Talking about hemorrhoids is not a very pleasant conversation, but you would be surprised at the number of people who suffer from them. If a vein in the anus or rectum gets twisted or enlarged this becomes a hemorrhoid. There are a number of reasons why a hemorrhoid will develop. But there are things you can do to get relief or avoid having them.
Fiber in your diet can be the best prevention technique for avoiding or treating hemorrhoids. Add foods with lots of fiber to your diet. These include green, leafy vegetables and whole grains. The fiber will soften your stools, decreasing the strain that causes hemorrhoids.
If you prefer more natural ingredients for treating your ailments, consider purchasing a salve, ointment, or cream that contains horse chestnut. This botanical product, which is very popular in European countries, can be applied directly to external hemorrhoids. Within minutes, the topical solution will shrink the size of the hemorrhoid and offer relief from stinging sensations.
If you are presently suffering from either internal or external hemorrhoids, you should avoid wiping with ordinary dry toilet paper. Instead, use a moistened bathroom towelette that contains aloe vera, or use a medicated wipe. Dry toilet paper can leave residue; it can also aggravate the sensitive, inflamed tissues of the hemorrhoid.
A primary cause of hemorrhoids is overexerting muscles in the area of the sphincter. If you suffer from hemorrhoids on a regular basis, it is important to be aware of how much you exert yourself when evacuating your bowels.
When it comes to treating hemorrhoids, witch hazel is a very effective herbal medication. Even though most people opt to take a sitz bath with witch hazel added to the water, you can also use a frozen form of witch hazel to soothe and heal your hemorrhoids. Simply freeze witch hazel into small frozen cubes in an ice tray. Wrap these frozen cubes with a cloth and apply against the hemorrhoids for 10 to 15 minutes each hour. This will cause the pain and swelling of your hemorrhoids to decrease.
The next time that you take a shower, make sure you are using lukewarm water instead of hot water. Heat can worsen your condition if you have hemorrhoids and can cause your sores to get worse. Stick to warm or cold water to maximize how you feel during the day.
Hemorrhoid relief is as close as the nearest bottle of witch hazel. Witch hazel provides instant relief from the pain and itching caused by hemorrhoids via its unique numbing quality. While witch hazel is not necessarily a magic cure for hemorrhoids, it does greatly relieve those tissues and gives them a chance to heal.
Many people often wonder what caused them to develop hemorrhoids in the first place. Among the factors that play a role in causing hemorrhoids are having a diet high in processed foods, sitting for prolonged periods of time, heavy lifting, straining during bowel movements, coughing, sneezing, pregnancy, and obesity. While some of these activities are unavoidable, you have control over others and can exercise that control to alleviate the symptoms of your hemorrhoids or to prevent them from developing.
If you find that you are suffering from regular occurrences of hemorrhoids you may want to rethink your daily routines. You may be spending too much consecutive time on your feet or in a seat. If you spend long periods of time sitting or standing you are putting increased pressure on your anus and that can lead to hemorrhoids.
Create soft stools by taking in lots of water and eating high-fiber foods. When you soften your stool, you can help relieve any hemorrhoids that might be causing you stress and pain. There are some fruits which are wonderful for softening your stool, and encouraging it to move. These include grapes, watermelon and papaya. Some vegetables are high in fiber and they are a natural choice also for stool softening. These include okra and cabbage. Also, be sure to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Many people like to read while sitting on the toilet. This is a perfect way to get hemorrhoids. You can be sitting much longer than you need to be, and pushing a little harder without even realizing it. If you are sitting longer than 5 minutes without anything happening, you have been sitting too long.
Lose a little weight. Hemorrhoids are most common in people who are overweight, so dropping a few pounds can make all the difference. Incorporating ten to fifteen minutes of exercise into your daily routine is an easy way to both lose weight and keep any painful hemorrhoid issues at bay.
Applying ointment directly to a hemorrhoid is a good way to help shrink the size of it. A hemorrhoid is a swollen, possibly ruptured vein, so a medicine like Neosporin can help to heal the sore partially. It will not completely remove the hemorrhoid, but it will help in reducing the size.
Eating a lot of fiber will not necessarily help a hemorrhoid to disappear, but it will help the swelling dissipate. This is because regular and fluid (not "liquid" in this context, but rather "easy") bowel movements will not further damage the veins and this will prevent flare-ups or even additional hemorrhoids.
A great tip for your painful hemorrhoids is to make sure that no matter what condition you are in, do not strain when going to the bathroom. Let it happen naturally and never try to force yourself because if you do you are certain to cause a hemorrhoid or hurt an existing one.
Mixing in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water acts as a natural laxative, but it does not dehydrate you like a chemical laxative would. Use this to prevent getting constipated, which is a leading cause of hemorrhoid pain, irritation, and swelling.
As you can see, there are ways to soothe hemorrhoids and there are also things you can do to help assure you do not get them. Hemorrhoids are painful and very uncomfortable. They can also be embarrassing to talk about, but if you do have them, these tips will help you.
