Haemorrhoids (piles) often settle down after a few days without treatment. However, there are a number of treatments that can help reduce any itching and discomfort.
Making simple lifestyle changes through diet and exercise is usually the first recommendation.
Dietary changes
If constipation is the cause of your haemorrhoids, you need to keep your stools soft and regular. This will help you avoid straining to pass stools.
Increase the fibre in your diet and aim to eat 25-30g of insoluble fibre a day, such as wholegrain bread, cereal, and fruit and vegetables.
The body is unable to digest insoluble fibre, so it passes through the bowels and helps other food and waste move through more easily.
Also drink plenty of water. Aim to drink at least six to eight glasses of fluid a day and avoid too much caffeine (found in tea, coffee and cola).
Self care
Follow the advice below when going to the toilet:
- avoid straining to pass stools because it may make your haemorrhoids worse
- after passing a stool, use moist toilet paper rather than dry toilet paper to clean your bottom
- using baby wipes can help ease any discomfort that you have after passing a stool
- pat the area around your bottom rather than rubbing it
Creams, ointments and suppositories
Creams, ointments and suppositories, available over-the-counter from pharmacies, can be used to relieve any swelling and inflammation that you have around your back passage. However, they will only treat your symptoms and will not cure the haemorrhoids themselves.
These types of medicines should only be used for five to seven days at a time. If you use them for longer than this, they may irritate the sensitive skin around your anus. Any medication you use should be combined with the diet and self care advice above.
There is no evidence to show that one preparation is more effective than another. Ask your pharmacist for advice about which product is most suitable for you. Also, always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine before using it.
Do not use more than one product at the same time because they may contain similar ingredients.
Corticosteroid cream
If you have severe inflammation in and around your back passage, your GP may prescribe corticosteroid cream. This cream contains powerful hormones called steroids.
You should not use corticosteroid cream for more than a week at a time because it can make the skin around your anus thinner.
Painkillers
Painkilling medication, such as paracetamol, can relieve pain caused by haemorrhoids.
Products that contain local anaesthetic (painkilling medication) may also be prescribed to treat painful haemorrhoids. They should only be used for a few days because they can make the skin around your back passage more sensitive.
Laxatives
If you are constipated, your GP may prescribe a laxative. This is a type of medicine that can help you empty your bowels. Laxatives can be:
- bulk-forming – which contain fibre to make your stools heavier and softer
- osmotic – which increases the amount of water in your bowels to make your stools softer
Read more about laxatives.
Banding
Banding is a procedure that is sometimes used to treat second and third degree haemorrhoids.
Banding involves a very tight elastic band being placed around the base of your haemorrhoids to cut off their blood supply. The haemorrhoids should fall off within seven days of having the treatment.
Banding is usually carried out as a day procedure and you should be able to return to work the following day. However, you may feel some pain or discomfort for a day or so. Normal painkillers are usually effective but, if necessary, your GP may prescribe something stronger.
You may not realise the haemorrhoids have fallen off because they should pass out of your body when you go to the toilet. If you notice some mucus discharge within a week of the procedure, it usually means that the haemorrhoid has fallen off.
Directly after the procedure, you may notice some blood on the toilet paper after going to the toilet. This is normal, but there should not be a lot of bleeding. If you pass a lot of bright red blood or blood clots (solid lumps of blood), go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department immediately.
Infections or ulcers (open sores) can occur at the site of the banding. However, these complications are rare and can be easily treated.
Injections (sclerotherapy)
Sclerotherapy is another common treatment for internal haemorrhoids. It can be used as an alternative to banding.
A chemical solution is injected into the blood vessels in your back passage. This relieves pain by numbing the sensory nerve endings at the site of the injection. It also hardens the tissue of the haemorrhoid so that a scar is formed. After about four to six weeks, the haemorrhoid should decrease in size or shrivel up.
After the injection, avoid strenuous exercise for the rest of the day. You may experience minor pain for a while and may bleed a little. You should be able to resume normal activities, including work, the day after the procedure.
Infrared coagulation
Infrared coagulation, also know as infrared light, can also be used to treat haemorrhoids.
A special device is used to burn the haemorrhoid tissue. One or two bursts of infrared light can cut off the circulation to small internal haemorrhoids, such as grade one or two haemorrhoids.
Surgery
Surgery is sometimes recommended to treat large internal haemorrhoids, or those graded as three or four.
Read more about surgery for haemorrhoids.
Comments are closed.