Often hemorrhoids will have different effects depending on where on your body they are located. When you’re dealing with internal hemorrhoids, they’re often less painful, and you may not even feel them. You may not notice them until you see you have blood in your stool. On the other hand, external hemorrhoids are often more painful, itchy and easily detected. Read on to learn how to deal with this painful ailment.
Use witch hazel for relieving hemorrhoid discomfort and pain. This astringent shrinks and constricts the swollen tissues and provides cooling relief. Use cotton balls to apply witch hazel, and allow it to sit on the affected area for somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes, or simply pour some into your sitz bath.
Undue strain in bowel movements is a normal contributing factor to the development of hemorrhoids. You can soften your stool by increasing your water intake and eating foods that have not been excessively refined. Elevating the knees can also make it easier to pass stool without straining. Keep a small stool in the bathroom, and rest your feet on it as you use the toilet. Hemorrhoids aren’t common in those places in the world where the people squat to defecate.
Knowing about hemorrhoids can be helpful. Whether you or someone in your family suffers from this affliction, it is important to learn as much as you can about the subject. A hemorrhoid is an inflamed, swollen bundle of nerves that causes pain, itching and increased sensitivity.
Excessive straining while having a bowel movement is one of the causes for hemorrhoids. Eating less processed food and drinking lots of water will make your stools softer, and thus require less straining to pass. When you’re having a bowel movement, squatting, instead of sitting, can help you pass it more easily. Keep a small stool in the bathroom, and rest your feet on it as you use the toilet. In countries around the world where they don’t use toilets but instead squat to have a bowel movement, hemorrhoids are rare.
To relieve the pain of hemorrhoids, consider dropping a few pounds. Being too heavy can exacerbate the effects of hemorrhoids. The pressure on your abdominal area from extra weight and waste increases pressure in the anal veins. Decrease the pressure with a weight loss program that includes a generous amount of high fiber foods. Take caution not to overdo it with laxatives though, either for weight loss or hemorrhoid treatment, since continually doing this is eventually unhealthy.
Hemorrhoids can be treated in many ways, sometimes under the care of a doctor and sometimes at home. There are quite a few people who are able to self-treat hemorrhoids and avoid them through proper diet and exercise. Eating a diet that is rich in fiber and water is essential.
