Hemorrhoids have long been considered a taboo subject. Hemmoroids are embarrassing to talk about even though they are a very common medical problem. Hemroids have found themselves to be the butt of more than one joke. Unfortunately, for the millions of hemorrhoid sufferers, they really are not a laughing matter.
So just what is a hemorrhoid anyway? Hemorrhoids can be caused in more ways than there are spellings for them. In layman’s terms and simply put, a hemorrhoid is a swollen vein in your anus or rectum. Unfortunately, due to the vicinity in which they reside, there in lies the problem with many people seeking relief. Hemorrhoids can be internal where you cannot see or feel them. Hemorrhoids can also be external. The external variety is the one that more often than not, cause pain, itching, and discomfort.
Hemorrhoids can develop for a variety of reasons. Anything that causes an increase in pressure to the veins in the lower rectum can result in the development of hemorrhoids. Constipation accompanied by straining, as well as pregnancy, childbirth, and obesity are all common causes of hemorrhoids.
Now that we know what a hemorrhoid is and some of the more common causes, let’s move on to the more important part; the relief. For anyone who has had to suffer with the pain or itching of hemorrhoids, any relief is like a long lost best friend.
The most obvious and sometimes only thing that you may need to do is change your diet. Drink more liquids and eat more leafy green vegetables. You may also want to add more fiber to your diet. This will make the stool softer and help to relieve constipation, one of the causes of hemorrhoids. Sitz baths may also help. A sitz bath is basically just sitting in a few inches of warm water. Make sure to dry the area completely after to avoid any further irritation.
There are also a wide variety of over the counter creams, ointments, gels, and suppositories marketed specifically for relief from the pain and itching of hemorrhoids. The short list, and probably best know, hemorrhoid treatments are: Preparation H, a Wyeth product, and Tucks, a Pfizer product. I did notice one significant difference in the list of basic ingredients used in the manufacturing of hemorrhoid treatments. That one ingredient is Witch Hazel. Witch Hazel has long been used as a natural skin astringent. It promotes healing in hemorrhoids as well as having a host of other beneficial properties. For what it’s worth, a trip to your local health food store for a bottle of Witch Hazel may be the least embarrassing road to travel. Furthermore, that charismatic sales person behind the counter won’t be any the wiser to your hemorrhoid condition either.
I am not recommending the use of any of the above mentioned hemorrhoid treatments either one way or the other. I am simply providing you, the hemorrhoid sufferer, with some of the various hemorrhoid treatments available. As with any medical condition; always check with your medical provider first.
