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.

Curing Hemorrhoids

Almost 50% of people live with hemorrhoids, both men and women, but not everyone shows symptoms. Some people live with them and never know, but others experience itching, burning, bleeding, and pain in the rectal area on a daily basis. Though the prevention of hemorrhoids encompasses a broad range of topics, most preventative measures focus on removing strain from the bowel during defecation. This over exertion is the leading cause of hemorrhoid flare ups. In order to remove strain during a bowel movement it is necessary to first utilize a high fiber diet, drink plenty of water, and have regular bowel movements.

Avoid eating foods that may cause pain or discomfort such as spicy foods and pepper as well as not drinking too much alcohol, which can direct blood to flow into the peripheral vessels, bringing on a flare-up. Over using laxatives can also have an adverse effect on the body, as diarrhea can be as strenuous on the bowel as straining to go to the bathroom.  In addition, low fiber diets cause stools to be hard, scraping the bowel as it is passed; this can irritate the veins in the lower rectum as well, bringing on bleeding and discomfort.

Most cases of hemorrhoids are treatable with medication available at any drugstore. There are also a variety of homeopathic methods used to treat hemorrhoid problems nowadays, and surgery, which was considered the foremost method of removing hemorrhoids at one point in time, has now become a last resort used only in worst case scenarios.

Our bodies were designed to heal themselves and though many may not know this fact hemorrhoids can actually cure themselves.  This doesn’t happen overnight nor without a significant change in the diet of someone diagnosed with hemorrhoids, but it is probable that if a person with hemorrhoids were to adopt a high fiber diet, keep themselves well hydrated, have regular bowel movements, and take all the necessary precautions to remove strain on rectum during the passing of stools that hemorrhoids could be prevented.