How to Soothe a Bleeding Hemorrhoid

Hemorrhoids — also referred to as piles — are swollen veins in the lowest parts of your rectum and anus. They’re caused by high amounts of pressure typically due to pregnancy, being overweight, or straining too hard during bowel movements. 

Usually by age 50, over half of the population has, at some point in their lives, had hemorrhoids and all the symptoms that come with them such as rectal bleeding, itching, and pain. 

Many people don’t seek treatment for hemorrhoids due to the sensitive nature and location of the condition. However, at GI Physicians, Inc. in Lima, Ohio, our team, led by Ven Kottapalli, MD, CNSP, offers discreet and compassionate care to help you get relief from rectal swelling, bleeding, and pain.

In this blog, we discuss some of the basics about hemorrhoids and offer options for both at-home and in-office treatment.

Understanding hemorrhoids

All of us have clusters of veins that sit in the lining of our rectum and anus. However, when these veins become swollen and distended — much like varicose veins do in your legs — that’s when the condition known as hemorrhoids develops.

There are two basic classes of hemorrhoids: external, which develop under your skin around your anus, and internal, which occur inside your lower rectum. 

When you have external hemorrhoids, you’re much more likely to have pain or be uncomfortable because of how irritated your skin can become. You may even have severe pain if your external hemorrhoid forms a blood clot. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless but are much more prone to cause bleeding.

Hemorrhoid treatment options

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can treat your hemorrhoids at home, especially if your symptoms are mild. 

We recommend starting with topical creams, warm baths, ice packs, and over-the-counter pain medications to help with pain and swelling. Drinking plenty of fluids and taking fiber supplements may help with any constipation in addition to treating your hemorrhoids.

If at-home remedies aren’t enough to reduce your hemorrhoid symptoms or they keep recurring, you may need to see Dr. Kottapalli and our team for treatment. 

A common practice that we use for treating hemorrhoids is called hemorrhoid banding. During this procedure, we place a tight band around your hemorrhoid to cut off the circulation. This, in turn, causes the hemorrhoid to shrivel up and fall off.

To keep hemorrhoids from coming back, we suggest not straining too hard while using the bathroom, not sitting on the toilet for longer than necessary, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a moderate weight, and exercising regularly.

For more information on how to care for bleeding or painful hemorrhoids, contact our team with any questions you have. For expert hemorrhoid care, set up an appointment by giving us a call or scheduling online today.