Millions of people are coping with hemorrhoids every single day, from the itching to the burning to the pain. Doctors often recommend surgery for hemorrhoid removal if the pain is so severe that it impedes daily life functions or if the patient has had the hemorrhoids for a long period of time. Typically, this means removing the veins around the anus that are feeding the hemorrhoid. Fortunately, surgical procedures for removing hemorrhoids have advanced with recent changes in technology. Nevertheless, hemorrhoid surgery should be a last resort when all other treatment options have failed.

There are certain cases in which surgery may be the most appropriate method for removing a hemorrhoid. Unrelenting burning from the hemorrhoids, anal bleeding, excruciating pain, blood clots, and bacterial infections are all included in the list of symptoms that make surgery the treatment of choice. Before you can undergo surgery for hemorrhoid removal, though, a doctor must first determine if you are eligible for the procedure.

A rubber band can be used to remove hemorrhoids in a procedure known as rubber band ligation, which is the most standard type of surgery for hemorrhoid removal. Essentially it works by cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid. Because we do not have nerves for pain signals in that part of the body, no painkillers are needed. Approximately one week post-surgery the tissue will fall off.

When you have hemorrhoids requiring surgery, another option is sclerotherapy, which is when chemical injections are used to shrink or destroy the hemorrhoid. This procedure helps you get rid of hemorrhoids by causing inflammation and ultimately thickening the skin, which prevents the formation of further hemorrhoids. Infrared coagulation is also one of the treatment choices for hemorrhoids. In this procedure a special infrared device is used to destroy tissues around the hemorrhoid.

At times, a surgical procedure known as a hemorrhoidectomy may be needed to remove hemorrhoids that are severe in nature, or when you have a lot of them. A hemorrhoidectomy requires a person to stay in the hospital and the expected recovery time can span a few weeks; this is unique from other types of surgeries for hemorrhoids. During this operation, the blood supply to the hemorrhoid is cut off and then the growth is removed. Removal of the tissue around the hemorrhoid may also be required.

Surgical hemorrhoid removal via lasers has seen increasing popularity in recent years because it is so successful. In this procedure, the laser seals off blood vessels, which means very little post-operative bleeding. As with any surgical operation, laser treatment will involve some discomfort after the procedure is completed, but it will be much less than you would expect with other forms of hemorrhoid removal surgery.

You can expect great results from any of these types of surgery for hemorrhoid removal; however you also need to do your part by following guidelines that will keep you from developing hemorrhoids again. Unfortunately, you will most likely experience pain after the surgery as the muscles of the anus tighten and relax. However, this should only last for a few days. Taking some acetaminophen or ibuprofen will help relieve the discomfort.