How to Aviod Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

Tips on How to Aviod Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

Only a woman can feel the joy of pregnancy. Despite all the pains and complications, it is no less than the most precious experience of a woman's life. However, beside all the happiness and joy, a woman always has to deal with some or other health related issues during pregnancy and most prominent among them are hemorrhoids. You will be surprised to know that almost 70% of woman in the United Stated are suffering from Hemorrhoids.

Before moving forward with the subject, it is quite important to know little bit about Hemorrhoids. Also known as Piles, they are swollen blood vessels located in the area around anal canal. The growth of the baby in the womb increases the pressure in veins of lower body portion and because of the increased pressure, the amount of blood flowing in these veins also increases. The discomfort ranges from swelling to bleeding in the rectal area.

Thus, in order to avoid such complications during pregnancy, it is important to know how to avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy. Following tips are neither hard and fast nor foolproof rules, but they will definitely help you to fight hemorrhoids during pregnancy.


1. Avoid dehydration at all costs. Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day.

2. Make a diet chart and try to follow it properly. Your aim should be to get regular and proper diet daily. Most of the people are not aware that constipation is one of the main reason of hemorrhoids. Thus, eating high fiber and increasing the amount of vegetables and cereals will definitely hep you a lot.

3. Don't carry heavy items. Take advantage of the situation and order your husband to do that for you. I am sure that you mother-in-law will also take your side.

4. Though exercise helps a lot during pregnancy but over exercising can prove harmful to the health of the baby. A ten minute walk in the lawn or around your house can do wonders with your health. Adding to this, continuous sitting down is also not advisable. If you have to sit down, don't sit for a long period of time and take regular walks.

5. During pregnancy, major physical changes take place in the body. One of the most common occurrence is the slowing down of digestive track which led to constipation. At such times, you should reduce the amount of calcium intake. Taking fiber pills and laxatives will also help you a lot at such times.

6. I believe you have heard about kegel. It is an exercise named after Dr. Arnold Kegel and it helps in increasing the blood flow and relaxation of muscles around pelvis floor. All you need to do is to imagine that you trying to stop the flow the urine or passing of gas. When you do this, you stretch and relax the muscle around the pelvis area. The best part is that you can do this exercise anywhere and no one will able to know that you are doing kegel.

Don't forget, these are just the basic rules to guide you and let you know how to avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy. You are also advised to consult your doctor to get more information on the subject.

HEMORRHOIDS IN SENIORS

HEMORRHOIDS IN SENIORS

Introduction

The first question that one would ask himself / herself is what are hemorrhoids? Well hemorrhoids in simple terms refer to varicose veins of the rectum and the anus i.e. they are the swollen and irritating anal veins that occur due to the strained bowel movements, improper diet as well as constipation. Application of pressure into these swollen veins through the strained bowel movement leads to the rapture of the veins that causes a lot of pain, bleeding and also irritation. There are two types of the hemorrhoid conditions i.e. external and internal hemorrhoids. It is a condition that is very common among the elderly.

What causes hemorrhoids in seniors?

As one advances in age, quite a number of changes occur in their bodies such could be in health and also lifestyle in general. This makes them more susceptible to hemorrhoids than people at a younger age. This is due to the direct relationship between health & lifestyle and the hemorrhoids causes.

Such include;

Constipation

Elderly people are always prone to chronic constipation due to their tendency to take in foods that can easily be chewed and digested. The bowel movements become strained as a result and sometimes there can be no bowel movements at all since the stool may remain held in the rectum. Also due to the advanced age, the sphincter muscle tend to be weaker.

Soil age

If there is a significant weakening of the sphincter muscles, soilage may occur as a result of lack of control in the bowel movement. The consequence will be undue leakage from the veins and thus the irritation of the veins which may lead to advanced hemorrhoid condition.
Other causes of this condition may include chronic diarrhea, inactive lifestyle, and also weak anal sphincter muscles.

Control and treatment

Fortunately, the condition can be treated through a number of ways that includes;
Taking in food high in fiber
As mentioned earlier, among the causes of hemorrhoids is chronic constipation and thus to relief this, one has to take foods that are rich in fiber. Such foods include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If one experiences difficulty in chewing the foods, it is advisable to prepare them using a blender or even steaming the vegetables thus making them soft and easy to both chew and digest.

Increasing water intake

Taking in more water will help to keep ones body hydrated and thus relief or even prevent constipation. Another benefit of drinking a lot of water is that it helps to clean ones body hence making it toxin free. It is recommended that one drinks up to eight or more glasses of water every day.

Avoid laxatives

By all means one should avoid laxatives and alternatively use natural foods (e.g. prunes and stool softeners) that are high in fiber.

