Piles or hemorrhoids are painful, but usually go away within a few days. As hemorrhoids can be repetitive, it is best to learn about these hemorrhoid treatments to reduce the itchiness and discomfort of hemorrhoids.
1. Self-care with dietary changes
Constipation is one of the main causes of hemorrhoids and can be controlled and prevented by keeping your stools soft and regular. Include fruits, vegetables, cereals, and whole wheat bread in your diet to increase fiber intake.
Drink as much water as possible and avoid or limit your caffeine intake.
Avoid straining to have a bowel movement as it only makes your hemorrhoids worse. If you are constipated, taking laxatives helps empty your intestines.
After you have a bowel movement, use wet toilet paper or baby wipes to dry and not rub your butt, instead of dry toilet paper.
Do not hold or wait for the urge to wear off if you feel the urge to have a bowel movement. It hardens the stool, which further inflames the hemorrhoids.
A warm bath reduces pain and increases blood flow to reduce the size of inflamed veins. If you cannot take a full bath, at least sit in about 8 cm of warm water for a few minutes, a few times a day, especially after having a bowel movement.
2. Medicine
There are several over-the-counter medications such as creams, ointments, and suppositories that you can apply to your butt to relieve hemorrhoids. Use it only for 5-7 days at a time as prolonged use can irritate sensitive anal skin. Do not use more than one product at a time.
Corticosteroid cream that contains steroids can treat severe inflammation in and around your butt. Do not use it for more than a week as it can thin the skin around your anus and make irritation worse.
While common pain relievers like acetaminophen relieve hemorrhoid pain, avoid codeine pain relievers as they can lead to constipation. Local anesthetic products are effective hemorrhoid treatments. Use them only for a few days as the skin around your anus is quite sensitive.
3. Non-surgical piles treatments
Banding and sclerotherapy are suggested if hemorrhoids develop above the dentate line. Banding involves tightly tying an elastic band around the base of the hemorrhoids to cut off the blood supply. Hemorrhoids then fall off in a week.
This is a one-day procedure done without anesthesia in which you can return to your normal activities the next day. There may be some pain and discomfort for a day or two that can be relieved with normal pain relievers.
You won’t know when the hemorrhoids fall off as they pass out when you go to the bathroom, which is indicated by mucus discharge within a week of the procedure. While it is normal for there to be some blood on the toilet paper after a bowel movement, there should not be excessive bleeding. If there is, see your doctor immediately.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a chemical solution into the blood vessels of the anal passage to relieve pain by numbing the nerve endings. The injection hardens the hemorrhoid tissue to form a scar that wrinkles after 4-6 weeks.
It is best to avoid strenuous exercise for a day after the injection. While there may be some mild pain and some bleeding, you can resume your normal activities and work one day after the injection.
4. Infrared coagulation
This involves the use of infrared lights to burn the hemorrhoid tissue and cut off its blood supply. The procedure can also be performed using electrical current and is called diathermy or electrotherapy.
5. Surgery
10% of cases may require surgery to treat hemorrhoids. Surgery is performed under anesthesia on hemorrhoids developed below the dentate line. While there are several surgical options available, they generally involve removing hemorrhoids or reducing their blood supply and shrinking them.
One or a few of these piles treatment options can offer relief and help for the pain, discomfort, and swelling of hemorrhoids. If home care and over-the-counter treatments don’t work, see your doctor about your surgical options.