Hemorrhoids are an uncomfortable and embarrassing fact of life for millions of people around the world, particularly the middle-aged and elderly living relatively sedentary lives. Hemorrhoid treatment can vary from topical ointments to surgical intervention, depending on the severity of the case. Western medicine often concerns itself primarily with targeting the symptoms, and not paying much attention to the contributing factors. Thankfully, the condition can often be prevented with a few precautions.

Hemorrhoids, also known as Piles, are enlarged veins that protrude inside the rectum. They can cause a painful, burning sensation in the rectum, discomfort in sitting, and make bowel movements an unpleasant affair. It is estimated that up to 85% of the elderly population of North America require hemorrhoids treatment at some point. They are often caused by extensive sitting and standing, straining while having a bowel movement as a result of constipation, lifting of heavy objects in such a way as to cause undue strain in the rectum, and possibly be hereditary.

Hemorrhoids Treatment

There is a wide variety of hemorrhoids treatment available today, from the standard Western medical approach to naturapath holistic methods. Each has its own level of risk, cost and effectiveness. Here is an overview:

Medical Hemorrhoids Treatment

The most common treatment is a topical cream which reduces swelling. There are various brand names available over-the-counter, and some prescription only creams. More invasive methods include cryogenic freezing, called ‘scelerotherapy’, done by injecting directly into the hemorrhoid. Another surgical method is to apply a rubber band ligature, which cuts off the circulation and then they either fall off or are cut out.

Acupuncture Hemorrhoids Treatment

Acupuncture is a healing method which has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Acupuncture affects the central nervous system, and works by focusing on the general health and immune system of the patient, rather than on specific symptoms. Acupuncture hemorrhoids treatment can be quite effective.

Herbal Hemorrhoids Treatment

When using an herbal treatment, it is best to begin by having a warm soak in a bath or sitz bath. Adding epsom salts can help reduce swelling. The Japanese Pagoda tree has properties that are believed to strengthen vein walls, and improve circulation. Bioflavonoids and Horse chestnut are also known to have positive effect. After the bath, ointment containing the herbs can be applied topically directly to the affected area and left overnight.

Diet Considerations

When it comes to finding an effective hemorrhoids treatment, there is none better than focusing directly on diet. This is because they are often caused by straining during constipation, and constipation is a direct result of poor diet. Rule number one is: drink plenty of water. Most Americans are chronically dehydrated, and not even aware of it. Second rule is to eat a diet high in fibre. Great sources of fibre are psyllium seeds, beets, green beans, cabbage, citrus fruits and oats. Any high vegetable diet will do. Also highly effective is to take one to two tablespoons of flax seed oil daily, and drink mild chamomile tea, a natural regulator. In cases of extreme constipation, laxatives can help but they mustn’t be taken on an ongoing basis.

The best method of hemorrhoids treatment is to pay careful attention to the diet, and be sure to eat plenty of fibre and drink plenty of water. Use herbal remedies and soothing baths to ease immediate symptoms, but in the long run it is a healthy diet that will be the most effective hemorrhoids treatment you can have.

For more information on this and other Natural Treatment Alternatives, please visit: http://www.Sayanah.com

Brent Craig is a researcher and writer with a dedicated interest in Natural Health Alternatives.

Home Remedies & General Health FAQ : How to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids

Internal Hemorrhoid & External Hemorrhoids

When you suffer from hemorrhoids there are basically two types of hemorrhoids: internal or external. Both can be uncomfortable but there are ways that you can fix the problem. There are also several degrees of hemorrhoids that will be explained in this article.

Internal hemorrhoids usually are not noticeable when they are small and when there is no pain. They may bleed and you will see this blood in several different ways. You will see it when you wipe yourself, there may be a little blood on the toilet seat or you might see some on the surface of your feces when you look into the toilet or in your underwear.

Because most people are told that if they find bleeding it is a reason to panic, most people will panic when they see this blood. However it often looks worse than it is. Sometimes they will also be prolapsed which means they might protrude out of the anus. This will usually mean that you will need someone to help you push them back in.

Types of Internal Hemorrhoids

Usually there are four ways that an internal hemorrhoid will present itself. Here are the most common ways:

• First degree — This type of hemorrhoid will bulge into the anal canal when a person has a bowel movement. This often happens when they are straining to go.

