Also known as “piles,” hemorrhoids are veins inside a person’s anus and lower rectum that are inflamed or swollen. Typically, they are caused by an increase in pressure in the lower rectum, such as when a person strains during bowel movements or sits for a long time on the toilet, or when a woman exerts pressure on the veins during pregnancy. Other factors like obesity, having anal intercourse, experiencing chronic constipation or diarrhea, and having a low-fiber diet can also result in the development of hemorrhoids.
This condition is more likely to occur when a person gets older, when the tissues that support these veins in the anus and rectum grow weaker with aging. However, they can also be experienced by people in their late teens.
Hemorrhoids can be classified as either internal (inside the rectum) or external (under the skin around the anus), and they will often be painful or itchy.
What are the available treatment methods?
Specialists will know how to cure hemorrhoids using a variety of techniques. Depending on the severity of your condition, you can make use of home remedies and medications or ask about minimally invasive treatment options that are available to you.
Home remedies and lifestyle modifications
For less severe cases, relief from the pain and itching brought about by hemorrhoids can be achieved by simply using topical treatments, such as suppositories with hydrocortisone or over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams. There’s also the option of using pads that contain witch hazel to numb the area. Avoid using dry toilet paper and instead keep the anal area clean by washing with warm water (without soap), and then drying the area gently with a hair dryer. You can also take oral pain relievers for added comfort.
Surgical procedures
For larger hemorrhoids, you can ask your doctor about undergoing hemorrhoidectomy (hemorrhoid removal) wherein the excessive tissue that causes bleeding is removed. You can also consider hemorrhoid stapling, which blocks the flow of blood to hemorrhoidal tissue.
However, these aggressive procedures can cause pain for the patient afterwards, and with stapling, there is a greater risk of recurrence and rectal prolapse.
A minimally invasive technique
Laser centers in your locality may offer a more ideal solution to the condition: laser hemorrhoidectomy. It offers the following advantages:
- A laser seals as it cuts, so the patient will not or rarely need stitches after hemorrhoids are removed.
- The laser beam provides an excellent view of the hemorrhoid, so there is no risk of damaging the muscles that control bowel movements. Patients won’t encounter problems with controlling stools or gas after the procedure.
- Surgeons will be able to remove more of the hemorrhoids.
- The reduced tissue damage translates to less pain, speedier recovery, and fewer complications for the patient.