Preventing Hemorrhoids

Known commonly as Piles, Hemorrhoids are a frequent health complaint in adults above 50. At least 2 out of every 3 adults must have suffered from during the course of their life. Hemorrhoids often become a mid-life crisis requiring piles treatment and surgery. But there is no cause for alarm as hemorrhoids can easily be cured by immediately consulting a piles specialist doctor.

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids or Piles is a medical condition caused but the inflammation of the veins around the anus and rectum. It may be caused due to excessive pressure applied during bowel movements. Hemorrhoids occur due to age, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, lifting heavy objects, digestive issues like chronic constipation or diarrhoea,  changes during pregnancy, etc. There are 2 main types of hemorrhoids- internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids are formed inside the anus while external hemorrhoids develop on the outer surface of the anus. Hemorrhoids can be painful with itching or bleeding. It is best to consult a piles specialist doctor on encountering the symptoms of hemorrhoids.

Symptoms of hemorrhoids

The symptoms of hemorrhoids differ based on the type of hemorrhoid developed by the patient. There are 3 types of hemorrhoids- internal, external, and thrombose.

External hemorrhoids - Symptoms

External hemorrhoids formed on the skin outside the anus. They can cause pain, itching and swelling around the anus when the veins bulge. Sometimes, the excessive pressure may result in bleeding along with great discomfort.

Internal hemorrhoids - Symptoms

Internal hemorrhoids are formed inside the rectum and hence cannot be seen or felt from the outside. But they may cause painless bleeding during bowel movements due to straining to pass stools. The hemorrhoid may also push out through the anus due to straining and cause discomfort and pain.

Thrombose hemorrhoids - Symptoms

When blood gets accumulated in a ruptured hemorrhoid, it may form a clot and become a thrombose hemorrhoids. Thrombose hemorrhoids may cause pain. irritation, bleeding and a hard lump near the anus.

Do not ignore any bleeding that may occur during bowel movements. Consult an expert piles specialist doctor to check for the presence of hemorrhoids and rule out chances of anal or colorectal cancer. Hemorrhoids can be easily treated with piles treatment and surgery .

Piles Treatment and Surgery

Treatment for hemorrhoids must be taken only from an experienced piles specialist doctor. The piles specialist may ask the patient to undertake the following measures.

1. Medicine

The piles specialist doctor may prescribe  OTC medicines for hemorrhoid treatment and immediate pain relief. The medicine may be in the form of tablets, ointments or suppositories.

2. Non-invasive treatment

Hemorrhoids can be treated without surgery through the following methods

• Rubberband Ligation - This treatment for internal hemorrhoids involves tying the hemorrhoid with a rubberband to cut off its blood supply and make it shrivel and fall off.
• Sclerotherapy - Here again the blood supply is cut off to the internal hemorrhoid by injecting a solution into it to form a scar.
• Electro Coagulation - Here the piles specialist doctor passes electric current into the internal hemorrhoid. This cuts off the blood supply and causes a car tissue to form, thereby making the hemorrhoid to shrink and fall off.
• Infra-Red Coagulation - This treatment for external hemorrhoids uses infra-red rays to restrict blood supply, form a scar tissue and make the hemorrhoid shrink and die.

3. Surgery

The piles specialist doctor advises surgery only when no other option is feasible. It can involve

• Hemorrhoidectomy - Removal of hemorrhoid by surgery
• Stapling - Fixing the prolapsed hemorrhoid back in place by stapling.

4. Changes in lifestyle

The piles specialist doctor may advise the patient to make changes in lifestyle like

• Avoiding sitting for long hours
• Exercise
• Eating a high-fibre diet with hemorrhoids preventing foods
• Avoiding delay and passing stools immediately when the urge arises.
• Not straining during bowel movements.

5. Intake of hemorrhoids preventing foods

Here is a list of  hemorrhoids preventing foods prescribed by piles specialist doctor

• Legumes like beans, peas, soybeans, chickpeas and peanuts
• Whole grains like oats, corn, barley, quinoa, rye, and brown rice.
• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, turnip, kale and Brussels sprouts.
• Root vegetables like potato, carrot, beets, etc
• Fruits like apple, melon, raspberry, pears, etc.

Hemorrhoids have become an inevitable health ailment in most adults today owing to their sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and consumption of junk food. They can be easily prevented by following a healthy diet with lots of hemorrhoids preventing foods and by consulting a piles specialist doctor   immediately.