• Second degree — this one bulges out of the anus during a bowel movement then retract when it is finished.

• Third degree — this type of internal hemorrhoid doesn’t retract on its own and will need a finger to push it back in.

• Fourth degree — this is a protruding hemorrhoid that does not retract on its own and that you cannot replace into the anus.  Sometimes these are very painful and a physician will have to perform surgery for relief.

External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids come because of the veins that are centered around the anus. This is the type that is very itchy and can sometimes have a burning sensation. Some people also experience a cracking in them and bleeding. Again, you will see the bleeding on the toilet paper after your bowel movement, in your underwear or in the toilet.

How You Know if You have a Hemorrhoid

Although you probably won’t know whether you have a hemorrhoid in most cases there are a few symptoms. You will experience a burning or itchy feeling after a bowel movement even after you have wiped. You may also feel an aching in the anus after a particularly painful release of feces. You might feel a lump outside or inside the anus that is hard and fleshy or you may see the bright red blood that we have mentioned.

The best way to prevent types of hemorrhoids is to make sure that you drink plenty of water or other liquid to keep your body well hydrated and exercise. Add a healthy diet of vegetables and fruits to this and you will make sure you have softer bowel movements.

Many people experience hemorrhoids over their life time especially if they are straining to go to the toilet. You may have them but you may not know how to spot hemorrhoids symptoms.

Most symptoms are easy to recognize but they can be unnerving when you first see them because in today’s society there are so many things we have been told to watch out for, especially where bleeding is concerned. This can be one symptom of hemorrhoids.

The most common symptoms that people experience are an itching or burning sensation in the anus after bowel movements, pain in the rectum or bleeding during bowel movements.

Usually the bleeding can be present when you wipe, in your underwear or in your stool or urine. Remember that from a hemorrhoid this normally happens after a bowel movement.

There are two ways that you can experience a hemorrhoid — internally and externally. When it is external it is easier to treat than when it is internal, depending on the type that presents itself.

An individual may experience more symptoms when the hemorrhoids are internal. Internal symptoms may include:

Itching – This can be most annoying because it is not an itch that can immediately be taken care of because it is internal. Most people will experience this a few minutes after a bowel movement and may need to apply a special cream to get relief. The reason it itches is because the hemorrhoids will seep mucus which irritates the skin around the hemorrhoid.

Skin irritation – When the skin around the hemorrhoid becomes inflamed it will cause an irritation to the skin around it. If the hemorrhoids are large ones and protrude from the anus they can also cause irritation.

Discomfort – After a bowel movement you may feel like you are going to have another one right away. This can be caused by the protruding of the hemorrhoid at the end of the large intestine. Usually the larger the hemorrhoid the more discomfort you may feel.

Pain – The internal hemorrhoids will cause the most painful hemorrhoids symptoms because they swell and can be squeezed by the muscles that control the anus. This can be mild to extreme pain depending on the situation. If the pain is extreme it may mean that the blood supply to the anus is cut off and therefore in need of an emergency procedure.

Situations That Increase The Risk Of Having Hemorrhoids Symptoms

There are several situations that may increase your risk of experiencing hemorrhoids. These can include persistent constipation or diarrhea, being overweight, being over 50 or having a history of hemorrhoids in the family.

For some women, pregnancy can also cause problems with hemorrhoids because the blood volume or pressure in the pelvic blood vessels can increase in the last six months as the women moves towards delivery. If she strains during delivery this can also make them happen.

Also standing or sitting a long time can make hemorrhoids worse or lifting heavy objects while holding your breath. This can create pressure in the anus and can be a major cause of hemorrhoids.

Vaginal hemorrhoids are not common and many people think that they do not exist. Usually this can happen and it is normally during pregnancy that this can happen. Visit our hemorrhoids during pregnancy page for more information on dealing with hemorrhoids when you are pregnant.

Hemorrhoids are varicose veins that get protracted during the stress of a bowel movement. In pregnancy this can happen when blood vessels get overly swollen due to some type of strain from carrying the baby or from bowel movements.

When a woman is pregnant she may experience hemorrhoids that will make her uncomfortable. She would notice this because of an itchy or burning sensation in the vagina or rectum.

