Treating Your Hemorrhoids: What can be done

The information here should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice of your physician or other health care provider. It is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for hemorrhoids. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.

While we need to be friends with a lot of people, having hemorrhoids will increase your chances of rubbing elbows with your local pharmacist.

Most of the OTC (over-the-counter) medication for hemorrhoids includes suppositories,ointments, gels, pads, creams, and foams. Be sure to equip yourself with a cotton applicator, pile pipes or gloves (if you are going the manually touch it). And as always, wash your hands before AND after medicine application.

For anal itch and pain, here are some medicines that are being used:

Corticosteroids

Use: Reduce inflammation and can relieve itching,

Caution: Chronic use can cause permanent damage to the skin. They should not be used for more than short periods of a few days to two weeks.

Analgesics:

Use: Relieve pain, itching, and burning

Caution: No higher than 1% of Menthol and lower than 3% of Camphor should be used

Local anesthetics:

Use: Temporarily relieve pain, burning, and itching

Caution: Can cause allergic reactions

Astringents:

Use: Promotes dryness of the skin, relieve burning, itching, and pain

Witch Hazel Compress: (example of astrigent but is an herbal alternative)

Use: Reduce itching, shrink blood vessels and relieve discomfort

Caution: Proven toxic in large amounts

Protectants:

Use: Reduces irritation, itching, pain, and burning

For protection against bacteria:

Antiseptics:

Use: Inhibits bacterial growth

Note: May have same effectiveness as soap and water

For reducing the swelling:

Vasoconstrictors:

Use: Reduce swelling, reduce pain and itching

Caution: Can cause serious side effects

Internal hemorrhoids, while not readily visible can pose a greater threat and almost always will be aggravated when we unintentionally strain.

What can we do about it? If you want a semi-permanent solution and is hesitant to get under the knife, we may have something for you..using needles, rubber bands, heat and ice. 

• Sclerotherapy - injecting solutions into the blood vessels to shrink them. Used also for varicose veins, some females may be familiar with the procedure.
• Rubber band ligation - as the name implies, the procedure involves tying the hemorrhoid with a tight rubber band
• Diathermy - this involves high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, electric currents, or ultrasonic waves
• Cryotherapy - involves freezing the affected part