Having hemorrhoidsis never fun. But unfortunately, studies show that half of all adults over the age of 50 will suffer from hemorrhoids at some point. The condition is easy enough to develop — constipation is one of the leading causes of hemorrhoids, and there’s not much that can be done to prevent them. What are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids are swollen, infected veins in the rectum or anus that cause itching, bleeding, and general discomfort in the surrounding area. Hemorrhoids develop due to increased pressure in the rectum, as interlocking blood vessels create “anal cushions” that help open and close the anal canal. Besides constipation, hemorrhoids can also be caused by pregnancy (hypertension and delivery often put pressure on the area), obesity, diarrhea, or even prolonged sitting on the toilet during a bowel movement. You have hemorrhoids – what can you expect? Hemorrhoids can cause significant pain. If you are suffering from hemorrhoids, you may experience discomfort, or even bleeding, when having a bowel movement, and you could have trouble squatting, sitting, or even walking. Because hemorrhoids can be internal, in the rectum, or external, outside the anus, the pain radiates from a variety of points, and can be difficult to manage. Obviously, you can’t avoid sitting or walking at some points during the day, so it can be hard to relieve the pain that hemorrhoids are causing. Additionally, hemorrhoids that originate from the anus can grow from the body, which could require a procedure to push the prolapse back into place to stop the pain. How do you treat hemorrhoids? In some cases, hemorrhoids can be treated with natural remedies, like warm baths, or changes to your diet. Surgery is often the last option that a doctor will explore, especially for persistent hemorrhoids that do not respond to natural treatment. For symptomatic internal hemorrhoids, you may be able to treat them with a minimally invasive procedure known as Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization. This procedure uses a Doppler ultrasound to scope out the diseased hemorrhoid vessels and determine how much blood is flowing through the area and find where the arteries with the hemorrhoids end. Once those arteries have been located, a surgeon will use an absorbable suture to tie off the arterial blood flow to a point where the anal cushion is able to shrink. Another method for treating hemorrhoids surgically is a hemorrhoidopexy. This procedure repairs the prolapse and can be done during a Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization. If you are suffering from hemorrhoids, it’s important to discuss your symptoms with your doctor and see what he or she recommends. Often, you can discuss options for treatment with a surgeon who is skilled in handling hemorrhoids and can go over what you can expect, and what will be best for your particular case. For more information regarding hemorrhoid treatment and surgeries, call a leading South Florida general surgery facilitytoday.
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