Because pregnancy can produce veins that are swollen because of the increased blood volume in the vagina some of the blood flow can be blocked from the rectum and the lower pelvis. Another example is when Rectoceles happens (bulging of front wall of the rectum into the vagina) and obstructs the veins that go into the wall of the rectum.

In any case this can be somewhat painful for the women experiencing the problem. There are two reasons why hemorrhoids can happen in pregnancy:

• The uterus puts more pressure on veins that would normally bring back blood from the lower body and progesterone relaxes the vein walls. This creates a swelling in the lower half of the body and gravity adds to it. This creates the reason why a woman cannot stand for long periods and can cause the hemorrhoids.

• The abdomen creates more pressure on the veins in the vagina because of the combination of the weight of the baby and constipation during pregnancy. This can create a hard bowel movement and make the veins protrude in the vagina or the anus.

In most cases doctors recommend that you keep your body regulated so that you have easy bowel movements to avoid hemorrhoids from happening. To do this you must eat a good diet of fruits and vegetables that are geared to keep you from constipation. Also, drinking plenty of water when you are pregnant will help keep things moving easily.

Treatment for Vaginal Hemorrhoids

Some of the best treatments for vaginal hemorrhoids are the same as for any other type:

Sitz Bath – Sitting in your bathtub in warm water can do wonders for your hemorrhoids providing that you can get into a tub. If you cannot get down into your tub there are plastic tubs that fit into your toilet for the purpose of helping ease the discomfort from hemorrhoids. You can ask at the pharmacy.

Witch hazel pads – Pads that contain with hazel can be perfect for helping with hemorrhoids. One brand name is called Tucks. These pads are an astringent which means they will help sooth the hemorrhoids and dry them.

If you suspect you have vaginal hemorrhoids it is a good idea to check with your physician before trying any of the remedies suggested for your vagina. The doctor may have a prescription that would work better or they will know something over the counter.

Hemorrhoids can be an annoying feature of caring for your body especially if you are constipated a lot, overweight or pregnant. There are a lot of ways though of how to treat hemorrhoids and it is important to know that you have several options.

Estimates show that 10,000,000 Americans have hemorrhoids and at lest 75% of people will have them at some time in their life. This is how natural an occurrence they are and they are easily helped.

Hemorrhoids are a natural thing and nothing to be afraid of even if you see a little blood in the stool. They are just the veins in the anus that are protruding a bit and filling with blood. When a person strains going to the toilet or when they are overweight they may be prone to having them.

You will know if you possibly have a hemorrhoid problem if you have itching in your anus especially after a bowel movement, a burning sensation or some bleeding. Straining to have a bowel movement will make the veins in the anus stretch and fill with blood.

When the hemorrhoid is inflamed it can itch more. This is why it is a good thing to put plenty of fiber in your diet so you have easy bowel movements. Once you have hemorrhoids there are many different hemorrhoids treatments ways.

Common Methods of How to Treat Hemorrhoids

Change in diet- In many cases you can change your diet enough that the hemorrhoids will stop being a problem. Usually this has to do with eating more whole fruits and vegetables. These add fiber to your diet. You can add apples, peaches, watermelon or other natural fruits. Also leafy vegetables bring about the ability to go naturally.

Getting more oil into your diet – Many people suggest that the combination of Omega3 oils and something like flaxseed oil can help with easier bowel movements.

Drink more water- Drinking more water and keeping your body hydrated will help you keep easy bowel movements. This will also help you have better overall health and lose bloat.

Hemorrhoid Cream - Creams like Preparation-H are another easy answer on how to treat hemorrhoids. Creams come in a tube, as a towelette or as a suppository.

Product Websites – There are three products that come up consistently as the best ones for treating hemorrhoids. These are over the counter natural treatments. The name brands are Venapro, Phytome and Avatrol. They all say they stop the pain and itching and then help stop hemorrhoids from coming back.

Sitz Bath -Some people say that a sitz bath that sits on your toilet seat helps to sooth and make a prolapsed hemorrhoid retract.

Hemorrhoid Surgery – In extreme cases if the hemorrhoid is very painful or uncomfortable a doctor may suggest hemorrhoid surgery to remove the hemorrhoid. There are several types of surgery and they will depend on they type of hemorrhoid as to what type is used.