How To Treat Hemorrhoids

How to treat hemorrhoids is one of those questions many people want answered but most do not like to ask. Because of the nature of the problem and the area effected people can get embarrassed about asking how to treat them.

Did you know that over 40% of adults will suffer from hemorrhoids and that number is growing. The truth is between a more sedentary lifestyle and more processed foods adults are now more then ever likely to suffer from this condition, also known as piles, at some point in their life.

Here we will discuss how to naturally treat this condition and get fast relief as well as the pros and cons of the more popular ways of treating hemorrhoids.

Knowing how to treat hemorrhoids starts by recognizing the symptoms. As with any condition, the earlier you catch it the easier it is to treat it. Because they can start out as a simple annoyance many people will let it go. They may even go away but without knowing why you got them there is a good chance they can pop back up and get worse as well.

Symptoms range anywhere from hardly noticeable to very painful with a lot of room in between. One sign that you may not really notice is if you have some blood in your stool. Many people will simply miss this because, they don't check. Most people will only notice if there is actually blood on the toilet paper.

This symptom may only last for a day, go away and come back every once in a while but it is a sign you need to start looking into some type of treatment. This may be a result of poor diet or sitting too much and a simple change can help relieve your hemorrhoids symptoms. Add more natural fiber to you diet. If you sit too long, get up every hour or so and just stretch your legs. Sometimes it's the simple things that canhelp the most.

Another very common symptom is pain and itching. This is caused from the inflammation of the vein and can be very hard to deal with. Itching will only make it worse as you will only irritate and dry out the skin. Doing this can also lead to more complications such as infection.

If you can catch these symptoms before they get worse, with proper treatment you can start getting relief very quickly. Remember the longer you wait the worse it will get. Treating hemorrhoids in the early stages can be not only effective but easy to do. By doing so you can also avoid having to use medications or go through painful surgery.

The good news is you can cure hemorrhoids naturally, in the early stages with some simple changes that will not be hard to make.

One of the easiest ways to start treating hemorrhoids, especially in the early stages, is through diet. Some simple changes can make a world of difference and in some cases get rid of them all together.

With that being said diet is usually only part of the equation all be it a big part. One of the biggest reasons for hemorrhoids is problems in the bathroom, constipation, forcing bowel movements, etc. So one of the best things you can do is make life easier when going to the bathroom and this can easily be done through your diet.

One of the first things you should probably so is add more fiber in to your diet. There are some fiber supplements out there but really the best way to do this is through whole foods as opposed to these supplements. Your body will absorb, use and pass real whole foods much better then a processed supplement.

Foods such as fruits, vegetables, oatmeal and bran are a great source of natural fiber. The benefits are two fold as well since not only will this help improve your digestion but you may also lose some excess weight as well. Fruits and vegetable are also very high in vitamins and anti oxidants so your all around health will improve too.

The next thing to do is try to cut down on processed foods. We all live very busy lives and quick food is sometimes the only option but, if you can eat whole foods as opposed to fast or processed foods it will make a great difference in your digestion. Your body has a much harder time digesting processed foods which in turn makes it harder to pass these foods as well.

This doesn't mean you have to go all organic or eat only health foods, just that when you can try to eat more whole foods. If you take the advice of adding natural fiber then these two things go hand in hand and you will not have a problem.

One more big factor is take in enough water. Your body needs water to help push everything through and most people do not drink enough water during their day. There are a lot of different opinions as to how much water is enough. One good rule to follow is drink half your body weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 200 pounds you should try to drink at least 100 ounces of water.

Water is going to be a big key in keeping your stool soft which in turn means less straining in the bathroom. The less pressure you put on the anus the less your hemorrhoids will act up.

Again, depending on the severity of your hemorrhoids this may or may not be the solution but it will be a factor. By following these simple dietary steps, you can take a lot of pressure off and be well on your way to becoming hemorrhoid free.

Most people don't know they have or are getting hemorrhoids until they start feeling pain or discomfort. Although it is important to learn how to treat the actual problem as opposed to treating the symptoms, your main focus in the beginning is relief. This is especially true since hemorrhoids are not a major threat to your overall health.

Usually the main first symptoms you will get are itching, swelling, and bleeding. If your in a lot of pain you have probably had hemorrhoids for a while now and may need to see a doctor.

Lets start with treating the itching. Itching is caused by a combination of inflammation and your body releasing fluid to keep the area lubricated. One of the first things you need to do is avoid scratching or rubbing.

After a bowel movement try to blot the area clean with moist toilet paper as opposed to wiping and rubbing. There are also medicated wipes made specifically for hemorrhoids available. Many hemorrhoid cremes contain hydrocortisone to help relieve the itching.

By reducing swelling you will also in turn reduce itching as well. Swelling of hemorrhoids can be reduced using similar methods to reduce swelling of any other body part. To reduce swelling you can take over the counter anti inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen. ice can also be used, you should apply ice several times a day for about 10 minutes. again many hemorrhoid cremes have active ingredients to help reduce swelling as well.

As for bleeding, this will subside when the swelling reduces and your conditions is not as irritated. If you find yourself still bleeding after the swelling has gone down or bleeding gets worse consult your doctor immediately as this may be a sign of other issues. Although rectal bleeding is a common symptom of hemorrhoids it should not be taken lightly.

One thing to remember is that although the things mentioned above can help with the relief of symptoms they are not the total solution. You need to address the root issue as to why you got hemorrhoids in the first place other wise your they will only return again and again.