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Bleeding Hemorrhoids: When to See a Doctor
Although most cases of hemorrhoids are mild and can be treated with home care, sometimes they need professional attention. Here are some tips on deciding when to treat at home and when to see your doctor.

Symptoms of a mild condition

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in and around the anus and rectum, very similar in nature to the varicose veins commonly seen in the legs. Only around 5% of individuals with hemorrhoids experience troubling symptoms. The most common symptom of a mild condition is seeing a few drops of bright red blood after a bowel movement. The blood may be visible in the toilet, streaked on the stool itself, or simply apparent on the toilet paper. Other symptoms may include:
  • Itching and irritation around the anus
  • A small lump or bulge on or near the anus
  • It feels like some stool was retained after a bowel movement
  • Feeling pressure around the anus

Sometimes an internal hemorrhoid will protrude through the anus and become trapped. This may feel uncomfortable. Usually, it can be manually pushed back in and does not require medical treatment.

Pain

If a hemorrhoid bleeds internally, a blood clot can form inside the hemorrhoid, creating a bluish colored lump. This is referred to as a thrombosed hemorrhoid and requires medical treatment. Thrombosed hemorrhoids can cause significant levels of pain. Sometimes a thrombosed hemorrhoid will rupture and release the clot and bleed heavily, and this condition also requires treatment. Ideally, a thrombosed hemorrhoid, whether it ruptures or not, should be removed within 72 hours of the onset of the thrombosis. If not removed, the pressure from a thrombosed hemorrhoid can damage the surrounding tissues.

Bleeding: Should I See a Doctor?

Generally, if there is only minor bleeding, namely a few drops of blood seen after a bowel movement, the hemorrhoids can be managed at home. If the hemorrhoid is regularly bleeding in between bowel movements and you frequently notice blood in your underwear or a fairly large amount of blood in the toilet after each use, definitely seek medical care.

Conclusion

Hemorrhoids can generally be treated at home unless one or more of these symptoms occur:
  • Pain, particularly if it is intense or has a sudden onset
  • Losing more than a drop or two of blood after a bowel movement
  • Bleeding in between bowel movements
  • A new lump forms on or near the anus that is bluish in color
How-to-Avoid-Making-Hemorrhoids-Worse-Los-Angeles-Hemorrhoid-Clinic
How to Avoid Making Hemorrhoids Worse

If you’ve recently begun to experience pain and swelling around the anus, it’s possible that these symptoms are being caused by the development of hemorrhoids, of which there are several different types. It’s important to understand that hemorrhoids don’t always need to be removed. If that’s the case with you, it’s also essential that you avoid making the hemorrhoids worse.

What Are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are veins within the lower rectum or anus areas that have become swollen. The hemorrhoids can occur inside of the rectum or directly under the skin in various areas surrounding the anus. Almost 75 percent of all adults will develop hemorrhoids at some point or another. While surgery is sometimes required for the treatment of hemorrhoids, the swollen veins will typically dissipate with home remedies and certain lifestyle changes.

If you’re suffering from external hemorrhoids, the symptoms that you can expect to go through include pain and discomfort, itching around the anus, bleeding, and swelling. As for internal hemorrhoids, the fact that they are situated inside of the rectum means that you likely won’t experience any notable symptoms. However, the presence of these hemorrhoids can result in bleeding when you strain during bowel movements. While complications from hemorrhoids are very rare, they include blood clots, anemia, and a strangulated hemorrhoid, the latter of which can cause you to experience extreme amounts of pain.

How to Avoid Making Hemmorhoids Worse

If you believe that you’ve developed one or more hemorrhoids, you need to take preventive measures to ensure that the hemorrhoids don’t worsen, which will invariably result in symptoms that are more severe. For one, it’s important that you increase your fiber intake. Doing so will allow your stool to be softened, which means that your stools can pass through your body without issue. Fiber is commonly found in such foods as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, and beans.

You also need to drink significant amounts of water and other fluids throughout the day. Staying hydrated will keep your stools soft, which makes them easier to pass. Water is easily the best option if you want to remain healthy and fit. In order to keep constipation at bay, it’s recommended that you exercise every day for at least 20-30 minutes. Some additional tips for keeping swelling and pain down include sitting on a cushion and taking breaks after each hour of sitting.

How-to-Exercise-When-You-Have-Hemorrhoids-LA-Hemorrhoid-Clinic
How to Exercise When You Have Hemorrhoids

Exercise is an excellent way to prevent or manage hemorrhoids. In fact, regular physical stimulation helps keep bowels functioning properly, which can reduce issues with constipation. The right exercises also can also strengthen abdominal and pelvic muscles and improve circulation. However, it’s important to be mindful of how you exercise when you have existing issues with swollen anal veins.

Know Which Exercises/Activities to Avoid

If you’re trying to keep hemorrhoid pain under control, avoid exercises that place too much pressure on your abdominal or rectal areas. Heavy lifting and routines that involve squats, for example, may trigger painful symptoms. Certain activities can also place too much pressure on sensitive areas. Some of the common culprits include:

• Horseback riding
• Cycling
• Rowing or canoeing

Modify Your Lifting Technique

If you normally lift heavy weights, consider doing more reps with less weight or alternating the muscle groups you target so the stress isn’t entirely directed to your pelvic area. Another option is split training, which involves separate workouts that target different areas. Minimizing routines that involve the Valsalva maneuver (heavy inhaling and exhaling) may also reduce hemorrhoid flare-ups.

Take Precautions Before Exercising

Don’t want to forego some of your favorite activities or exercises? Try taking appropriate precautions first then. If you’re an avid cyclist, for instance, use an over-the-counter hemorrhoid cream or a suppository to reduce inflammation. Or place a chamois pad inside of your bike shorts to help ease pressure and eliminate chafing.

