| This is very sensitive area of your body. Too | | | | that all in your local pharmacy.These |
| private. Nobody likes when something is wrong | | | | products contain protectant and anesthetics |
| over there. However it happens.Hemorrhoids | | | | (pain relievers). Local anesthetics numb the |
| occur practically in everyone. Though | | | | area and decrease burning and |
| hemorrhoids cause problems in 1 out of 25 | | | | itching.Remember that local anesthetics may |
| people. Mostly those are people between 45 | | | | cause allergy.Analgesics (menthol, camphor) |
| and 65 years of age.You find a blood on | | | | relieve pain and itching as |
| toilet tissue. Bright red blood. Ok, now | | | | wellVasoconstrictors reduce swelling in the |
| what? You do not know why you bleed. It could | | | | perianal area. Though they may have side |
| be rectal cancer by the way. It could be | | | | effects. Better discuss with your |
| hemorrhoids.So? What are the hemorrhoids?They | | | | doctor.Protectants (kaolin, cocoa butter, |
| look like cushions. They contain blood | | | | lanolin, mineral oil, starch, zinc oxide or |
| vessels, some muscle and elastic fibers. | | | | calamine, glycerin, etc) create a physical |
| People often call them piles.Not everything | | | | barrier to prevent contact of stool and the |
| over there is a hemorrhoid. There could be | | | | skin. This reduces irritation, itching, and |
| other problems. Fissure, abscess, fistula, | | | | burning.Similarly, some agents - astringents |
| pruritus (itching), condylomata (sort of | | | | - dry the skin. That helps to relieve |
| hanging skin caused by viral infection), | | | | burning, itching, and pain as well.To kill or |
| viral and bacterial skin infections can | | | | at least suppress bacteria and other |
| happen in that, so sensitive area.It is worth | | | | organisms use antiseptics. Boric acid, |
| to talk to your doctor.How would a scenario | | | | phenol, resorcinol and many others can be |
| of hemorrhoids look?A 46-year-old female | | | | used. Again better to discuss with your |
| presents with complaints on rectal | | | | doctor or at least pharmacist. Many of these |
| discomfort, occasional bright red blood on | | | | drugs are sold |
| toilet tissue and prolapsing tissue in of | | | | over-the-counter.Corticosteroids. |
| anal area. This is probably internal | | | | Corticosteroids decrease inflammation and |
| hemorrhoid.Another scenario brings a patient | | | | relieve itching, but may cause skin damage. |
| who complains on severe rectal pain and | | | | They should be used for few days only.Sitz |
| prolapsed tissue. | | | | bath may also help in relieving the |
| | | | symptoms.When those methods fail your doctor |
| The severe pain happens in external | | | | may perform one of the |
| hemorrhoids. The pain follows thrombosis | | | | following:Sclerotherapy (causes scarring of |
| (thrombosis is the blood clot in your blood | | | | the hemorrhoid).Rubber band ligation. The |
| vessels).There are four degrees of internal | | | | rubber band cut off blood supply and |
| hemorrhoids.It may be interesting for you to | | | | hemorrhoid heals with scarring.Side effects |
| know because first, second and sometime third | | | | of any of the treatment may be infection of |
| degree can be treated by banding only. Fourth | | | | fat and other tissues surrounding the anal |
| degree and sometime third degree requires | | | | canal, especially if patient has diabetes |
| surgery.Do not forget non-hemorrhoid causes | | | | cancer, AIDS.Another option - electrotherapy |
| of symptoms. | | | | and infrared photocoagulation. Works the same |
| | | | way, cause scarring of the tissue. |
| To check with your doctor is worthwhile | | | | |
| because there could be other problems, | | | | Cryotherapy uses cold to cause inflammation |
| including cancer or anal fissure. (By the way | | | | and scarring. Practically the same, though |
| for anal fissure medical treatment alone may | | | | more time consuming.Let say your medical |
| heal it in 90% of cases).How are hemorrhoids | | | | treatment fails. What do you do then? |
| treated?Well first you need to understand how | | | | |
| do hemorrhoids happen. Several reasons lead | | | | Well, you go to surgeon and treat it |
| to hemorrhoids:Constipation and extra | | | | surgically.Operations are done in less than |
| straining | | | | 10% of patients. Though it depends.Surgical |
| | | | procedures include Dilation. It is when |
| Chronic Diarrhea and loose stools | | | | surgeon stretches your anal |
| | | | sphincter.Ligation. Often a Doppler probe |
| Long sitting or standing | | | | helps to measures blood flow and finds the |
| | | | individual artery.The doctor ties off the |
| Weight lifting | | | | artery.Sphincterotomy. It is when sphincter |
| | | | is partially cut. Whole idea is to reduce the |
| Obesity | | | | pressure.Hemorrhoidectomy. Hemorrhoidectomy |
| | | | makes sense for patients with third- or |
| Pregnancy and childbirth | | | | fourth-degree hemorrhoids. The hemorrhoids |
| | | | are cut out.Stapled hemorrhoidectomy. Stapler |
| Inherited tendency to hemorrhoids.So, avoid | | | | cuts off the ring of expanded hemorrhoidal |
| all this and you are free.Obviously this list | | | | tissue.There are different considerations why |
| of reasons is too wide.The list of measures | | | | to do this and not that type of treatment. |
| is wide too.Increase the fiber in your | | | | And vice versa.There are complications (pain, |
| diet.Eat more cereals, fruits, vegetables, | | | | difficulty urinating, bleeding several days |
| grains, etcPsyllium and methylcellulose are | | | | after surgery, scarring, infection, stool |
| supplemental types of fiber.Exercise, avoid | | | | incontinence). Complications happen |
| long standing or sitting, don't strain, keep | | | | relatively rare, but they are still there. |
| the anal area clean.Increase liquids in your | | | | |
| diet.Use stool softeners, stool-bulking | | | | Better talk to you surgeon.I hope you be |
| agents (not a tasty ones, but what can you | | | | OK.You were not alone.It looks like Napoleon |
| do).Treat diarrhea with anti-motility drugs | | | | Bonaparte, Carter, Hemingway, Tennyson, Lewis |
| and fiber.Not every of these methods are | | | | Carroll also were suffering from |
| proved scientifically. Nonetheless they are | | | | hemorrhoids.Aleksandr Kavokin, MD1994 |
| included in the standard recommendations for | | | | Russia,PhD1997 Russia - Immunology and |
| hemorrhoids treatment.To treat itching or | | | | Allergy, postdoc at Cancer Center at Med U of |
| discomfort you may use suppositories, | | | | South Carolina, postdoc at Yale - Cardiology, |
| ointments, creams, and gels. You may find | | | | Molecular Medicine. |