Wellness and Prevention

One of the most common but least talked about medical condition is hemorrhoids. These are swollen or inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum. It causes discomfort, itchiness in the anal area and, in some cases, also pain.

Signs that indicate the existence of hemorrhoids include: bright-red blood that appears on the surface of the stool, toilet bowl or toilet paper, or swollen veins around the anus that sometimes bulge through the anus. Pain is uncommon and only occurs if blood clots or if there are infections in which case, pain can be severe. Not to worry though, these are not dangerous or life threatening. With proper treatment it will usually go away within a few days.

Some measures that we can take to relieve our butts and ease our discomfort are:

1. Increasing fiber and fluids in our diet.  Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
2. Modifying bowel habits. Avoid prolonged sitting and straining in the toilet. Get rid of your magazine rack in the bathroom.
3. If there is pain or irritation apply a cold pack to the affected area when hemorrhoid symptoms first appear.
4. Have tub baths three or four times a day in plain, hot water for about 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Applying Hemorrhoid medicines (creams or suppositories) to the affected area for a limited time may provide relief of itching and inflammation. These medicines are available without a prescription.

Some of the conditions that increase your risks of getting hemorrhoids include poor bowel habits such as sitting for long periods and straining to move stool, pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, anal intercourse, obesity and a high-fat, low-fiber diet.

As you can see Hemorrhoids can literally give you a pain in the butt. But with proper care and diet, you can avoid its health risks. However, for those who have this condition don’t sweat it, just take the proper measures and it will be gone in a few days.