Hemorrhoids are dilated blood vessels or veins in the anal or rectal area. They can occur on the outside where they are felt as small bumps when wiping. Internal hemorrhoids however, are not seen or felt as they are in our anal canal. They are also harder to detect as they are usually painless. Internal hemorrhoids usually develop due to chronic constipation and are also prone to develop during a woman's pregnancy period.
Symptoms of Internal Hemorrhoids
Internal hemorrhoids are more difficult to detect than external hemorrhoids because there is very little pain, or sometimes even none at all. The common symptoms are an itch or an unexplainable irritation in your anus canal. The more obvious symptoms would be some blood on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl after bowel movement.
Internal Hemorrhoid Treatments
Several non-surgical methods that can be used to treat internal hemorrhoids include:
*Rubber band ligation - A rubber band is placed around the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum. The band will cut off blood circulation to the area causing the hemorrhoid to wither away within a few days.
*Sitz baths - Soak the rectal area in hot water for about 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day. This is a simple and effective internal hemorrhoids treatment that will not only help ease the itch but also shrink the hemorrhoid.
*Sclerotherapy - Also known as injection therapy. This treatment is commonly used on small internal hemorrhoids. A hardening agent is injected into the hemorrhoid, resulting in a loss of blood flow that causes the hemorrhoid to shrivel away.
When an internal hemorrhoid persists or the lump grows too large, doctors turn to hemorrhoid surgery. This treatment is especially recommended when the internal hemorrhoid becomes prolapsed or becomes very large after basic treatment. The types of internal hemorrhoid surgery are as follows:
*Infrared Coagulation - A special device utilizing infrared light is used to burn off hemorrhoidal tissue. This causes the hemorrhoid to shrink and finally recede. Although this sounds scary, it is very safe and simple.
*Hemorrhoidectomy - This treatment is only used for severe cases where the hemorrhoid does not go away and the bleeding persists after non-surgical treatments. During this hemorrhoid treatment, the hemorrhoid is surgically removed while you are under anesthetics. Depending on cases, you may be required to be hospitalized and usually a recovery period will be determined by the doctor.
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