Use of sitz baths

Using sitz baths is not only a safe and effective method but also one that is applicable to all types of hemorrhoids. A warm sitz bath consists of warm water where one sits on for up to twenty minutes many times in a day. When one is finished with it the next step is to thoroughly dry the affected area with the help of a soft towel. They could lightly dust the area with baby powder before dressing as well.

Use of ice compresses

This is done by placing some ice inside a soft cloth then applying it to the affected area. The area will be numbed by the cold temperature thus relieving the pain. Although the method is temporary alternating it with warm sitz bath will be more effective.

Topical treatments

This is a very effective treatment for relieving hemorrhoids pain. Topical treatments are available over the counter and come in form of creams and ointments. Caution though should be taken when choosing one especially if the person is diabetic. Some that are safe for elderly people are the witch hazel cream and any other natural treatment that is safe and effective.

Conclusion

All the above methods have been proven to be the safest and most effective ways of hemorrhoid treatment but keep in mind that if the condition gets worse, it is always advisable to consult a physician.

Hemorrhoids Pain Treatment

Hemorrhoids pain treatment - How to ease hemorrhoid pain

Hemorrhoids refer to a condition of inflammation and swelling of the veins in the rectum as well as the anus. The hemorrhoids may form both inside or outside the anus. Thrombosis of hemorrhoids causes the formation of painful anal lumps. They are also known as piles. The hemorrhoids are normally noticed on the lower side of the anus and the rectum.


It is important to consume plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated. Eating the high fibrous food, taking some stool-softeners and some exercises to make the bowel movement easier causing lesser pain due to the soreness of external hemorrhoids. The following are a few effective ways to relieve hemorrhoid pain.

Warm Soak:

Immersing the affected area in a lukewarm bath can decrease the irritation and pain due to external hemorrhoids. Use clear water and immerse the affected area for about 10 minutes to get rid of irritations and pain.

Cold and Warm Treatment:

Both warm and ice compresses can reduce hemorrhoid pain. You can put ice cubes into a plastic bag and hold it on the affected hemorrhoid area 8 to 10 times daily for about 10- 15 minutes every time. Follow it by a warm compress. This will alleviate the soreness and significantly reduce the pain. If you feel uncomfortable with a cold compress, you should use only warm compress.

Sitz Bath:

Sitz bath is a common remedy to get relief from hemorrhoid pain. You can keep it on your bath tub and toilet bowl. There are different types of sitz baths offered by pharmacies. You should take sitz bath for 10 - 15 minutes a couple of times daily.

Witch Hazel:

Witch hazel is found very useful to get relief from the hemorrhoids. Most over the counter pads for hemorrhoids contain it as an active agent. You can apply Witch Hazel directly to the hemorrhoids with a swab or a cotton ball. It helps stop the oozing blood and gives relief from pain.

Butcher's Broom;

It is a low-growing shrub. The roots of Butcher's broom are used for hemorrhoids treatment. You can buy the creams that contain its extract for applying daily for treating hemorrhoids. It has no side effects.

Aloe Vera:

Aloe Vera is a plant that can be grown in the house. When you slit its leaves, you get a gel that is applied to hemorrhoids with a cotton ball. It is also sold commercially as a gel, lotion and an ointment. It should be tested for any allergic reaction to your skin.

Epsom Salt:

Epsom salt is also used for sitz bath by mixing it in the warm water. It soothes the pain by improving the blood circulation and also helps shrink the swollen veins.

Vitamin C Bath:

If you use Vitamin C for a sitz bath, it boosts up the healing of hemorrhoids and significantly reduces the pain. You can mix ascorbic acid in warm water. Have the sitz bath for 10- 15 minutes each time.

Blond Psyllium:

The Psyllium is an extract of the seed of an herb called Plantago Ovate. The Blond Psyllium is useful as a stool softener and a laxative. There are a few products namely Metamucil that provide soluble fibers. You should drink plenty of water with it to ease bowel movement and relieve pain.

Anesthetics;

You can use a few local anesthetics for getting relief from hemorrhoids pain. These anesthetic creams are applied on external hemorrhoids to lessen soreness and pain. Most of the creams contain lidocaine.

Medicine and Ointments;

Corticosteroid creams lessen irritation and offer respite from soreness. There are many OTC creams and ointments that can be applied for reducing hemorrhoid pain. There are also some medicines such as Preparation H that can relieve the soreness and prevent inflammation. A few other medicines containing hydrocortisone are also very affective for brief periods. Oral anesthetic such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can diminish the soreness and mitigate puffiness. You can use oral medicines on the advice of your doctor.

Hemorrhoidectomy:

It may be necessary to remove hemorrhoids by surgery as a last resort to fix the painful hemorrhoids. Generally, the chronic bleeding and painful external thrombosed hemorrhoids can only be treated by removal.