Hemorrhoids Home Remedies and OTC Treatments

Only a small percentage of people need surgical varicose vein treatment in Brooklyn for hemorrhoids. But it’s recommended that you consult a vein doctor before trying any home remedies. At Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center, licensed physicians tell you how severe your problem really is. They provide you with effective options to relieve your discomfort and speed your healing. Sometimes, home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) forms of treatment are appropriate. And your vascular specialist in Brooklyn, NY has non-surgical options to remove or kill the hemorrhoidal tissue. Make your appointment soon, because without proper care and treatment, your hemorrhoids can get much worse.

Do I Need a Vein Doctor in Brooklyn or Can I Treat Hemorrhoids at Home?

Whenever you have a condition causing you pain or discomfort, it’s always best to get a firm diagnosis from a specialist before beginning at-home treatments. If you don’t diagnose yourself correctly, you may end up with even more serious side effects. The good news is that hemorrhoids may go away on their own in a few weeks and if your hemorrhoids are mild, there are some things you can do at home that may relieve the discomfort.

Since both hemorrhoids and varicose veins are types of swollen veins, you have an expert varicose vein doctor in Brooklyn who can assess the severity of hemorrhoids and other vein conditions. In fact, Dr. George Bolotin is a renowned interventional radiologist with extensive experience treating vein problems at Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center, a vein center in Brooklyn known for its exceptional service.

What Are Signs of Hemorrhoids and Natural Ways to Relieve My Symptoms?

Hemorrhoids can be itchy or painful. They may also cause rectal bleeding. Also called piles, hemorrhoids are swollen and distended veins in your anus or lower rectum. They don’t always require medical treatment.

Once your vascular specialist in Brooklyn, NY has given you the go-ahead to try some over-the-counter (OTC) products, you’ll find a variety of home remedies on the market that use a natural approach, such as:

• Warm baths. Sitting in a tub with three or four inches of water that’s warm but not hot can relieve irritation and itching. Adding Epsom salts may reduce swelling. Another option is to use a sitz bath, which fits over the toilet. Soak two or three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Ice packs. Using ice packs or cold compresses may reduce swelling.
• Aloe vera. This plant has an anti-inflammatory effect and may relieve swelling and burning.
• Coconut oil. Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Try adding some to your bath or incorporating it in your diet by adding it to popcorn or spreading it on toast.

Avoid wearing tight clothing and don’t use perfumed toilet tissue, detergent or fabric softener. Breathable cotton underwear keeps skin dry and comfortable more effectively than other fabrics. Don’t stand or sit for extended periods of time.

What OTC Treatments Relieve the Pain of Hemorrhoids?

Simple home remedies aren’t always enough to relieve itching or pain triggered by hemorrhoids. But there are some over-the-counter treatments that you can try to see if they help, including:
Pain medication. Over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can reduce pain but shouldn’t be used when hemorrhoids are bleeding.

Topical medication. Hemorrhoid creams and ointments or topical medications that contain hydrocortisone or zinc oxide may relieve irritation and discomfort. Creams that contain an anti-inflammatory combined with lidocaine can provide some relief from pain.

Witch hazel. Dabbing witch hazel on a cotton ball and applying it to an external hemorrhoid may provide some relief from inflammation and irritation until you see your doctor again for a more permanent solution.

Dry toilet paper can make hemorrhoids even more uncomfortable. Use wet wipes that don’t contain alcohol. When you need to have a bowel movement, don’t wait too long. Avoid straining to have a bowel movement or sitting on the toilet for more than a few minutes.

Can I Prevent Hemorrhoids?

There are some lifestyle changes you can make that help hemorrhoids heal more quickly after you’ve had them removed at the Brooklyn vein center.

Those same steps can be used to prevent hemorrhoids in the future, and include:

• Drinking plenty of water. Not drinking enough water contributes to constipation and increasing your fluid intake softens hard stools, making them easier to pass so you don’t have to strain.
• Increasing your fiber intake. Include foods that are high in fiber in your diet such as whole grains and fresh foods and vegetables. Taking a daily fiber supplement is another way to soften stool and increase bulk.
• Exercising regularly. Habitual exercise improves your digestive health.

Making healthy lifestyle choices lowers your risk of hemorrhoids, but hemorrhoids can’t always be prevented. Women often get hemorrhoids during pregnancy because of the strain of carrying a baby. Hemorrhoids are common in people over the age of 50 because of anal tissue weakening with age.

When Do I Need to Revisit My Vascular Specialist in Brooklyn?

If your hemorrhoids persist after trying the home remedies and OTC treatments that your doctor recommended, see your vein doctor for a follow-up consultation.

Consult your doctor especially if you’ve developed symptoms that include:

• Symptoms getting worse, not better
• Bloody stools or rectal bleeding
• Bleeding is increasing or is accompanied by dizziness
• Symptoms have lasted for more than a week and home remedies aren’t helping

Rectal bleeding isn’t always caused by hemorrhoids so don’t hesitate to see a doctor if you have rectal bleeding, especially if bleeding is accompanied by changes in the color or consistency of your stool.

For more serious symptoms, hemorrhoids can be treated at a vein clinic in Brooklyn using minimally invasive procedures such as:

• Rubber band ligation in which tiny rubber bands are used to cut off blood flow to hemorrhoids, which causes them to fall off in about a week
• Hemorrhoid embolization, a specialty of Dr. Bolotin who uses a thin catheter to place coils that block blood flow to the bumps
• Sclerotherapy, which is an injection into hemorrhoidal tissue to cause it to shrink
• Infrared coagulation, in which heat is transmitted into the rectum to clot vessels that supply blood to the hemorrhoid, triggering it to fall off in a few days

Visit your vein specialist in Brooklyn when symptoms interfere with your daily life. For an accurate diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhoids, as well as other vein conditions at your Brooklyn vein center, contact Astra Vein & Fibroid Treatment Center as soon as possible.