Ideally, you should avoid getting hemorrhoids. If you’re already a sufferer, there are a few things you can do at home to make them better. Sometimes, taking care of the root cause tends to slowly make the hemorrhoids shrink and go away. However, once you have the tendency to develop hemorrhoids, it is better to be aware and take the necessary precautions to ensure it does not recur.

Both internal and external hemorrhoids respond to home treatments. Do remember to make sure that while you resort to these, also take into account that if you suffer from constipation, you need to address that issue as well. Increase the fiber content in your diet and remember to drink your 8 glasses of water a day. Go for a long walk everyday and make sure your diet includes vegetables, especially a lot of greens and fruits – remember, whole fruits, not just the juice. Do not lift heavy things as this just worsens the condition.

Relief comes with a warm hip bath, recommended often if the discomfort is a lot. Known as the sitz bath, it involves sitting in warm water to get your bowels moving. This is also soothing after you’ve had a bowel movement and the area is painful. After your bowel movement is done, do not wipe too hard as this might bring on the bleeding or increase it. Preferably, wash with water and gently dab with tissue. If you do not use water, wet some tissue with a gentle liquid cleanser and wipe or better still, use baby wipes. Don’t use harsh cleansers or soaps.

If the itching and pain are bad, use ice to cool and contract the swelling. Sit in your warm hip bath for around 15 minutes each time and apply napkins soaked in hot water to the area if that gives you relief. Take a non-prescription pain reliever to tide you through the day rather than suffer in silence (not aspirin or NSAIDs as they make the bleeding worse). Apply a hemorrhoid cream to the affected area. Your pharmacist should be able to recommend a non-prescription one. Wear cotton underclothes which are comfortable, not tight, and try and lie down often if you can. Being on your feet for a long time can aggravate the condition. It helps to sleep on your stomach, elevating your rear with the help of a pillow placed under your abdomen. If you are pregnant, do take the pressure off your feet and lie on your side. The one comforting thought is that once the baby comes, most often, hemorrhoids shrink back to their normal size. So it is only a temporary phase when it occurs during pregnancy.

Sometimes, hemorrhoids need to be treated at the doctor’s clinic in order to bring relief. Nonsurgical procedures involve rubber band ligation where they are literally tied off with rubber bands, injection sclerotherapy where chemicals are injected right into the hemorrhoids, coagulation therapy, where the tissue surrounding them is scarred and hemorrhoidectomy where they are surgically removed. What treatment you resort to will depend on the severity of your problem.