Learning how to care for your hemorrhoids can help you reduce pain and itching and prevent the development of new hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids occur when veins swell in your anus or rectum, due to increased pressure in the veins. Pressure increases can happen if you strain while having a bowel movement, but may also occur due to obesity, pregnancy, heavy lifting or other activity that causes you to strain, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Treatment of hemorrhoids involves making changes to your diet, lifestyle and bathroom habits.
Step 1
Eat more foods that contain fiber, such as whole-grain cereal, leafy vegetables and fruit. Eating fiber helps improve digestion and prevention constipation. Straining during bowel movements if you are constipated can cause hemorrhoids.
Step 2
Use moistened pads or toilet paper to clean the anal area after a bowel movement. Moist pads or toilet paper are less likely to irritate hemorrhoids and make symptoms worse.
Step 3
Drink 48 to 64 oz. of water or nonalcoholic fluids during the day. Water lubricates the intestines, allowing easy passage of waste through the intestines.
Step 4
Soak your anal area in warm bath water two to three times each day. Use comfortably warm water and sit in the bathtub for at least 10 minutes. Soaking the hemorrhoids can help relieve pain and wash away collected fecal matter that can irritate the skin.
Step 5
Apply ice to your hemorrhoids to reduce swelling. Buy an ice pack at a drugstore or make your own cold compress by adding ice to a plastic bag. Cover the bag with a soft washcloth before applying the compress to your hemorrhoids.
Step 6
Use over-the-counter medications to relieve hemorrhoid symptoms. Oral medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, temporarily relieve pain, while topical creams that contain hydrocortisone reduce itching. MayoClinic.com cautions against using over-the-counter topical products for more than a week unless directed by your doctor because the products can cause rashes, inflammation and skin thinning.
Tips and Warnings
- See your doctor if your hemorrhoids don't go away after two weeks of home care. Doctors can shrink hemorrhoids by injecting the blood vessel with a chemical or by cutting off circulation to the hemorrhoid with a rubber band. Your doctor can also treat hemorrhoids with devices that use infrared heat or laser light to shrink the hemorrhoids. Surgery to remove hemorrhoids can be helpful if your hemorrhoids are particularly large or don't respond to other treatments.
- Don't resist the urge to go to the bathroom if you are prone to developing hemorrhoids. Waiting can make passing feces more difficult and can cause straining that may lead to hemorrhoids.
Things You'll Need
- Foods containing fiber
- Moistened pads
- Ice
- Plastic bag
- Washcloth
- Over-the-counter medications
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