A hemorrhoid is an enlarged or twisted vein in the wall of the lower rectum andor the anus. Hemorrhoids may occur for many reasons, the most common of these are the extra pressure placed on the anorectal area by frequent constipation or by pregnancy; aging, obesity and the frequent use of enemas or suppositories can also be significant factors. Hemorrhoids or ‘piles’ as they are sometimes called may be so insignificant that you will hardly notice that there is a problem or they may be so severe that the pain is excruciating and, in the more extreme cases, you may experience bleeding.

Hemorrhoids may be classified as internal or external but it is possible to have both at the same time; these categories are simply referring to the hemorrhoids you can see outside the anal opening and those that are not apparent outside of your body.

Hemorrhoids that are severe enough to require medical treatment are least common in men and women in their 20s or younger. It is estimated that after age 30, however, three-quarters of all Americans will have hemorrhoids that require medical treatment; most of those cases will involve men and pregnant women.

Symptoms

Minor hemorrhoids internal or external will not be painful and may go away without treatment of any kind.

A more serious hemorrhoid may bleed and you may notice blood in the toilet bowl, on the feces, on the toilet paper or on your undergarment.

If an internal hemorrhoid becomes large enough it will protrude through the anal opening. Often it can be pushed back inside if it does not go back inside by itself. These protruding internal hemorrhoids quickly become irritated and painful if they are allowed to remain outside. If it cannot be pushed back inside, a visit to the doctor quickly becomes a priority.

External hemorrhoids, if they are large, however, can be painful when attempting to clean the anal area after a bowel movement, they are also subject to blood clots. If a blood clot forms a painful lump may develop and the skin around the anal area will become red. This is not a life threatening situation but it does call for medical intervention.

To Reduce the Frequency and Pain of Hemorrhoids

Sometimes changing your lifestyle or, more importantly, your dietary habits will allow you to avoid a reoccurrence of hemorrhoids. Adding items with a high fiber content to your diet may be enough to avoid constipation, other tactics may involve drinking six to eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day, losing excess weight and drinking a fiber supplement. Sitting on a toilet seat while reading a book is bad idea because it increases the pressure on the veins that are likely to become irritated and swell.

If you have an external hemorrhoid, perfumed soap or toilet paper may irritate it. Use a pre-moistened towelette or one of the hemorrhoid products on the market to reduce the pain and discomfort. Try sitting in a tub of warm water to reduce pain or using an ice pack to reduce swelling.

If these ‘home remedies’ do you no good, see your doctor. There is no need to live with the pain of hemorrhoids.

When someone has a hemorrhoid problem, they are going to be very uncomfortable and will have to do something in order to take care of this annoyance. Having hemorrhoids means that a person has a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. This may result in the straining to move bowels. The most common people to get hemorrhoids are pregnant women, people that are aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea and anal intercourse.

Hemorrhoids are either inside the anus or under the skin around the anus. This means that they are usually internal or external. There are creams and medications for the external problems; however, the internal hemorrhoids may result in surgery or other procedures to remove them.

Many of these hemorrhoid problems will mean that any person with them will have pain or itching in that area. Hemorrhoids are usually not dangerous or life threatening. In most cases, the symptoms will go away in a few days. Although many people with them will not experience any symptoms at all. The most common symptom of internal hemorrhoids is bright red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper, or in the toilet itself.

An internal hemorrhoid may protrude through the anus outside the body and this is what will become painful. This is called non other than a protruding hemorrhoid. Symptoms of the external hemorrhoids may be painful as well. This will also include swelling or a hard surface around the anus that results when a blot clot forms.

It is normal to have a hemorrhoid problem. They are very common in both men and women. So many pregnant women have to deal with the pain of hemorrhoids along with everything else that they have to go through while pregnant. Others will have hemorrhoids by the age of fifty.

There are many treatments of hemorrhoids and the symptoms that they cause. Sitting in a warm bath a few times a day will help to relive pain. There are also a lot of creams available both over the counter and by prescription that can help to heal and ease the pain of the hemorrhoids.

In extreme cases, it may be determined by a doctor that a person must have surgery to remove the hemorrhoids. This is to help those that have severe bleeding or anemia and cannot take the loss of blood. This will eliminate the problems of the hemorrhoids so that the person can live a happier and healthier lifestyle.

To prevent hemorrhoids, many people with constipation should relive the pressure of straining. You should have lots of fiber and fruits in your diet and drink plenty of water. This will help to soften the stool and will not cause so much strain. A stool softener may also be necessary to fix this type of problem.

There are two basic types of constipation – organic and functional. Organic constipation is a result of some physical change, obstruction, or distortion in your colon. This type of constipation needs immediate attention from a doctor.

This article only covers Functional Constipation. This type of constipation is a result of not following a proper diet, drinking enough fluids, having good emotional health and not having a good lifestyle – a lifestyle that promotes good movement of digested foods through the intestines and colon.

Even though there are many definitions for constipation, constipation is simply a condition where the fecal matter traveling through your colon remains too long in your colon before traveling out the rectum.

Constipation is a symptom and not a disease. It is a condition that tells you your colon is not working properly or that you have some underlying gastrointestinal disease you are not aware of.

