How Do I Cure Hemorrhoids?
The answer to the question above depends on the symptoms and the severity of the problem. Hemorrhoids are a condition of the veins in the anus similar to varicose veins in which the anal veins enlarge and their supporting pads of tissue tend to lose their natural elasticity. Reversing this process, a total cure for hemorrhoids, would be akin to reversing aging and though might one day be possible, using stem cells for instance, is unlikely in the foreseeable future. As people enter middle age the chance of this condition increases and there is good evidence that at least 50% of the population show some signs of recognizable anal pathology.
Though rejuvenation of the anal veins is not currently possible curing the symptoms involved such as itching, swelling and bleeding is feasible. In fact, a hemorrhoid can have four levels of severity as assigned by physicians and any kind of treatment other than the application of creams and ointments and advice to make life-style changes reserved for the two highest categories. Other non-surgical methods include rubber band ligation as well as so called infrared coagulation and bipolar diathermy.
Home Cures Suitable for the Majority of Hemorrhoids
Treatments such as creams and ointment can play a significant role in reducing pain and swelling in many cases. Even those creams that function principally through their anesthetic effect have a valuable role not only in reducing acute itching but also reducing the need to scratch and therefore worsen the condition. The old fashioned recourse to bathing makes a helpful contribution to treatment by reducing pain and bleeding and accelerating the healing process. Both conventional pharmaceuticals and natural treatments can work successfully to reduce inflammation and swelling . The exception to this is homeopathic methods which offer, at best, a placebo effect effective only for a few.
Clinical Procedure More Serious Cases
Rubber band based technique used normally for the second grade of hemorrhoids and involves the placement of rubber band around its base in order to strangle the blood supply and cause it to fall off. This technique is simple and effective, classed as a non-surgical method of removal, and has less chance for complications than the surgical methods used for more serious conditions. The method is highly successful with one study showing an 80% success rate after five years
Only a small percentage of people will, fortunately, require invasive treatment beyond this point which generally means total excision. Historically the classical methods used for surgical removal have been associated with considerable postoperative pain though surgeons have devised a whole range of methods to reduce this pain with varying degrees of success. Every few years a new hemorrhoid cure arrives heralding a new age of painless procedures usually only to disappear some time later.
Surgical Excision for Serious Hemorrhoidal Conditions
These methods have involved total excision through laser light (carbon dioxide, neodymium lasers), as well as freezing and vibrating (ultrasound) of the offending vein. As well as these different methods a whole range of surgical tools devised in order to reduce pain. Most serious scientific studies of these different techniques have proved inconclusive at best. There is some evidence that diathermy removal is associated with less severe pain than a scissors removal though even this subsequently disputed. It may be that there are pluses and minuses for all the techniques (such as the amount of pain immediately following surgery compared with pain a few days after and likelihood of urinary retention due to acute pain) but this is far from clearly the case. Laser methods were associated with longer healing in a number of trials.
One of the problems with total removal is the damage caused to the tissue and blood supply around it. Though none of the techniques developed is a silver bullet (or at least a painless hemorrhoid cure) surgical techniques have improved greatly in recent years for instance PPH (Longo-Milito procedure used in cases of prolapsing) where the blood supply cut off while the arterial and venous malformations remaining intact.
Will There Ever Be a Complete Hemorrhoidal Cure
There is no complete cure at present because the vein related condition involved is a natural part of aging for the majority of us. The anatomy of the anus is itself a reason for this because it is so richly lined with blood supply and nerves. It can sense temperature, distinguish between liquid, sold and gas, detect smells and recognize it’s state of stretch. This means it is exquisitely sensitive to irritants and inflammation and it very vulnerable to surgery and trauma. There are fortunately many off the shelf cures including hemorrhoidal creams that can improve the condition and reduce irritation and bleeding. Surgical techniques are far from perfect but the pain and side effects are far less than they once were.
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