QUICK HEALTH TIPS: Hemmorrhoids

There is nothing shameful or embarrassing about admitting you have hemmorrhoids! Eight out of ten people will have the problem at sometime during their lives. Just like varicose veins, these swollen veins in the anus are partially hereditary, but they can also be caused by—and remedied by—such things as diet and toilet habits. Straining to have a bowel movement will not be necessary if you change those habits. Basically, you need to drink lots of fluids and eat lots of fiber…that will help your stools become softer and pass with less effort. Meanwhile you change those habits, here are some helpful tips. A little lubrication with a bit of petroleum jelly, swabbed about a half inch into the rectum with either your finger or a cotton swab should help also. It’s VERY important to clean yourself properly and gently. Use only nonperfumed, noncolored (white) toilet paper, and dampen it under the faucet before each wipe. Facial tissues coated with moisturizing cream offer a comfortable solution. Don`t give into the urge to itch. You can damage the walls of these delicate veins and make matters much worse. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise. A sitz bath (sitting with your knees raised in 3 or 4 inches of warm water in a bathtub) is an excellent procedure. The warm water helps kill the pain, while increasing blood flow to the area.

While there are several hemorrhoid creams and suppositories on the market and while they do relieve some of the discomfort, a bit of witch hazel applied to the rectum with a cotton ball is an excellent alternative. Place a bottle of witch hazel in an ice bucket, then when it is well chilled, soak the cotton ball in the witch hazel and apply it against your hemorrhoids until it is no longer cold, then repeat. This procedure is very soothing!

Keeping your weight down, controlling your salt intake, and avoiding certain foods and drinks like excessive coffee, strong spices, beer and cola (which can create further itching as they pass through the bowels) are good rules to follow. Pregnant women are particularly prone to hemorrhoids, partly because the uterus sits directly on the blood vessels that drain the hemmorrhoidal veins. A tip: lie on your left side for about 20 minutes every 4 to 6 hours. By doing so, you decrease pressure on the main vein draining the lower half of the body.

Also, there are doughnut-shaped cushions sold in pharmacies which can be useful for hemorrhoid sufferers who do a lot of sitting. ”Bottom line”? KEEP HYDRATED! PLENTY OF FLUIDS, ESPECIALLY WATER, will keep your bowels soft and easily passed.

COURTESY: THE DOCTORS BOOK OF HOME REMEDIES

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