First Lady Michelle Obama shares tips on parenting with moms and other audience members in a WebMD Town Hall meeting in Miami, Florida.
Information and Resources
This article is from the WebMD Feature Archive
Silent No More: Get Help for Your Hemorrhoids
It's a problem lots of people deal with but no one talks about. How do you cope with hemorrhoids? Or, even better, how can you avoid getting them in the first place?
Reviewed by
Louise Chang, MD
Need relief for painful, itching hemorrhoids? Better yet, how would you like to prevent flare-ups in the first place?
About 10 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in the rectum or around the anus. They can be internal or external.
Understanding Hemorrhoids -- the Basics
Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels of the rectum. The hemorrhoidal veins are located in the lowest area of the rectum and the anus. Sometimes they swell so that the vein walls become stretched, thin, and irritated by passing bowel movements. Hemorrhoids are classified into two general categories: internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids lie far enough inside the rectum that you can't see or feel them. They don't usually hurt because there are few pain-sensing nerves in the rectum...
Read the Understanding Hemorrhoids -- the Basics article > >
External hemorrhoids more commonly cause symptoms of pain and itching when irritated. Internal hemorrhoids generally are painless but can cause bleeding. "They can cause bright red rectal bleeding, but if you have bleeding, don't assume it's hemorrhoids," says Patricia Raymond, MD, of Chesapeake, Va. Colorectal cancer can also cause rectal bleeding, so you need to see your doctor to rule out cancer or other serious causes of rectal bleeding.
Sometimes internal hemorrhoids can protrude outside of the anus. Protruding (or prolapsed) hemorrhoids can become painful if irritated.
Other hemorrhoid symptoms include mucus drainage. A blood clot that forms within a hemorrhoid, called a thrombosed hemorrhoid, can be extremely painful.
WebMD talked to experts about the best ways to prevent and treat hemorrhoids.
Key to Prevention: Stop Straining
For many people, hemorrhoids are caused by straining during bowel movements, especially with constipation. Pregnancy, lack of exercise, immobility, age, certain medical conditions, and medications are among other causes of constipation and hemorrhoids.
Your best strategy to prevent constipation -- and the hemorrhoids that come with it -- is through lifestyle changes that include adding more fiber to your diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercise.
Raymond recommends adding fiber to your diet, but not until things are moving again. "If you add fiber to someone already constipated, all you'll get is constipation with more fiber. First the stool needs to be made soft. Prunes have a natural laxative. Some people just need a stool softener like Colace."
After that is taken care of, Linda White, RD, clinical dietitian for the Nutrition Counseling Center at the University of California/San Francisco, recommends increasing fiber intake gradually, along with fluid intake.
"If you increase fiber without increasing fluid, you'll have bloating and gas," says White.
Dietary fiber includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can also use fiber supplements like Metamucil, Citrucel, and Benefiber. Fiber helps to soften stool and increase stool bulk.
"If you got seven servings of fruits and vegetables, adequate fluid, and 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day, would you be straining?" asks Raymond.
Top 12 Health Topics-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Top 12 Videos-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Hot Topics
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them
- Surprising Headache Triggers
- Safe Ways to Lose Weight Fast
- Counting Carbs When You Use Insulin
- Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments
- CML: How It Affects Your Body
- 6 Sex Mistakes Men Make
- Dupuytren's Contracture: What You Need to Know
- Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
WebMD Video: Now Playing
FROM CBS NEWS
U.S. panel says men shouldn't get a PSA test
Panel found PSA test prevented only one death for every 1,000 men tested, but caused harmful side effects for up to 30 to 40 men for every 1,000 tested
More from CBS News:
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Advertise With Us|WebMD Corporate|Medscape Reference|eMedicineHealth|RxList|Medscape|MedicineNet|BootsWebMD
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.