Many people suffer from hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. This illness is not considered a serious, life-and-death struggle, but it can be very debilitating. If you have this condition, you are likely to call in sick and stay at home for a few days. You cannot do tasks that involve moving around. You are chained to your bed or chair for the better part of the day.
What causes hemorrhoids? Actually, there are a lot of factors surrounding the development of hemorrhoids. The most common is the tearing of the anal vein due to too much pressure applied during bowel movements. This happens when your bowels are unusually dry and hard, causing you to push too much.
Another known factor is giving birth to a child. Women who go through the traditional child birth method exert too much effort to push the baby out, causing some veins to be ruptured in the anal canal. Obesity is also a likely cause of hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids can be classified into either internal or external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are found inside the anus, while external hemorrhoids occur outside the anal canal. Although internal hemorrhoids are less painful than the external one, you might feel unbearable pain when you contract your anal muscles. This makes it difficult for you to respond to the call of nature.
Because internal hemorrhoids are more difficult to ascertain, you should visit your doctor for some checkups. This is also to ensure that the internal hemorrhoid is not some symptom of something far more serious occurring within your digestive system.
If you see some bleeding in the toilet paper, do not easily jump into conclusion that it is a simple case of hemorrhoids. It could be a sign of some internal disorder in the colon. It is always best to see the doctor if the situation is internal in nature.
For external ones, all you need is some home remedies and you will most likely recover in a few days. Being diligent about your hygiene is imperative. Use moist toilet paper and gently swipe it off your anus after flushing out your wastes. Then take a bath with warm water to wash away dirt.
For itching and extreme pain, use ointments that can be snagged over the counter. Also apply cold compress in the affected area so that the veins would somehow shrink and gradually return back to normal.
Most importantly, you must maintain a diet packed with fiber so that you won’t have to stress over your bowel movement. Drink lots of fluid so that the food that you eat would be broken down easily. If the swelling and bleeding do not stop in three days’ time, you should go see a doctor as further home remedies might not work.
