Hemorrhoids

As many as half of all Americans over the age of fifty deal with hemorrhoids. Like gallstones and constipation, many health experts believe this condition reflects Western eating habits and lifestyles.

A hemorrhoid is a varicose vein that develops in the rectum or the anus. Internal hemorrhoids may be located near the beginning of the anal canal or close to the anal opening. When hemorrhoids protrude outside the anal opening, they are referred to as "prolapsed" hemorrhoids. This disorder is very common and may begin when a person is in his or her early twenties, but usually does not become obvious until the thirties. Up to one-third of the total population of the United States have hemorrhoids to some extent. While hemorrhoids are painful, they are rarely dangerous.

Symptoms

Hemorrhoids commonly cause rectal bleeding, pain and discomfort, inflammation, throbbing (especially during a bowel movement), mucus discharge, itching, formation of a tender lump and difficulty hemorrhoid, intense pain can result. If hemorrhoidal bleeding is prolonged, iron deficiency anemia can occur.

If you find blood in the stool, or experience a change in bowel habits, see a good naturopathic doctor immediately. Other causes of rectal bleeding are anal fissures, intestinal disorders, and colon cancer.

Causes

The effects of gravity impose continual stress on the delicate vessels that supply blood to the anus. In addition, abdominal pressure of any kind can aggravate the pressure placed on these veins. Hemorrhoids can be the result of pregnancy (due to added weight and pressure on the rectum), childbirth, a congenital weakness in the veins of the anus, repeated straining during attempts to move hard feces, the repeated use of laxatives, prolonged coughing, violent sneezing, physical exertion, lifting the wrong way, standing or sitting for long periods of time, or a complicated liver disease.

Treating Hemorrhoids

Most hemorrhoids can be taken care of with proper home care.

Physical probing is usually done to determine the extent of the condition. In a proctoscopy, the rectum is viewed and examined for the possible presence of cancer. A barium enema and a sigmoidoscopy may be recommended if cancer is suspected.

In mild cases, hemorrhoids are traditionally treated with high-fiber diets, increased liquids and rectal suppositories. Rectal pads and creams that contain corticosteroid drugs reduce swelling and inflammation.

If these measures prove unsuccessful, a hemorrhoidectomy may be recommended. A new laser technique developed in Europe is now available in the United States. This procedure does not require hospitalization or general anesthesia and should be investigated as an option, although it is important to remember that many cases of hemorrhoids, when cared for properly, will resolve themselves. Monopolar direct current therapy is a painless treatment using a galvanic current source to shrink tissue.

Dietary Guidelines

• Like so many other disorders, many cases of hemorrhoids could be controlled by eating a diet low in refined, processed foods and high in whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables.
   

• Eat a high-fiber diet (oat bran, whole grains, dried prunes, dates, raw fruits and vegetables and beans). Individuals who do not get enough bulk fiber in their diets tend to strain during bowel movements due to the formation of small hard feces.
   

• Avoid refined white flour, white sugar, and the empty calories found in high-fat junk foods.
   

• In addition coffee, caffeine and alcohol are discouraged.
   

• Avoid salt; it can cause hemorrhoidal tissue to swell more due to the retention of fluid.
   

• Drink six to eight glasses of water per day to avoid constipation and the formation of hard stool.

Hemorrhoids can be greatly reduced and even eliminated if you bowel movements. Try regular colon cleansing as see a dramatic difference in your over all health.