Getting to the Bottom of it With Pain Relief
Hemorrhoids suck. Really, they do, and if you’re reading this, you can probably relate to how bad they can be. They are painful and bloody. According to the National Institute of Health, about 1 in 20 Americans have hemorrhoids, and half of adults over the age of 50 have hemorrhoids. Since they are so common, there must be a way to remove them. So how exactly can you get rid of them? How are they removed? In this blog, we’ll talk about how to remove hemorrhoids and how to avoid and manage them.
5 Hemorrhoids Removal Methods
There are a few different ways that hemorrhoids can be removed. A medical professional must perform all these procedures, and the type of procedure chosen will depend on the size of the hemorrhoid and if other procedures have been successful or not. Below is a list of all the different ways hemorrhoids may be removed.
1. Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is when your doctor injects a chemical into the hemorrhoid, which will cause it to shrink and disappear. This procedure is usually performed at the doctor’s office and causes little to no pain. However, it is less effective to treat hemorrhoids.
2. Rubber Band Ligation
Rubber band ligation is seen to be a much more effective method of removing internal hemorrhoids than injection. When rubber band ligation is performed, your doctor uses a device to wrap two rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid. This is kind of like a tourniquet, and they will cut off the circulation to the hemorrhoids, causing them to fall off within a week of the surgery. There are some downfalls to this procedure, though. It can be uncomfortable and cause bleeding. In some rare cases, complications have been reported.
3. Coagulation
Two versions of this procedure is used on small internal hemorrhoids with consistent bleeding. The first is Infrared Photocoagulation which uses a laser-like device to heat the hemorrhoid with infrared technology. This hardens it so that it falls off. The other is Electrocoagulation which uses an electric current to create scar tissue in hemorrhoids, cutting off blood circulation and causing it to shrink. Both procedures cause only mild discomfort, and the chances of complications are slim.
4. Hemorrhoidectomy
This is an invasive surgical procedure used to remove hemorrhoids that are either recurring or severe. This hemorrhoid surgery uses anesthesia and does involve sedation. While you are sedated, the surgeon will remove the hemorrhoids that have not responded to other treatments. This is by far the most effective way of treating hemorrhoids, as they should not return after surgery. The biggest downfall to this is that it is invasive and can have complications like urinary tract infections and difficulty emptying the bladder. It can also be quite painful.
5. Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy
The last way of removing hemorrhoids is with hemorrhoid stapling. This procedure is another hemorrhoid surgery but is like rubber band ligation. The base of the internal hemorrhoid is stapled, cutting off blood flow which causes it to fall off. It is much less painful than the other surgical option of a hemorrhoidectomy. However, the complication risk is much higher. The main concern is that it can cause anal prolapse to happen after. There is also a higher chance of the hemorrhoid returning after this procedure. Finally, problems with bleeding, urinary tract issues and infection are all risks of complications with this procedure.
Ways to Avoid or Manage Hemorrhoids
Now that we know all of the ways that hemorrhoids are treated medically, you should know that there are ways to manage existing hemorrhoids from flaring up or just avoid getting one in the first place.
Eating high-fiber foods can help with pain and issues related to hemorrhoids. They can also help prevent hemorrhoids. This is because fiber helps to make your stool denser and heavier but also soft at the same time. Passing these bowel movements is much easier, so you spend less time on the toilet. High-fiber foods also help prevent constipation which can cause hemorrhoids.
If you’re wondering how constipation can cause hemorrhoids, this would be because spending too much time straining to push out a bowel movement on the toilet can cause hemorrhoids.
Another way to help manage or prevent hemorrhoids would be to take a fiber food supplement like Metamucil or Citrucel. They contain psyllium husk or methylcellulose, which help soften stool and make it easier to pass.
Drinking lots of water and staying hydrated helps your body to digest your food better and prevents stool from getting too hard, causing constipation. Ensuring you have enough fluids daily will help prevent or manage your hemorrhoids.
Finally, you can also use over-the-counter medications like hemorrhoid creams or suppositories to manage a flare-up if one happens. While these don’t work to get rid of the hemorrhoid completely, they do help lower the inflammation and can stop bleeding.
While hemorrhoids are literally a pain in the butt, many different things can be done to remove them or at least manage the pain they can cause. If you think you have hemorrhoids, you should speak to your healthcare provider about what can be done to eliminate them.