Hemorrhoids are uncomfortable to experience…and to discuss. Yet half the population will eventually endure them. Also called piles, hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lower rectum or anus. Depending on the specific type and location, a hemorrhoid might be annoyingly itchy or agonizingly painful.
Fortunately, says gastroenterologist Rajiv Bhuta, MD, there are ways to reduce the odds of getting hemorrhoids…at-home hemorrhoid treatments that can help when you do get them…and medical options should those DIY treatments fail.
To significantly reduce the odds of getting hemorrhoids…
Don’t spend more than five minutes at a time seated on the toilet unless absolutely necessary. Excessive toilet time increases pressure around the anus, which increases risk for hemorrhoids. Other steps…
Elevate your feet onto a stool when seated on the toilet to reduce this pressure. The human body was designed to have bowel movements while in a squatting position, not while seated at a 90-degree angle. Consider getting and using a “Squatty Potty” or something similar.
Get to a toilet as promptly as possible when you feel the urge to defecate. Delay reduces the odds that things will flow freely.
Don’t strain or wait if things fail to proceed quickly. Admit temporary defeat and try again when the urge returns. Reminder: Don’t use your smartphone while on the toilet—phone use increases the odds of spending unnecessary time there.
Consuming high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts reduces the odds of constipation, and therefore the effort and time required for bowel movements. Use of over-the-counter laxatives such as MiraLAX and Metamucil can reduce constipation as well, when needed. MiraLAX and Metamucil are safe to use daily and chronically.
Water consumption reduces constipation risk, too. Try to drink at least 60 to 80 ounces of water each day.
Being overweight or obese is highly correlated with hemorrhoid risk.
The physical strain of lifting can increase the pressure on the hemorrhoid-prone blood vessels of the anus and rectum.
If you do get hemorrhoids, follow the hemorrhoid-prevention strategies above closely and consider using…
Preparation H, available in many different varieties, is the best-known and most widely available of the many hemorrhoid creams, ointments and wipes on the market, though competing products often contain similar ingredients. Look for the ingredients witch hazel and/or hydrocortisone, both of which can reduce swelling and itching. Some products also include lidocaine-based painkillers. Warning: Don’t use a topical hemorrhoid treatment that includes a steroid such as hydrocortisone for more than a few weeks at a time. Overuse can have unwelcome long-term side effects, such as thinning and discoloration of the tissue in the area where it’s applied.
Sitting in a shallow bath of lukewarm water can both soothe and stimulate healing. Adding Epsom salt to that water might further reduce inflammation.
It’s worth seeing a doctor if…
That’s a sign that a blood clot has formed, creating a “thrombosed” hemorrhoid. These generally are not dangerous, but over-the-counter treatments won’t be sufficient.
This is fairly common with hemorrhoids and usually nothing to worry about…but on rare occasions, rectal bleeding points to serious issues such as colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease so it’s important to rule these out.
A physical examination and more intensive treatment may be needed.
Doctor-provided treatment options include rubber band ligation, where a tiny rubber band is used to choke off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid…and infrared coagulation, where a probe directs an infrared light to create scar tissue that deprives the hemorrhoid of blood flow.
