External Hemorrhoids
External hemorrhoids are a relatively common, and often misunderstood, health problem in modern industrialized countries.
They rate as the most painful hemorrhoids owing to their location.
While less common than internal hemorrhoids, they often have a much bigger impact on day to day life.
They start from essentially the same causes and are eventually cured in the same way as internal hemorrhoids, but symptom relief is usually vastly different.
In some ways it's easier, in some it's harder.
Internal hemorrhoids don't hurt nearly so much, but most of the medications out on the market were created specifically for external hemorrhoids.
External hemorrhoids start on the outside of the anus from U-shaped veins.
These veins drain blood from the hemorrhoidal cushions further up within the anorectal canal before pushing the blood back towards the heart.
The cushions in question are designed to expand and contract by way of variable blood supply in order to protect the end of the intestinal system from damage.
This means that sudden large volumes of blood can be forced down into the external veins by muscular or gravitational pressure from further up.
In other words, constipation, diarrhea, and sitting too long on the toilet are all common reasons for external hemorrhoids to start.
Once they start, external hemorrhoids aren't always easy to get rid of.
They also tend to be excruciatingly painful because they're on the outside of the body.
Intestinal tissue isn't very sensitive, which is why internal hemorrhoids aren't very painful, but there's a dense band of nerve tissue right where intestine turns into external skin.
External hemorrhoids start up right on that nerve band, which is why they hurt so out of proportion to their size.
A change in lifestyle habits is the only treatment that will work to cure external hemorrhoids and keep them away for good.
The average human adult requires 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber per day in order to keep everything working properly.
That's in addition to approximately 64 ounces of water and a brisk five minute walk every two hours or so.
In addition, other longer acting medications may be required in order to get a pesky current case to completely resolve.
While waiting for the permanent treatment to work, though, there are a number of things that can help relieve the painful symptoms.
Over the counter ibuprofen, along with a sitz-bath as hot as you can stand sitting in for twenty minutes, often represents the first line of defense.
Ice packs wrapped in a towel, doughnut shaped cushions, and a small footstool to put your feet up on while sitting on the toilet are also good aids.
External hemorrhoids are no fun no matter how many tricks you've got up your sleeve to deal with them.
However, with enough tricks, you can both live through the ones you've currently got and make sure they don't come back.
They rate as the most painful hemorrhoids owing to their location.
While less common than internal hemorrhoids, they often have a much bigger impact on day to day life.
They start from essentially the same causes and are eventually cured in the same way as internal hemorrhoids, but symptom relief is usually vastly different.
In some ways it's easier, in some it's harder.
Internal hemorrhoids don't hurt nearly so much, but most of the medications out on the market were created specifically for external hemorrhoids.
External hemorrhoids start on the outside of the anus from U-shaped veins.
These veins drain blood from the hemorrhoidal cushions further up within the anorectal canal before pushing the blood back towards the heart.
The cushions in question are designed to expand and contract by way of variable blood supply in order to protect the end of the intestinal system from damage.
This means that sudden large volumes of blood can be forced down into the external veins by muscular or gravitational pressure from further up.
In other words, constipation, diarrhea, and sitting too long on the toilet are all common reasons for external hemorrhoids to start.
Once they start, external hemorrhoids aren't always easy to get rid of.
They also tend to be excruciatingly painful because they're on the outside of the body.
Intestinal tissue isn't very sensitive, which is why internal hemorrhoids aren't very painful, but there's a dense band of nerve tissue right where intestine turns into external skin.
External hemorrhoids start up right on that nerve band, which is why they hurt so out of proportion to their size.
A change in lifestyle habits is the only treatment that will work to cure external hemorrhoids and keep them away for good.
The average human adult requires 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber per day in order to keep everything working properly.
That's in addition to approximately 64 ounces of water and a brisk five minute walk every two hours or so.
In addition, other longer acting medications may be required in order to get a pesky current case to completely resolve.
While waiting for the permanent treatment to work, though, there are a number of things that can help relieve the painful symptoms.
Over the counter ibuprofen, along with a sitz-bath as hot as you can stand sitting in for twenty minutes, often represents the first line of defense.
Ice packs wrapped in a towel, doughnut shaped cushions, and a small footstool to put your feet up on while sitting on the toilet are also good aids.
External hemorrhoids are no fun no matter how many tricks you've got up your sleeve to deal with them.
However, with enough tricks, you can both live through the ones you've currently got and make sure they don't come back.