External hemorrhoids are found around the anal opening where solid wastes are expelled. All hemorrhoids start with swollen veins, which in the case of external hemorrhoids, are located around the anal area. Any time there is excessive abdominal pressure that causes a significant increase in the blood pressure inside the veins, the veins swell. If the vein walls swell too much they will not return to normal leading to hemorrhoids often protruding outside the anus. This can be particularly painful as this is the location of a very sensitive group of nerves which inhabit the dividing line between external skin and the inner mucus membrane of the anorectal canal.
Often cases of hemorrhoids during pregnancy are these kinds of hemorrhoids caused by increased abdominal pressure in the anal region. Other causes of abdominal pressure leading to external hemorrhoids include constipation, lifting heavy objects, diarrhea and even sitting for extend periods. Several diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease may also increase the risk of these hemorrhoids.
External Hemorrhoids Treatment
Thankfully there are many home remedies for hemorrhoids as well as commercial products you can purchase for hemorrhoid relief. Generally external hemorrhoids treatment is much easier than internal hemorrhoids treatment simply because they are more accessible.
Popular home remedies for treating this type of hemorrhoids include:
-soaking the buttocks in warm water often called a “Sitz bath”, named for a product that is a special soaking basin, is a great method for quick relief. You can add soothing herbs such as witch hazel to the water but never add perfumes.
-wrapping an ice bag with a towel (never hold ice again the bare skin) and gently applying to the hemorrhoids is another way to relieve the pain and discomfort.
-applying petroleum jelly on the affected areas will reduce the pain and itch.
Personal hygiene may also be a factor with respect to keeping the anal region clean and sanitary to avoid infection and wearing cotton underwear to reduce any irritation of the external hemorrhoids.
There are many commercial products now available to help relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids. The more popular ones include creams and ointments developed especially for hemorrhoid relief. These include a variety of ingredients such as vasoconstrictors to shrink the swollen blood vessels, astringents containing witch hazel and aloe vera which cause the skin round the external hemorrhoids to dry up and cool off, and finally hydrocortisone to diminish the inflammation of the tissue quickly.
One of the more popular and well known treatments for how to remove external hemorrhoids at home is a product known as Preparation H, which is an ointment containing phenylephrine to shrink the blood vessels reducing irritation and swelling of the affected tissue.
It is important to realize that the best treatment for hemorrhoids is to take steps to ensure that you don’t get them at all. For some people this may simply involve lifestyle changes such as drinking lots of water and eating fruits and vegetables that help to avoid constipation problems.
Also avoiding situations the increase the risk of developing external hemorrhoids including not sitting for extended periods of time without getting up and walking around, not trying to lift heavy objects and as alluded to earlier, avoiding constipation problems.
Under most circumstance, external hemorrhoids do not present a life and death situation, although you may feel like you are dying at times. Most symptoms of hemorrhoids can be effectively dealt with using home remedies for hemorrhoids along with commercial products without having to resort to surgery for external hemorrhoids treatment.
Finally a word of warning. If left untreated, external hemorrhoids may burst leading to complications including bleeding hemorrhoids treatment options which may include the need for surgery.