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| I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for most ofmy adult life. 25 years of discomfort, itching, pain and bleeding. And like 50% of the population in North America I've had to learn to live with them. I've had no less than 4 colonoscopies and had 3 hemorrhoids banded only to have 2 more return within a few years. When hemorrhoids occurr, the symptoms are unmistakably clear. These symptoms include burning, itching, swelling, pain and bleeding, Yes, these symptoms do make life very uncomfortable and not only physical discomfort but psyhcological discomfort as this condition may resemble a more serious problem colon cancer. Often, that is exactly what people suffering from a hemorrhoids will believe they are experiencing. Knowing the symptoms can provide a sense of relief. For me, the externatal hemorrhoids were very painfull and very frightening to look at and this caused me a lot of physical and mental stress. So the first step in your cure for hemorrhoids is to learn how to reduce the inflamation and lessen the effects of hemorrhoids. I bent over backwards tring many different treatments and remedies in the past 25 years but found them to be either ineffective or at best temporary so the pain and bleeding would always return. When hemorrhoids occur, it becomes necessary to take the steps needed to reduce the impact of the condition. I know this may sound like an “easier said than done” statement but it is necessary to try and reduce the problem as it occurs. Generally, more fluids and fiber in your diet is the most adhered to method for reducing the impact as it happens. Of course, if more fiber were all that were needed to deal with the problem then it really would not be a problem at all. What Are Hemorrhoids, and What Are the Treatments for Them? Hemorrhoids are a condition whereby you have dilated blood vessels underneath the lining of the skin in your anus or in your rectum. Usually, this inflamed tissue is spongy vascular tissue that has several direct arteriovenous links. Hippocrates himself actually coined the term hemorrhoid, from the Greek words "hema," which means "blood," and "rhoos," which means "flowing." Both men and women can have this kind of disease and it is extremely common and likely to be present in more than 50 percent of the population by 50 years of age. Traditionally, hemorrhoids have been referred as varicose veins of the rectum or varicosities of the hemorrhoid tissue. Hemorrhoids have been around since the beginning of mankind, and although their origin isn't specifically known, they began, possibly, when we were first upright. During the Middle Ages, hemorrhoids were called St. Fiacre's curse; St. Fiacre is the gardeners' patron saint, and he contracted a horrible case of prolapsed hemorrhoids after he had spent the day laboring in his garden. Hemorrhoids are usually classified as two different types, external and internal. If hemorrhoids are external, they are below the anal sphincter, and if they are internal, they are above the anal sphincter. Typically, hemorrhoids are chronic for people, although they may also be acute. Internal hemorrhoids are found within the left lateral, right anterior, and right posterior positions inside the anal canal. Usually, hemorrhoidal positions are consistent within the anus. In general, internal hemorrhoids are not painful and most people don't even know they have them, since the area doesn't have pain receptors. If they become irritated, they may bleed, however. They should be detected and treated at once, or you can get strangulated or prolapsed hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids occur outside of the anal verge. These can be painful, and often have irritation and swelling or with them. They may also itch, although this is not really a symptom of hemorrhoids but instead is because the skin has become irritated. If the dilated veins rupture or if a blood clot develops, this becomes a thrombosed hemorrhoid, a condition that occurs most often with external hemorrhage. Hemorrhoids are classified by history and not as a result of physical exam. They are graded I through IV, mostly. Grade I may bleed but are not prolapsed, Grade II hemorrhoids are prolapsed and have spontaneous reduction, Grade III are prolapsed but can undergo manual reduction, and Grade IV has irreducible prolapse. These classifications have been around for many years and associate well with the treatment prescribed for each group. Usually, Grade I or II hemorrhoids can be treated effectively without surgery, while Grades III and IV usually will need surgery for intervention. | |
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