Weight lifting is a great way to boost your stamina, control your weight, improve your focus, and improve the quality of your life. However, it has its own share of cons as well. If you’ve lifted too much weight in a session, it can result to sore muscles and achy joints. And it can also trigger hemorrhoids.

If you already have a history of hemorrhoids and would still like to continue with your weight lifting, consider talking to a personal trainer or a Los Angeles anal doctor first.

The Connection Between Weight Lifting and Hemorrhoids

People who are new to weight lifting have the tendency to hold their breath and strain as they lift. This practice puts a lot of pressure on the internal organs including the veins near your rectum and anus, which in turn could develop into hemorrhoids.

Proper Breathing: The Key to Weight Lifting

Since breathing is something that we do without any conscious effort at all on our part, it is definitely the last thing on our minds when we workout. However, a proper breathing technique not only prevents injury, but also lowers the risk of getting hemorrhoids.

So before each lift, take a deep breath and then hold it. Push the air upwards towards your throat as you lift the weight. At the end of the lift, exhale your breath completely and repeat the process with each repetition.

This will reduce the pressure on your internal organs and will prevent you from straining (which is similar to the kind of straining done in the toilet, which causes the hemorrhoids) against a barbell or a bench press.

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It also helps to keep yourself hydrated during the exercise. Wear comfortable and breathable workout clothes to prevent irritating the area down there.

By implementing changes in your weight lifting routine, you can reduce your risk of contracting hemorrhoids. If you’re unsure whether or not to continue with weight lifting, please contact the Proctology Institute for further assistance.

Constipation is one of the leading symptoms of hemorrhoids. Laxatives help you deal with constipation because they help you achieve a more regular bowel movement, and prevent your hemorrhoids from worsening.

Unfortunately, laxatives are also habit-forming, and may create a dependency which can end up worsening your constipation instead of curing it.

A Word of Caution on Laxative Use

Laxatives force the stool to come out, and frequent consumption may cause the veins of the rectum and anus to bruise and swell, making them vulnerable to infection and inflammation. Regular use will make you a dependent, to a point that you may find it difficult to do your business without a laxative.

Therefore, you should only use laxative as a last resort, and only if you’ve already tried to make some lifestyle changes to relieve the constipation. Lifestyle changes such as loading up on fiber-rich food and drinking plenty of liquids usually clear up the problem. If these measures have failed, then that’s the time you can look at laxatives as your next recourse.

There are many types of laxatives, which is why you need to choose the right kind. Here are the most common laxatives used in the treatment of hemorrhoids:

Bulk-Forming laxatives

Bulk-forming laxatives absorb water into the stool. They form a softer and bulkier stool, which is easier to eliminate. They can either be natural (psyllium) or synthetic (methylcellulose).

Emollient laxatives

Also known as stool softeners, these laxatives work by increasing the moisture content of the stool in order to make it softer.

Stool softeners do not directly stimulate bowel movement, but they are used to prevent straining in the toilet, which is why they are highly recommended for hemorrhoids patients.

Stimulant laxatives

This type of laxatives makes the intestinal muscles contract in order to facilitate an easier bowel movement. However, frequent use of stimulant laxatives like senna can damage the lining of the intestines.

Rectal stimulants

Laxatives can be taken orally, or they can be inserted in the rectum. Suppositories and enemas are examples of rectal stimulants. They cause contractions within the colon lining to move the stool along.

Safest Laxatives

Bulk-forming laxatives and stool softeners are the safest to use and are the most effective in treating constipation. Avoid those that stimulate or simulate contractions, as this will only worsen your hemorrhoids.

If you’re taking laxatives and your hemorrhoids seem to have taken a turn for the worse, it is wise to consult a Los Angeles proctologist. Please visit us at the Institute to get the best treatment for your hemorrhoids today.

Most adults aged 50 and above experience hemorrhoids. If you are one of these people, eating the right kind of food can prevent hemorrhoids from interfering in the way of your life.

Here are three types of food you can eat to prevent or reduce your hemorrhoid symptoms.

Whole Grains

Hemorrhoids are more likely to happen to people who suffer from infrequent bowel movements. One of the easiest and most effective way to make your bowel movements regular is by loading up on fiber.

