Posts Tagged ‘untreated hemorrhoids’

Untreated Hemorrhoids – Treatment Options

It’s estimated that about 100 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids even though you rarely hear about it in the mainstream media.  Many people suffer in silence, undoubtedly due to embarrassment and an unwillingness to seek help.  But the good news is, there is hemorrhoid treatment that can be done to prevent and cure  hard external hemorrhoids.

So what are hemorrhoids anyway?

There are two types of hemorrhoids: external and internal.

When the hemorrhoidal veins in our anal areas get irritated, these veins can get inflamed or swollen, and even bleed.  When that happens you have the condition commonly called hemorrhoids.  External hemorrhoids generally appear as a soft lump around your anal opening and are also known as  thrombosed external hemorrhoids.  There are times that you will even have hard hemorrhoids externally if the swelling gets bad enough and you do nothing about it.  When they get this way it really sucks and the pain is terrible.  It hurts to stand, sit, move or have normal body functions involving this area.

Internal hemorrhoids on the other hand are not generally painful since there are no, or very few pain-sensitive nerves in that part of the body.  You may know that you are having this condition with the presence of blood in your stool as you do your daily business.  Sometimes, this type of hemorrhoid can become inflamed and irritated to the point that it is pushed outside the anal opening in a condition called prolapsed hemorrhoids.

Typically, internal hemorrhoids can be divided into four stages or degrees of development.

1. In the stage one, small hemorrhoids develop on the lining of the anal canal.  For most people, this is not noticeable unless hard stool scraping on their surface causes slight bleeding.

2. In stage two, a small portion of the hemorrhoids may protrude out of the anus during bowel movements. However, the connective tissue of the anal canal is still strong enough to spontaneously draw the hemorrhoids back within the anus.

3. In stage three, the painful hemorrhoids remain in a prolapsed or protruding condition and can be carefully put back inside the anus by hand.

4. The most serious and advanced development of hemorrhoids is stage four. At this point, a large amount of hemorrhoids permanently protrude out of the anus. In this debilitating and very painful condition, emergency surgery may be required.

Bottom line is there are treatments available to prevent, curb and cure thrombosed external hemorrhoids.  These hemorrhoid treatment options are simple if done at the first signs of external hemorrhoids flaring up.

Coffee and Hemorrhoids – What’s the Connection?

First off coffee does not cause hemorrhoids per se. Hemorrhoids are caused by increased pressure in the veins around the anus due to a disease. drugs, and certain lifestyle and diet. The hemorrhoids are swollen veins due to pressure.

The problem that coffee does cause is dehydration of the body. This dehydration causes dry stools and may cause constipation, thus causing hemorrhoids. Therefore, caffeine works as an indirect causal agent. Hence, to prevent hemroids, avoid consuming foods with excessive caffeine, such as coffee and energy drinks. So the solution is simply try to always drink an extra glass of water when you are drinking coffee to avoid dehydration.

If you cannot quit alcohol or caffeine, then you should at least reduce their consumption. Those already suffering from hemorrhoids must avoid consuming food items containing these, so that the condition is not aggravated. That is, it is possible to prevent hemroid development or aggravation through effective dietary changes.

Most medical authorities believe coffee is harmless to a healthy individual when used in moderation (usually considered drinking two to three cups a day), but aggravates gastrointestinal problems in others. Moderate coffee drinkers have been shown to enjoy some health benefits, such as less risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, type 2 diabetes, gall bladder disease, certain types of cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. On the other hand, caffeine dependency can create anxiety and sleep disorders, and attempts to withdraw from caffeine can be difficult to handle in heavy coffee drinkers. Furthermore, people who suffer from gastrointestinal disorders are more sensitive to the adverse effects of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

Thrombosed External Hemorrhoid Treatment – Your Choices

Thrombosed external hemorrhoid treatment can be as varied as the cases that are presented.  What is an external thrombosed hemorrhoid? Thrombosed hemorrhoids are among the most severe forms of hemorrhoids. A thrombosed hemorrhoid is a hemorrhoid in which the vein has clotted. External hemorrhoids are those found on the outside of the anus.  Thrombosed hemorrhoids are usually quite painful.  An external thrombosed hemorrhoid generally develops over time. Treating hemorrhoids early can help prevent the development of more serious conditions such as an external thrombosed hemorrhoid.

You may also hear a thrombosed external hemorrhoid occasionally referred to as a hemorrhoid skin tag. They can vary in size from being very small (the size of a pea) through to being as large as a golf ball in the most extreme cases.

A number of factors may lead to the formations of hemorrhoids including irregular bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea), exercise, nutrition (low-fiber diet), increased intra-abdominal pressure (prolonged straining), pregnancy, genetics, absence of valves within the hemorrhoidal veins, and aging.

Other factors that can increase the rectal vein pressure resulting in hemorrhoids include obesity and sitting for long periods of time.

During pregnancy, pressure from the fetus on the abdomen and hormonal changes cause the hemorrhoidal vessels to enlarge. Delivery also leads to increased intra-abdominal pressures. Surgical treatment is rarely needed, as symptoms usually resolve post delivery.

External hemorrhoids can be treated with over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. These medications help to shrink hemorrhoids and also relieve the itching, burning sensations, and pain associated with hemorrhoids. Using these treatments as soon as you notice symptoms of hemorrhoids can help prevent the development of an external thrombosed hemorrhoid.

If you decide to go with surgery (which is only recommended as a last resort) there are numerous options available to you, some of them include:

• Band ligation – a rubber band is tied around the base of the hemorrhoid, this causes the hemorrhoid to dry up as no blood can get to it. It eventually disappears altogether.
• Hemorrhoidectomy – generally a last resort for hemorrhoid removal, this painful surgery fully removes the thrombosed hemorrhoid but you may require several weeks or more to recover fully.
• Sclerotherapy – the infected area is injected with a shrinking agent. The hemorrhoid eventually disappears.