Constipation may be a warning that your diet and lifestyle are causing an imbalance in your body. It is a symptom that many people ignore or that many people try to eliminate by using unnatural and oftentimes dangerous drugstore laxatives.

Drugstore laxatives should be avoided when you have constipation. They can become habit-forming, damage your colon, and have nasty side effects if used too long. They sometimes have the tendency of creating the problem you are trying relieve – constipation.

To keep your body in chemical balance, it is important to use only natural remedies for constipation. Natural remedies such as herbs and foods bring into the colon those nutrients that can build up your colon and reactivate your natural peristaltic action.

As you use natural remedies, keep in mind that one particular remedy may not work for you. You may have to try a different remedy or increase dosage of the one you are using. If you supply what your body needs by using a specific remedy, then you will get results from using that remedy.

Experimenting is part of finding out what remedy is best for you. There are many different natural remedies you can choose from. Look on the internet for “natural remedies for constipation” and you will find many listings.

Keep in mind that most remedies should be used only for a short time, two to four days and not longer than 2 weeks. They should only be used for the time needed to clear your constipation. This might be just 4 or 5 times or sometimes it may take several weeks.

There are some herbal combinations that can be used for longer duration. These combinations can improve your colon’s health and get your bowels moving again.

If you have constipation, the natural balance and function of your colon has been affected. But, natural remedies can bring you colon back into balance.

There are many unpleasant symptoms and diseases associated with constipation. Hemorrhoids is one such symptom and many doctor or practitioners say, its not a serious condition. As a natural nutritional consultant, I say, Hemorrhoids is a condition you need to treat or better yet eliminate.

You need to listen to all symptoms you have to decide if you need to take some action to correct the cause. Some times just acknowledging a simple symptom is enough for symptom and the cause to disappear. Hemorrhoids, whether simple or severe, are telling you there is something wrong somewhere and I hope you take care of it before it get worse

Taking care of hemorrhoids or the hemorrhoid symptoms is the first thing you should take care of. Then, you want to concentrate your effort on the cause of these hemorrhoids. In this way you can help to eliminate your hemorrhoids and prevent them from coming back.

The first signs of hemorrhoids are when you need to take action. Dont wait until your hemorrhoids get large, give you pain, start bleeding, or protrude

The first question you should ask about hemorrhoids is what caused them.

What causes hemorrhoids?

It is always the cause of an illness that you try to eliminate. Doctors dont always have the time to determine what the cause is so they will treat the symptom to get rid of it. The result is that your illness will come back or the symptom will come back or appear as a different symptom.

Hemorrhoids are cause by excess pressure in the rectal veins and the veins in the surrounding area.

There are many causes of hemorrhoids of which constipation is a major cause. By first using some natural hemorrhoid remedies that I will discuss in future articles, you can eliminate or diminish your hemorrhoids. Then by using some natural remedies for constipation, you can prevent hemorrhoids from coming back.

Using natural remedies for treating your hemorrhoids is the best way to deal with this condition. In their book, Natural Prescriptions, 1994, Robert M. Giller, M.D. and Kathy Matthews, gives you their opinion of drugstore medications,

If you are suffering from hemorrhoids right now, you want immediate relief. What about all those over-the-counter remedies? Just last year the FDA clamped down on the manufacturers of these products, and some of them are being removed from the market because theyve never been proven to be effective. Other must limit their claims. Those that claim to shrink tissues must carry a warning because people with diabetes or heart disease, for example, shouldnt use them. In the final analysis, while you may get some temporary relief from these products, you could do as well by applying zinc oxide, petroleum jelly, or witch hazel, which are just as effective and far cheaper.

Hemorrhoids involve the response of the blood vessels in the area of the rectum to pressure. This pressure can come from various sources and typically will cause pain and irritation. There are various reasons for hemorrhoids, and knowing them can help in making lifestyle changes and minimize the pain they cause.

Constipation is the main cause of hemorrhoids. This causes bowel movements to put strain on the rectal area, thereby putting pressure on the blood vessels and causing swelling and irritation. Strained bowel movements can cause bleeding from the blood vessels in the rectal area as well. Preventing constipation is an important step in preventing and minimizing the effects of hemorrhoids.

Pregnancy is the next leading cause of hemorrhoids. Pregnancy can also cause an increase in the pressure of the blood vessels in the rectal area. Hormonal changes are known to make blood vessels work harder which can cause swelling and irritation. Hemorrhoids due to pregnancy are usually temporary, but can be an important consideration in becoming pregnant.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency is the third leading cause of hemorrhoids. This condition occurs when the blood vessels in the area of the rectum are weakened, causing pressure, swelling and irritation. The pressure can be magnified with sitting or standing for long periods. Exercise and smoking in concert with CVI can cause irritation of the rectal blood vessels for those that are overweight.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, known as IBS, can cause hemorrhoids, especially in cases when IBS is dominated by constipation. Diarrhea is also known to put extra pressure on the rectal blood vessels. Portal Hypertension, which is an increase in the pressure of the blood vessels running from the intestines to the liver, can cause hemorrhoids due to the increased blood flow and pressure.

Any type of hemorrhoid can cause irritation, pain, and bleeding in the areas of the anus and rectum. It is important to identify the cause of your hemorrhoids for future preventative measures. You may want to look at dietary and lifestyle changes to help reduce symptoms.