Having a child… It’s beautiful, a little scary, and to be honest, a wee bit gross. One of those kinda gross things is the potential for popping up with a hemorrhoid!
Having hemorrhoids is a common problem especially for those who are aged 40 and above or those who have recently given vaginal birth. These are lumps can be found in the anus or rectum. Lumps on the anus are called external hemorrhoids while those in the rectum are internal hemorrhoids. These lumps are painful because they have inflamed veins but they become much more painful when pressure is applied on them during bowel movement. There are many probable causes for the development of hemorrhoids like diarrhea or constipation.
The symptoms of this condition are the following:
- anal itch
- blood on the stool
- pain during bowel movement
It is advised that if you see blood on your stool, consult the doctor immediately as this can be a symptom of a more severe illness like colorectal cancer.
If your hemorrhoids are nothing serious, the first thing you should do is make an effort to let the area get more air. Yes, that means spending time throughout the day without your beloved undies.
There are also many over-the-counter products designed to diminish the inflammation of the lumps. They can also reduce the size of the lump and eventually make it disappear. Some examples of over-the-counter products are astringents (witch hazel is a natural and very effective one), medicated pads and creams, and sometimes even homeopathic supplements. Most of these natural products contain extracts of different plants that are believed to have healing properties.
Another natural way of treating hemorrhoids is by eating foods that are rich in fiber and drinking lots of water. These act as natural scrubs that cleanse toxins and other unnecessary substances in the digestive tract for the easy passage of the stool. A disadvantage of this treatment is that its effectiveness is not really guaranteed and you could end up waiting awhile.
Some people opt to undergo medical treatments in order to get rid of their hemorrhoids. There are non-surgical options if you do not want to have invasive procedures. Sclerotherapy is normally used to treat internal hemorrhoids. In this process, a chemical is injected near the anus to harden the lump so that it will just fall off and be excreted with the stool. Rubber tubal ligation is another process that can shrink hemorrhoids by cutting the blood flow to the lump. This way, no nourishment will reach the lump and it will stop growing and eventually shrink. Coagulation therapy makes use of infrared light to stop blood flow to the hemorrhoid, decrease its size, and shrink it. However, a disadvantage of this treatment is the pain that comes right after the procedure.
Hopefully this will help you spend less time treating hemorrhoids so that you can spend even more time enjoying your precious new bundle of joy.
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