Proctology Institute

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Manage and Mitigate Hemorrhoids at Home

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Hemorrhoids are typically managed in private. Although some of us have experienced flare-ups that require an urgent visit to a hemorrhoid specialist such as a proctologist, most people are aware that they can “flare down” the problem by adopting a few simple strategies, such as standing more and eating better.

Now Harvard Health has weighed in with a few ideas of its, giving regular readers of its popular newsletter some gentle and sage advice on the easing of these itchy, painful symptoms. They even get specific:

The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend 25 grams of fiber per day for women ages 50 or younger and 22 grams daily for women over 50. It’s good to have a balance of soluble fiber, which forms a gel in the intestine, and insoluble fiber, which bulks up stools.

My patients tell me they are often astonished to discover how quickly this addresses the problem, particularly if they hadn’t been eating much fiber before. (Certain diets, including Atkins, do not emphasize fiber-rich foods.)

But when measures like this fail to clear up the area, then it’s time visit a hemorrhoid surgeon in Los Angeles who can help you remove the hemorrhoids and begin anew. As Harvard says, “There are several medical procedures to remove or reduce hemorrhoids, from rubber band ligation to open surgery. Most are performed on an outpatient basis. Your doctor can help you decide which approach is best for you.”

Do I Have Hemorrhoids?

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Hemorrhoids are commonly discussed but rarely diagnosed at home. Most people panic the first time they see any blood in their stool; over time the panic wears off, and hemorrhoids become the de facto diagnosis for any kind of itching or discomfort south of the border.

But accuracy is important here, especially since the symptoms of hemorrhoids can easily mimic those of more serious disorders such as anal dysplasia and anal cancer. Understanding precisely what causes hemorrhoids, and how they can present under different circumstances, is an important part of getting the best care for your particular symptoms.

How do we diagnose hemorrhoids? The process is as simple as understanding which symptoms are most closely associated with hemorrhoids, and ruling out those which do not fit the bill. Once you have a solid checklist in hand, you can begin to apply the process of elimination to ensure that you are getting the best possible treatment for your complaints.

This is especially important during pregnancy, a time when hemorrhoids can appear fairly quickly and without warning in otherwise healthy women who have no history of symptoms in this area. As this piece recently described the telltale signs of this disorder:

Two types of hemorrhoids can occur during pregnancy — internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids can cause painless, light-colored blood around your stool or on your toilet paper after wiping. Occasionally, these internal hemorrhoids can protrude, and you will feel soft swollen masses when wiping. External hemorrhoids can cause painful, hard lumps around your rectum.

Getting this right is one of the fastest and easiest ways to protect your body, and your baby’s body, throughout the course of your pregnancy. If you have any questions about what you’re seeing and whether your symptoms should be cause for concern, please don’t hesitate to contact the Proctology Institute for better care throughout your pregnancy.

Further Reading On How To Poop

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There comes a time in every person’s life when they encounter the national sales phenomenon that is the Squatty Potty. Heralded on Shark Tank as a breakthrough, the Squatty Potty boasts countless rave reviews across social media. It’s widely loved because it does one simple thing very well: change the way you poop.

The logic behind the squatty potty is sound:

For hundreds of thousands of years, everyone used the squatting position, which may help by straightening the “anorectal angle.” There’s actually a kink at almost a 90-degree angle right at the end of the rectum that helps keep us from pooping our pants when we’re just out walking around. That angle only slightly straightens out in a common sitting posture on the toilet. Maximal straightening out of this angle occurs in a squatting posture, potentially permitting smoother defecation.

And why shouldn’t it? This is the only way people can defecate in nature, which makes it the most likely candidate for how people have been evacuating their bowels for millions of years. And there’s no question that raising the knees and legs helps reduce strain and lift pressure off this region when you’re trying to void the region.

Better positioning can help avoid strain, which can help in a number of ways. This is a recommended product, without reservation. As a bonus, straining less can help you avoid hemorrhoids, which means you may just avoid a trip to your hemorrhoid doctor.

Treating Hemorrhoids Safely at Home

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Although I am one of the leading hemorrhoid doctors in Los Angeles, I believe that one of my jobs is to try as hard as possible to put myself out of a job.

Why? It is simply a fact that many cases of hemorrhoids go away on their own, and I would be remiss if i didn’t share some of the best techniques with my loyal readers.

One recent article on home remedies for hemorrhoid treatments came from the Mayo Clinic by way of the Chicago Tribune, offering sage advice to a concerned reader about the best way to treat and prevent hemorrhoids without a trip to the proctologist:

One of the key factors in preventing hemorrhoids is being able to pass stool regularly without straining. There are a number of lifestyle changes you can try to help make that happen. They include exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet that is high in fiber, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding sitting for long periods.

These are the basics. Once you dispatch with the above steps, you may graduate to ointments, sitz baths, or more vigorous exercise and activity.

But if hemorrhoids keep reappearing despite your best efforts to keep them at bay, there may be another underlying cause. Contact your hemorrhoid doctor and make an appointment for an evaluation. You may find the problem lies “deeper” than you thought.

Do I Have Hemorrhoids?

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As the leading proctologist in Southern California, one of my jobs is to field a number of questions that most patients wouldn’t ask their general practitioner. One of the most common if these – Do I have hemorrhoids? – is typically inspired by a bloody stool, or by painful or itchy sensations.

Unfortunately there’s no completely reliable way to self-diagnose hemorrhoids. Every one of the most common symptoms – itching, pain, and bright red blood – can be attributed to other ailments, so the only way to know for sure is to visit your proctologist for a physical exam.

The good news is that hemorrhoids treatments are often non-invasive, and very often painless. Common treatments may include hemorrhoid banding, also known as rubber band ligation; infrared coagulation; and sclerotherapy. For sub-chronic hemorrhoids that don’t demand immediate intervention, you may get some relief just by applying an ointment or changing your diet.

The Los Angeles and Orange County Proctology Institute is the premier resource for hemorrhoid treatment in LA and beyond. To find a hemorrhoid doctor who can offer you swift and effective relief today, contact us here.