Piles or hemorrhoids are common and about 75% of Americans will suffer from its symptoms of swelling, itching, pain, and even bleeding at some point in their lives. Treatment options for hemorrhoids, both medical and home remedies, are easily available to help you get rid of them. However, they may keep returning even after treatment so what to do when hemorrhoids won't go away?
Having them at any point in life is bad enough but to have them return is unbearable! This article will tell you why hemorrhoids recur, guide you on what to do when it happens, and suggest the treatment you can seek in such situations.
Hemorrhoids occur when the blood vessels in the rectum and around the anus swell. These blood vessels become swollen with blood when the pressure has been exerted on them. The pressure may be exerted by straining too much in the toilet, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, excess body weight, and pregnancy. Old age is also a contributing factor because the tissue in the rectum and anus weakens so the pressure exerted in that area may easily result in hemorrhoids. If you also have family members who have hemorrhoids, you have a genetic predisposition to having hemorrhoids.
There are two main types of hemorrhoids, internal and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are hemorrhoids that are found inside the rectum on its lower parts while external hemorrhoids are found at the anal opening. Sometimes, an internal hemorrhoid protrudes out of the anus and it’s referred to as a prolapsed hemorrhoid. In other cases, hemorrhoids may develop blood clots and these are known as thrombosed hemorrhoids. Thrombosed hemorrhoids eventually burst when the pressure in them gets too much and bleeding occurs for a few moments before it stops.
Once you receive treatment for hemorrhoids whether through a medical procedure or at-home treatment, there’s a possibility of them returning. A study conducted in 2004 revealed that hemorrhoids recurred in 6.3% of people who had them removed surgically and 25.4% of people who used home remedies.
The reason why hemorrhoids return boils down to patients not sticking to the dietary and lifestyle changes that are recommended to prevent hemorrhoids. If you stick to the same habits you had before that brought about hemorrhoids, they are bound to return. This includes eating a diet low in fiber, straining in the toilet, not drinking enough water, delaying going to move your bowels, sitting for prolonged periods in the toilet, and not managing your weight.
Hemorrhoids may also recur because of medical conditions such as pregnancy, obesity, chronic diarrhea, and chronic constipation.
If your hemorrhoids return after being treated, you need to see a doctor. It may be because you have a medical condition. Getting treatment for that condition will help in preventing the re-occurrence of hemorrhoids.
In the case where it’s not because of a medical condition, the doctor will give you dietary and lifestyle changes that you should follow religiously. They include:
The methods that are used to treat hemorrhoids when they occur for the first time are the same ones used to treat recurring hemorrhoids. You can either go for at-home treatments or medical procedures depending on the severity of the symptoms:
Warm Water
Warm water is very good at relieving the symptoms of hemorrhoids such as pain and irritation. It also reduces inflammation by improving blood circulation in the veins. You should fill your bathtub with warm water or fit a sitz bath over your toilet. You can then sit in it for 20 minutes and you’ll find relief.
Aloe Vera
Applying freshly extracted aloe vera gel on your hemorrhoids will soothe them because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Make sure you do a skin patch test before to ascertain you’re not allergic to aloe vera.
Cold Compress
Wrap an ice pack in a cloth or towel and place them on your hemorrhoids. Ice shrinks your blood vessels and reduces pain, bleeding, inflammation, and irritation. Do it for 15 minutes and you’ll feel better.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are famed for the wonderful benefits they have on your skin. They have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that will soothe your hemorrhoids and also help them heal. Some of the essential oils you can use on your hemorrhoids include peppermint oil, tea tree oil, frankincense oil, clove oil, cypress oil, and chamomile oil. Ensure you dilute them in carrier oil to avoid burns and irritations.
H-Hemorrhoids Formula
H-Hemorrhoids Formula is a 100% natural remedy that reduces the symptoms of all kinds of hemorrhoids. It will shrink the hemorrhoids and provide fast relief within moments of applying it.
Hemorrhoidectomy
This is a surgical procedure where the surgeon makes incisions on the side of your hemorrhoids and removes the swollen blood vessels.
Rubber Band Ligation
In this procedure, the doctor puts a tight rubber band around the hemorrhoids. This cuts of their blood flow so they die and fall out.
Sclerotherapy
This is a non-surgical procedure where a doctor injects medicine inside the hemorrhoid that makes it shrink.
The trick in curbing hemorrhoids that won’t go away is taking preventive measures after treatment so that they don’t keep on coming back.
