HEMORRHOIDS

Cause

MEDICATIONS

Medications cannot cure hemorrhoids, but they can help relieve symptoms. You might try one or more of the following nonprescription remedies:

OTHER TREATMENT

Occasionally, increased pressure on external hemorrhoids causes them to break and bleed. The bleeding causes a lump (clotted hemorrhoid) to form.

PREVENTION

You can help prevent the irritating and painful symptoms of hemorrhoids by following the steps outlined below.

AVOID CONSTIPATION

To decrease symptoms from hemorrhoids, avoid constipation:

WHAT INCREASES YOUR RISK

Certain bowel habits, physical stresses, and other conditions increase a person's risk for developing hemorrhoids or can make existing hemorrhoids worse. Some of these factors can be prevented, some cannot.

HOME TREATMENT

Home treatment, which mainly involves establishing healthy bowel habits (see the Prevention section in this topic), may keep your hemorrhoids from getting worse.

SURGERY

Surgery is not needed to treat most hemorrhoids. It is usually considered only after other treatments (including home treatment) have failed.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of hemorrhoids differ depending on where they develop.

EXAMS AND TESTS

A number of conditions that affect the end portion of the large intestine (anal canal) and colon (large intestine) can cause bleeding, mucous drainage, itching, and discomfort.

TREATMENT OVERVIEW

Hemorrhoid treatment starts at home.

Hemorrhoids develop when pressure on the veins in the pelvic area builds up over months to years, causing veins in the end portion of the large intestine (anal canal) to swell and gradually stretch out of shape.

WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR

People may think that their symptoms are caused by hemorrhoids, and yet they may have other serious health problems. Cancer of the large intestine and other conditions have many of the same symptoms as hemorrhoids.

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