How Can I Treat Internal Hemorrhoids?

If you relief from internal hemorrhoids, it’s important to understand why they develop, plus how they can be prevented or treated. Here's what you need to know.

Internal hemorrhoids

These are invisible, swollen vessels that lie inside your rectum. While you you can’t usually feel the vessels, you can feel their effects, including:  

• Bleed when passing a bowel movement. You may notice bright red blood on your toilet paper, but are unlikely to feel pain related to the bleeding.
  
• Prolapsing. An internal hemorrhoid may push through your anal opening, causing pain and irritation.

Root causes

Internal hemorrhoids tend to form when you put too much pressure on the veins around your anus, resulting in stretching and swelling. That pressure could result from:

• Straining to pass bowel movements.
• Sitting for too long, especially on the toilet.
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation.
• Obesity.
• Pregnancy
• Anal intercourse.
• Eating a low-fiber diet.
• Frequent heavy lifting.

Preventing internal hemorrhoids

Instead of helping you get rid of internal hemorrhoids, we'd love to prevent them from forming. And we can help do that by making it easy for you to pass bowel movements. And, to improve digestion and elimination, that end, we recommend eating high-fiber foods such as whole-grains, fruits and vegetables.  Try to drink between six and eight glasses of liquid each day (more if you exercise) and, if your diet alone isn’t enough to pass stool with ease, you may need to include a fiber supplement in your diet.

Now, when you do need to pass your bowels, try not to strain or push. Also, get regular exercise, since movement can help avoid other risk factors for internal hemorrhoids, while encouraging you to drink additional fluids.

Treating Internal Hemorrhoids with HAE in Texas

When diet and lifestyle measures fail to prevent internal hemorrhoids, and you’re not ready, willing or able to undergo surgical treatment, hemorrhoid artery embolization is a great way to get rid of your problem! Ideal for patients with grade 1 to 3 internal hemorrhoids, this minimally invasive treatment option is performed as an out-patient procedure without general anesthesia or an overnight hospital stay. Click here to request an appointmentClick here to request an appointmentClick here to request an appointment with the Texas Hemorrhoid Institute.