Are Hemorrhoids Preventable?

If you see blood during bowel movements, it’s natural to be worried and indeed you should be, but this is also a normal hemorrhoid symptom. If ever you do have any anal bleeding, your very first step should be to get a complete exam to rule out any potentially more serious diseases or conditions. It may be tempting to self diagnose, but it needs to be strenuously stated that a complete exam is necessary. Yes, I know that this is embarrassing and potentially difficult but it’s really not as bad as you may think. Your doctor will probably do a quick visual exam and then maybe something more invasive like a colonoscopy to make sure that it is just hemorrhoids. A colonoscopy is a small price to pay for peace of mind and continued good health.

Now that we’ve covered diagnosing, most people want to know what causes hemorrhoids and most importantly, how to prevent them. As far as what causes hemorrhoids, there are several factors which include aging, obesity, straining during bowel movements, genetics and pregnancy. Obviously some of these we can control and others we can’t. Probably the single most common cause of hemorrhoids is straining during bowel movements and this is something that is easily controllable. With more fruits, vegetables and high fiber foods we can make bowel movements softer and easier. Not only will this help reduce symptoms you may already have but this simple step can keep you from getting hemorrhoids in the first place. If you find that these diet changes are too difficult to tackle, grab some bulk fiber and add it to your drinks and regular food, it has no taste and doesn’t have the unpleasant texture that the bulk fibers of yesteryear used to have in our grandparents day.

With two easy steps you can be well on your way to managing and preventing hemorrhoids. Step one, visit your doctor. Step two; add more fiber to your diet. These two things will get you on your way to easy hemorrhoid relief.