Tips For External Hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids are when one or more tender bumps form beneath the skin surrounding your anus. These are dilated blood vessels that have become so enlarged that they protrude.

Blood may clot, or thrombose, inside the protruding blood vessel. This can form a hard lump - and cause considerable pain in some cases.

Causes include: 

• Straining while having a bowel movement.  The most common cause of external hemorrhoids is repeated straining while having a bowel movement. This is often caused by severe cases of constipation or diarrhea.  Straining makes blood pool in the area.
• Sitting on the toilet for a long time.  This can also put pressure on the tissues around your rectum and anus.
• Weakened support tissues.  As you age, the tissues tend to weaken around the anus and rectum.
• Pregnancy.  Being pregnant can lead to a risk of hemorrhoids because of the increased pressure of the abdomen on these veins.
• Obesity.  Carrying excess weight can be another reason why hemorrhoids develop .
• Heavy lifting.  You may have a higher risk of hemorrhoids if you frequently lift heavy objects.
• Not enough fiber in your diet.  A low fiber diet may lead to constipation, which can cause hemorrhoids.

What are the symptoms of external hemorrhoids?

• One or more tender and blue-colored lumps on the skin near the opening of the anus.
• Itching around the anus or rectal area.
• Aching, pain and discomfort around the anus - especially within twenty four to forty eight hours of onset and when sitting down.

You may also notice bleeding when using the toilet, including the appearance of blood on the toilet paper or in the toilet itself.  Those lumps around the anus may feel as if they are swollen.  Larger external hemorrhoids can make it more difficult to keep the anal area clean.  If you have access to a bidet, this can be very helpful to soothe and clean external hemorrhoids.

In most cases, people treat external hemorrhoids in the comfort of their own home.

They typically don’t require medical treatment unless they’re causing a lot of pain or are very enlarged.  If you’re experiencing painful hemorrhoids, your healthcare provider may well recommend using over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medications.

Home remedies

You can use at-home treatments to help with hemorrhoids such as:

• Cold compress. Wrap ice or a bag of frozen peas in a cloth and apply it to the hemorrhoids for periods of no more than fifteen minutes at a time. This can significantly reduce swelling and pain.
• Sitz bath. This is essentially sitting in warm water.  Some people use a small tub designed to fit over your toilet, which you can fill with a couple of inches of warm water and sit in several times a day to help sooth hemorrhoids.  Unscented Epsom salts can be added to this water.  
• Topical ointments or wipes.  Ointments or soothing wipes made with naturally derived ingredients, such as witch hazel and aloe vera, can be used to help reduce hemorrhoid swelling and pain. 
• OTC creams.  There are preparations available over the counter.

How to treat the symptoms of external hemorrhoids naturally

Our H-Hemorrhoids Formula has homeopathic ingredients which have been selected for their ability to relieve engorgement and inflammation of the rectum, thereby providing relief from discomfort and shrinkage of the hemorrhoidal veins.

Application is simple as you apply directly to the condition with a Q-Tip or with your finger, remembering to always thoroughly wash your hands before and after each application. Only a few drops per application are necessary.

The products are very safe and gentle and can even be used on children over the age of four. 

Here are some steps you can take:

• Avoid straining when having a bowel movement.  This includes not sitting on the toilet for long periods of time.
• Take measures to prevent constipation. This includes eating high fiber foods, including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet and drinking lots of water. 
• Avoid heavy lifting. Try not to strain yourself.