not meant to substitute for medical advice provided by your physician or other medical professional.  You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication.  You should read carefully all product packaging and labels.  If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your physician or health care provider.

Summary

Unfortunately our society has pushed homeopathic medicine to the back burner sometimes to the point that it seems in favor of big pharmaceutical companies. Since “medicines” are closely regulated and controlled by the FDA, Venapro can’t make any health claims. This is to stop the wholesale practice of scam artists hawking miracle cures like back in the Old West when scam artists would roll into town purporting to cure all manner of diseases with people “miraculously” being cured of blindness, physical ailments, and general malaise. This lack of testing doesn’t necessarily mean that Venapro doesn’t work – maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. I can’t say with any authority that Venapro is a miracle cure for hemroids because even Venapro can’t make that claim. My only advice is to discuss it with you doctor. And please be advised that even natural homeopathic medicines can have side effects and interact with any prescription medications you are taking, so this really does need to be discussed with your doctor.

A hemorrhoid is simply a vein in the anal region that becomes stressed and then swells up. Because it is then swollen and protruding, it can then become further irritated by passing stools or other daily activities. Think of it sort of like a varicose vein in the anal cavity.

Internal Hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids are exactly what they sound like, hemorrhoids that are located within the anal cavity. Because these hemorrhoids are somewhat protected within the body, they usually don’t exhibit as many symptoms as external hemorrhoids which are a more painful condition. In a lot of cases, people with internal hemorrhoids may not even realize they a hemorrhoid. Internal hemorrhoids may become recognizable if a patient sees blood on tissue paper, in the bowl, or on stools after having a bowel movement. If blood is visible, it is always recommended that you immediately schedule an appointment with a doctor to rule out any other diseases or conditions that can mirror the symptoms of internal hemorrhoids.

It’s also important to treat internal hemorrhoids at the first recognition of symptoms because more serious problems may result if left untreated. When left untreated, internal hemorrhoids may become so swollen that they then protrude from the anal cavity, this can lead to two of the more serious types of hemorrhoids, the strangulated hemorrhoid and the prolapsed hemorrhoid. A prolapsed hemroid is an internal hemorrhoid that gets pushed outside the anal cavity and when this prolapsed hemorrhoid then becomes trapped outside of the anal cavity due to constriction of the anal muscles it is referred to as a strangulated hemorrhoid. Once the hemorrhoid is forced out of the protection provided by the anal cavity they will exhibit more symptoms including pain and discomfort. Still, in most cases surgery usually isn’t required and hemorrhoids are a manageable condition.

External Hemorrhoids

Recognizing external hemorrhoids is much easier than with internal hemorrhoids because you will have a lot more easily recognizable symptoms such as pain, itching, swelling and with external hemorrhoids the actual hemorrhoid can be visually seen or felt as a small bump located near the anal opening. When a blood clot forms in an external hemorrhoid, this is referred to as a thrombosed hemorrhoid and this is felt as a bump and can be extremely painful. In addition, a thrombosed hemorrhoid can turn dark in color and it may also bleed, but even though it looks and feels terrible, the condition usually clears up in 7 – 10 days. If the pain is too much, the thrombosed hemorrhoid can be removed by a doctor.

Regardless of which type of hemorrhoid condition you suffer from, a complete medical exam is always required. Because anal bleeding can be a sympom of some more serious conditions, it is imperative to have a complete exam and not self diagnose. Although potentially embarrassing and painful, hemorrhoids are usually an easily treated condition.

Hemorrhoid surgery has come along way from the surgeries of the recent past. Most hemroid surgery used to involve the actual cutting of the hemorrhoids to remove them from the body, this is called a hemorrhoidectomy. Because this technique may result in long term problems, pain, and a slower recovery, more advanced techniques have gained favor resulted in less discomfort and a much quicker recovery time. The hemorrhoidectomey is still used today, but only for more serious conditions.

Here is a list of some of the most common hemroid surgery options available:

Rubber Band Ligation – A tiny elastic band is wrapped tightly around the hemorrhoid so that the blood is cut off and then the hemorrhoid is just naturally removed from the body.

Hemorrhoidectomy – This procedure is exactly what it sounds like, a surgery to remove the hemorrhoid. This is usually only used in the worst cases because the recovery is very painful and it might cause incontinence problems down the road.

Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy – This is usually performed on prolapsed hemorrhoids and not external hemroids. It is very similar to the rubber band ligation in that it cuts off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so that it can be simply removed.

Sclerotherapy – An injectable irritant (sclerosant) is injected into the hemorrhoid itself and this causes the veins to harden and then the hemorrhoid shrivels up and dies.

Doppler Guided Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation – During this procedure, an ultrasound (Doppler) devise is used to find hemorrhoidal arteries which are then cut off with a small stitch. With this treatment, there is less discomfort and possible complications than with surgery and the process is very quick and easy.

Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH) – A stapler is used to move the anal cavity tissue in such a way that blood supply is cut off to the hemorrhoid and it shrinks, this usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. This is   less painful than a hemorrhoidectomy because it is done in the area with no pain sensors; it also has a faster recovery time and less possible complications.

These are some of the most common surgical hemorrhoid treatment options, but there are several other surgical hemroid treatment options that your doctor may discuss with you. Only in the worst hemorrhoid cases is it necessary to have surgery and with any luck you will be able to control your hemorrhoids without the need for surgery. Usually simple lifestyle changes are enough to manage the condition.