Fiber adds bulk to your stool and makes it softer so that it can pass by the anal canal easier. Although fiber will increase flatulence and bloating, they are but a small price to pay considering that it helps promote bowel movement.

If you have your grains, cereals, and breads refined and processed, try switching to whole grains, which are the healthier choice. Whole grains are packed with fiber, protein, and micronutrients. You can get them by eating oatmeal, bran, barley, and brown rice.

Liquids

Lack of fluids in the body causes your stools to become dry and hard, making them difficult to eliminate. Upping your water intake softens the stool and prevents chronic constipation.

If you are taking fiber supplements or laxatives to help with your bowel movement, then you need to drink plenty of water to make them even more effective.

Yogurt and Kefir

Yogurt is a fermented lactic acid, while kefir is a Russian fermented sour milk drink. These are probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that can stimulate bowel movement and improve gut health.

If your hemorrhoids are becoming too much to handle, it is important that you don’t rely on food and self-diagnosis alone. Get yourself checked by a Los Angeles anal doctor at the Proctology Institute to rule out other serious conditions like colon or rectal cancer.

Constipation is one of the leading causes of hemorrhoids. Improving one’s toilet habits through regular bowel movement prevents constipation. This can be done by setting aside time to take a poop, preferably in the morning.

During your sleep, your colon has been kept busy processing the food you ate the day before. As a result, you feel the urge to go once you start your morning routine and eat breakfast.

Good Morning Habits: The Key to Regular Bowel Movement

Aside from not eating enough fiber nor drinking enough water, our busy lifestyles can also be held responsible for constipation. Habits such as waking up late, jumping on the shower, and grabbing a quick breakfast on the way to the office are not doing your bowel system any good.

You know how skipping your morning cup of coffee could throw your whole day off? That’s the way it works with your bowel movement. Skipping your daily routine and rushing to work can mess with your bowel movement. And public bathrooms aren’t exactly the most conducive of places to get your business done, so the tendency is to rein it in and wait until you get home. That’s when constipation starts to seep in.

A Regular Schedule to Achieve Constipation Relief

You can remedy this by setting aside an extra 15 to 20 minutes in your morning routine for bowel movement, preferably at the same time each day before you leave for work.

A morning cup of coffee or tea is also another way to get your bowels moving. It helps stimulate your bowels by acting as a vasodilator that dilates and widens the blood vessels, resulting to increased blood flow and GI activity.

So even if you don’t feel the urge to go yet early in the morning, try to sit on the toilet for a while. The mere act of sitting on the throne can bring on the urge.

If your irregular bowel movement still continues even after creating a schedule for it, please call us and make an appointment to see a Los Angeles anal doctor at the Proctology Institute.

Hemorrhoids are fairly common to adults. And although they are extremely rare, hemorrhoids can happen to children, too, and should be attended to immediately.

Hemorrhoids manifest in children through blood in stools, anal pain, difficulty in producing bowel movement, and a feeling of fullness even after pooping. This condition will cause plenty of stress not only to the child, but also to the parents.

Why Hemorrhoids Happen to Children

More often than not, a diet lacking in fiber is the culprit. If your child is eating a lot of junk or processed food, this turns into a problem when your kid’s body is unable to break it down properly. And if the child is obese, this increases the hemorrhoid risk due to the pressure that comes from the excessive weight.

When the urge to defecate comes, your child will have to use a lot of force to make the hard stool come out, causing the blood vessel in the anal walls to bulge and become inflamed.

Treating a Child’s Hemorrhoids

Just like adults, children with hemorrhoids should undergo a fiber-rich diet. Introduce lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your child’s diet, and make sure that he or she drinks plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

Give your kid warm baths and cool compress to provide relief, and instruct the child to observe proper hygiene in the inflamed area after every bowel movement. Exercise also helps, so encourage playtime. Lastly, shower your kid with hugs and affection to show that you will be there for him or her during this difficult time.

If the hemorrhoids in your child is severe, it may require urgent medical attention by a Los Angeles proctologist. Please visit us at the Proctology Institute to ensure that your child’s hemorrhoids is taken care of properly.