Health experts are forever emphasizing how important exercises are for optimum health, and the same goes if you suffer from hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus and rectum that cause discomfort, pain, and irritation.
Engaging in exercises will not only treat your hemorrhoids but prevent them from ever recurring. Read on to learn the various exercises you can do to treat and prevent hemorrhoids and those you should avoid.
This exercise improves the circulation of blood around the anal region, relieves constipation which is the commonest cause of hemorrhoids. It also massages your internal organs and relaxes your legs, lower back, and hips. To do the child’s pose, follow the following steps:
This exercise improves the symptoms of hemorrhoids by increasing blood circulation to the anus and reducing irritation and discomfort. Here’s how you should do it:
Deep breathing relieves pelvic floor muscle tension which will help you pass stool easier and also relaxes you. Deep breathing is done in the following steps:
This exercise strengthens your pelvic floor muscles and makes it easier for you to pass stool. It also relaxes your anal sphincter so you don’t strain while moving your bowels. To do the pelvic floor contraction, follow the steps below:
Not all exercises are good for you when you have hemorrhoids; some could make your symptoms worse. These exercises are those that place too much pressure on the abdominal and anal regions so you should avoid them.
They include weight-lifting, sit-ups, horseback riding, cycling, squats, rowing, and exercises that make you hold your breath as you push to exhale. If your work-outs usually involve strenuous routines, adjust them so that they’re not putting so much pressure on the sensitive areas.
Apart from exercise, hemorrhoids can be treated using other methods as outlined below:
Eat Fiber-Rich Foods
Eating foods that are packed full of fiber makes it easier to pass stool so hemorrhoids will not develop because of straining. Examples of fiber-rich foods you can include in your diet include legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and tubers.
Warm Water
Sitting in a tub or sitz bath with warm water will soothe the hemorrhoids’ pain, irritation, and reduce swelling. This is because warm water improves blood circulation in the anus.
Over-the-counter Medication
You can purchase items like creams, suppositories, ointments, soothing wipes, and gels to use on the hemorrhoids to ease the irritation. They are made with anti-inflammatory and anti-itch compounds like witch hazel.
Epsom Salts
Make an Epsom salt paste and apply it to the hemorrhoids or add the salts to your bathwater and soak your anus in it. This will help in soothing the pain and irritation.
Avoid Sitting or Standing for Too Long
When you sit or stand for hours, it puts pressure on the anal and rectal muscles so hemorrhoids may develop as a result. When you realize you’ve been in one position for too long, take a break by walking around or lying down.
Aloe Vera
Freshly-extracted aloe vera gel can be applied to hemorrhoids to soothe them because of its natural anti-inflammatory benefits. However, be sure to check for allergies through a skin patch test before you use aloe vera.
Don’t Neglect Going to the Bathroom Quickly
As soon as you feel like moving your bowels, do it immediately to stop your stool from hardening and becoming difficult to pass. Alternatively, start a regular bathroom routine to prevent the same.
Drink Plenty of Water
Water is a crucial element in softening your stool. It combines with soluble fiber to make a gel-like substance that makes stool soft enough to pass easily through your anus and rectum.
Doing the right exercises and supplementing that with other treatment methods will have your hemorrhoids clearing in a matter of days or weeks. Simultaneously, the wrong exercises will have you descend into a deeper hole of misery so choose wisely!