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Treating And Preventing Hemorrhoids
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com Author: Gray Rollins
Hemorrhoids, or piles as they are commonly known, are the inflamed and swollen veins around the anus or the lower part of the rectum. Hemorrhoids may result from inordinate straining to pass out stool. Pregnancy, constipation or diarrhea, anal intercourse, and aging also may lead to the formation of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be external or internal. It is easy to confuse other anorectal problems like fissures, fistula, or abscesses with hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are not life threatening and the symptoms usually go away after a few days.
Symptoms:
Though many people have hemorrhoids, only a few experience the symptoms.
Internal hemorrhoids
Internal hemorrhoids can neither be seen nor felt. But when a person strains to pass stool, the delicate surface of the hemorrhoid may get injured and this may cause it to bleed. Internal anal membranes do not have pain-sensitive nerve fibers, so the hemorrhoids do not cause discomfort. If an internal hemorrhoid is pushed through the anal opening due to straining, it can lead to pain and irritation.
External hemorrhoids
External hemorrhoids are the painful hemorrhoids. If blood pools in the external hemorrhoid, it is called a thrombus. This forms a clot and causes severe pain, inflammation and swelling. If this hemorrhoid is disturbed, it can cause bleeding and itching.
Hemorrhoids are an embarrassing problem for many, but it is also very common among both men and women. More than half the population suffers from this problem by the time they reach 50. Hemorrhoids are common among pregnant women.
Causes:
Increased pressure in the veins of the lower rectum is what leads to hemorrhoids. Pressure is often applied due to:
Diagnosis:
Rectal bleeding is the most common indication of internal hemorrhoids. But, rectal bleeding may also be a symptom of digestive diseases. The doctor will examine the area for swollen blood vessels, which indicate hemorrhoids. If rectal bleeding is accompanied by dizziness, light-headedness or fainting, a doctor should be consulted immediately. External hemorrhoids may be detected just by looking. To ascertain the presence of an internal hemorrhoid, the doctor may need to do a colonoscope, anoscope or sigmoidoscoope.
Treatment:
The first phase of the treatment aims at relieving symptoms. Taking a warm tub bath several times a day in mild, warm water for about 10 minutes is effective. Some hemorrhoidal cream applied to the affected area also helps.
Persistent bleeding and painful hemorrhoids may need more intricate treatment. Common procedures include Banding, Sclerotherapy, applying Infrared light, and lastly, surgery.
Prevention:
Self-care is the best care if your hemorrhoids are in the early stages. You can alleviate pain and discomfort by:
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Home Remedies for Piles
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Hemorrhoids sufferer should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as grapes, apple, pear, peach, orange, pineapple and melon. For drinks, unsweetened lemon water or plain water either hot or cold may be taken.
In long-standing and stubborn cases, it will be advisable to have a short fast for four or five days before adopting an all-fruit diet. When on short fast, the patient may have the juice of an orange in a glass of warm water. An enema with lukewarm water should be taken daily in the morning while fasting. This will cleanse the bowels and give much needed rest to the rectal tissues.
After the all-fruit diet, the patient may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed at securing soft stools. The diet should be low in fat and should not contain more than 50 grams of fat. Foods which contain less fat are skimmed milk, buttermilk, curd and cottage cheese made from skimmed milk; all vegetables except cabbage, onions, dried beans and peas; cooked and dried cereals, fruits and fruit juices.
The ideal diet for the patient with piles should consist of fruits like papaya, musk melon, apple and pear; green vegetables, particularly spinach and radish, wheat, porridge, whole meal cereals and milk. Lentils and daals should be avoided, as they constipate the bowels. The patient should also abstain from meat, fish, eggs, cheese, white sugar, sweets, rice, all fried foods, all white flour products, tea and coffee. Dry fruits, such as figs and raisins and coconuts should form part of the diet.
The most important food remedy for piles is dry figs. Three or four figs should be soaked overnight in water after cleaning them thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken first thing in the morning along with the water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in the evening in similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess an excellent quality of stimulating peristaltic movements of intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean. The pressure on the anus having thus been relieved, the hemorrhoids also get contracted.
The mango seeds are valuable in bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as medicine. This powder should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without honey twice daily.
The patient should drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day. He should avoid straining to pass stool.
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