Posts Tagged ‘hemorrhoids’

Hemorrhoids and Their Causes

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

One of the first questions that people that suffer from hemorrhoids tend to have (as well as how to cure hemorrhoids) is, “what are the causes of hemorrhoids?” The reason they normally want to know this is because they think if they can find the answer to this question they then might be able to prevent the hemorrhoids from coming back again in the future. Hopefully, you should find that this article helps give you answers to the question above.

Piles can be one of the most embarrassing things that someone can suffer from. It is probably safe to say that most hemorrhoid sufferers don’t wish to suffer for to long and would welcome a quick treatment for hemorrhoids. Many people, fail in their attempts to get rid of hemorrhoids, simply because they failed to understand the cause of their hemorrhoids in the first place. It is logical to assume that if we can identify the potential causes of hemorrhoids in an individual then it is more likely that you can stop them from reoccurring.

Common Causes

The fact is that there is not one single universally cited cause for the unset of hemorrhoids and no one has come up with a definitive reason as to why hemorrhoids form. Instead, what there is are several different causes that have been put forward that are believed to be responsible for someone eventually getting hemorrhoids. Some causes are listed below:

  1. Poor diet:The western world’s diet is thought to be a major reason why people from countries in the western world suffer from hemorrhoids. Their diet often consists of mostly processed foods which often do not have many nutritional benefits.  The additives and preservatives that are often contained in these sorts of processed foods are thought to be causing more people to develop issues with problems like constipation, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids. One of the biggest problems with eating large quantities of processed food is that you will most likely begin to suffer from vitamin deficiencies. There is a strong case to say that these types of deficiencies are a major reason someone might develop piles. When you add these things up and also add in the fact that many people have a low-fiber you can begin to understand how many people make themselves more prone to hemorrhoids.
  2. Pregnancy/childbirth:Statistics show that women that are pregnant are more prone to have problems with hemorrhoids than those who are not. When you keep in mind the huge amount of added pressure that occurs in the abdomen and anorectal area, when a women is pregnant, you can begin to understand some of the reasons why pregnant women are more prone to hemorrhoids. On top of this you have the fact that Childbirth is a very strenuous activity in itself, hence this makes the pregnant women more susceptible to hemorrhoids as well.
  3. Lifting heavy Objects and/or Straining of the body:Two of the less well know potential causes of hemorrhoids are lifting heavy objects and straining while using the toilet.The bottom line is that anything that contributes to you straining in someway can be a contributing factor to you getting hemorrhoids.
  4. Genetics: It is thought by many professionals that you will be more likely to suffer from hemorrhoids yourself if you have family members that suffer from them.It is become more and more common for people to associate hemorrhoids with a link genetically.

Other Things That Might Be Causes of hemorrhoids

There are many other suspected causes of hemorrhoids. Being constipated, in many people’s eyes, is probably the main culprit to problems with hemorrhoids.  But constipation is not the only thing, on the other side of the spectrum you have things like diarrhea, and even strenuous coughing that can also be seen as culprits for someone developing hemorrhoids. If you add to this the fact that many people live a lazy lifestyle where they sit on their bottom most of the time which, in itself, can cause a lot of health problems, you begin to see why hemorrhoids are so prevalent in today’s society.

Hemorrhoid Surgery: The Last Resort

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are varicose veins that are situated in the anal region. The cause of hemorrhoids is not known exactly. But they can be due to any number of reasons such as genetics, pregnancy, or simply sitting around for long periods of time. In addition, constipation frequently creates pressure in the abdomen. This makes bowel motion strenuous, which also leads to hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids that are large enough are usually visible outside the anus and these can be very painful and itchy. There is usually a fair bit of pain associated with hemorrhoids. They can also become complicated, sometimes resulting is strangulated hemorrhoids.

You can treat this condition with hemorrhoid surgery. However, this should always be your last treatment option to get hemorrhoid relief. Before you undergo surgery you should try other treatments. These include a change in your dietary habits, creams, stool softening medications, or natural hemorrhoid treatments.

Prior to undergoing surgery, your physician or surgeon will need quite a bit of information from you. This includes your medical history and your diet. As well, you need to inform them if you are allergic to any drug so that the anesthesia can be chosen accordingly.

There are various ways to control the pain during surgery for hemorrhoids, including general or local anesthesia or a spinal block. Here’s a look at the various kinds of surgery that are used to remove hemorrhoids.

Sclerotherapy - In this treatment, chemicals are injected into your blood vessels, causing them to spasm and seal themselves. Hemorrhoids shrivel due to lack of nutrients and oxygen.

Ligation – Here, a tight rubber band cuts off blood supply to the hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids shrink because there is nothing to feed them.

Laser surgery - A precise laser beam is used to burn away hemorrhoids in this procedure.

Hemorrhoidectomy – This is the most common surgery for treatment of hemorrhoids. Usually, this surgery takes place under general anesthesia. A special device is inserted into the anus by the surgeon in order to see the hemorrhoids. The hemorrhoids are excised using either a staple gun, scalpel or laser. In order to prevent hemorrhoids from reoccurring, the lining of the rectum and anus are attached to the muscle.

Following surgery, you will be required to lay down on your back with a special pillow to support your posterior. Using an ice pack on the anal area will help ease the pain and discomfort.

As you recover from surgery, you should be very careful with your dietary intake so you don’t become constipated. It’s important to get adequate amounts of fiber, and you can do this by consuming plenty of whole vegetables and fruit. If you have difficulty moving your bowels, try using a laxative product and drink lots of water.