Explore Controlled-Movement Exercises

Controlled-movement exercises like yoga and Pilates can be a good way to get regular exercise if you have hemorrhoids since you’ll have more control over how you move and where you place pressure. Viparita karani (legs-up-the-wall), sarvangasana (shoulder-stands), and sirsasana (headstand) are some of the yoga poses or postures that can provide relief from hemorrhoid-related irritation while also stimulating your core muscle groups.

Try Water-Based Exercises

Many of the same muscle groups that can be targeted on land can be targeted in water. But this doesn’t mean you have to give up land-based exercises just because you are trying to minimize hemorrhoid flare-ups. What can do, though, is add water-based activities like swimming and water aerobics into your routine. And if you use a heated pool, you could enjoy added relief since warm water has soothing and therapeutic effects.

It may be embarrassing to discuss hemorrhoids, even with a hemorrhoid doctor. Still, if watching how you exercise isn’t managing your symptoms, it’s time to explore your options with a personalized treatment plan. Most people respond well to medication, although surgery can be equally effective for larger or painful hemorrhoids.

5-Foods-to-Eat-to-Keep-Hemorrhoids-from-Coming-Back-LA-Hemorrhoid-Clinic
5 Foods to Eat to Keep Hemorrhoids from Coming Back

If you’ve had to deal with hemorrhoids, take comfort in knowing there are some things you can do after treatment to keep . Since one of the common causes of hemorrhoids is constipation, a good place to focus your efforts is on the foods you plan to eat. Here are ones you’ll want to eat more often if you want to keep hemorrhoids from making a return visit.

1. Fruit

From peaches and berries to apricots and plumbs, there are many colorful and flavorful fruits you can add to your diet to up your fiber intake and prevent flare-ups or recurrence. You can get even more fiber from fruit if you eat the peels – something you can do with apples, oranges, and even kiwis and mangoes.

2. Whole Grains

You’ll want to avoid white flour and white rice if you’ve had previous issues with hemorrhoids due to constipation. But you can enjoy some fiber-rich whole grains. Options include quinoa, barley, rye, brown rice, and oats.

3. Veggies

The leaves, stalks, and roots of many vegetables are overflowing with fiber. Acorn squash, green peas, broccoli, parsnips, carrots, and collard greens are just some of the many veggies you can eat to get a fiber boost. Cucumber peels and potato skins are also excellent sources of dietary fiber!

4. Seeds

What’s great about fiber-rich seeds is the many ways they can be incorporated into your diet. Chia, ground flax seeds, and psyllium are among the options you have with seeds as a reliable source of fiber. They can be sprinkled on top of salads, in smoothies, or even on top of yogurt – go a step further and opt for yogurt with probiotics (live bacteria) if you want an extra digestive system booster.

5. Nuts

Walnuts and almonds, in particular, are especially high in fiber. Plus, nuts have strong anti-inflammatory properties, which could minimize issues with tissue swelling in the area(s) where you had previous problems with hemorrhoids. Pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and macadamias also have high fiber contents per one-ounce serving.

Making healthy diet changes in the new year is a good starting point when it comes to reducing your risk of developing hemorrhoids again. What’s more, adjusting the way you eat can also contribute to weight loss, which is also a good way to keep hemorrhoids at bay. Additionally, it can be helpful to add drinking more water, avoiding long periods of sitting, and getting 20-30 minutes of moderate daily exercise to your to-do list.

5 Simple Ways To Prevent Hemorrhoids From Forming - Los Angeles Hemorrhoid Clinic
5 Simple Ways To Prevent Hemorrhoids From Forming

For some people, hemorrhoids are a daily part of life. They can be painful and get in the way of daily activities. While common to have, they become a problem if they start to cause painful irritation or itchiness or begin to bleed. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to prevent hemorrhoids from interrupting your daily life.

Get Enough Fiber

Hemorrhoids are found to be more prevalent in those who have infrequent bowel movements or who suffer from constipation. To remedy this, it is necessary to find ways to be more regular. Consuming enough fiber is a natural way to have more bowel movements. You can easily get more in your diet by taking supplements or eating foods which contain high amounts of fiber. Some great examples of fiber-rich foods include whole grains, green vegetables and certain fruits such as bananas and apples.

Drink Plenty Of Water

Another simple way to prevent hemorrhoids is by drinking plenty of water on a daily basis. Healthy bowel movements are achieved with adequate hydration. Drinking plenty of water will keep your body hydrated and will help to prevent constipation and straining during movements. Most healthy adults require at least six to eight cups of water every day to keep the digestive system running efficiently. In addition, the water is good for your overall health and well-being.

Get Moving

Exercise is recommended to remain healthy in general. It is also a great way to keep your colon working properly. However, certain exercises might cause the opposite effect by straining or adding pressure to your abdominal muscles. Activities such as weightlifting may cause new hemorrhoids to form and irritate any you have. To prevent hemorrhoids, try to find moderate exercise activities to enjoy such as walking, swimming, or yoga.

Don’t Fight The Urge

One of the easiest and simplest ways to prevent hemorrhoids from forming is to simply not resist the urge to have a bowel movement when it starts. Ignoring calls from Mother Nature can come with risks, including the formation of hemorrhoids. Holding off on the urge too long can lead to straining and discomfort during movements.

Avoid Straining

When you strain too much during your bowel movements, there is extra pressure put on your rectum’s veins. This is the most common cause for painful and bleeding hemorrhoids. This can also occur when you strain too hard doing other activities such as lifting heavy objects, chronic coughing and even being pregnant. If you are prone to hemorrhoids, it is important to be aware of the strain you put on your bowels and avoid it when possible.

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