Bowel Habits
This page has two sections. The first relates to bowel habits that are good for preventing hemorrhoids and the second to bowel habits that are good for treating hemorrhoids.
WARNING THIS PAGE CONTAINS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS!
PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Prevention of hemorrhoids
The main cause of hemorrhoids aside from pregnancy and childbirth is straining during a bowel movement. As noted on the Prevention page, avoiding constipation helps a lot. Here are some other strategies for reducing the amount of straining:
Treatment of hemorrhoids
The method described in this section does not actually "treat" hemorrhoids in the sense of getting rid of them (surgical treatment is probably the only way to do that anyway), but it is more than just symptom relief, in that it should last until the next bowel movement. This method only applies to prolapsed internal hemorrhoids.
There are a wide variety of shapes and sizes when it comes to external hemorrhoids. If your hemorrhoids or small, round, firm, and painful, your only recourse may be symptomatic relief (e.g., creams) as described on the Treatment page. If they are are flexible (floppy?) you may be able to put them back where they belong (known as "manual reduction").
In order to do this you have to get over any squeamish fears you have about touching your anus or sticking your finger in your rectum. Unless your hemorrhoids are excruciatingly painful, you shouldn't worry about safety: you will be doing what proctologists do all the time.
Here are some tips:
There, that wasn't so hard was it? If you have struggled with hemorrhoids for a long time, you will be amazed at the improvement in your quality of life. For me, I went from dreading each trip to the bathroom, knowing I would have pain, bleeding, and oozing for hours or days and would have to curtail my activities, to living a normal life (except, of course, for those few minutes in the bathroom).
WARNING THIS PAGE CONTAINS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS!
PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Prevention of hemorrhoids
The main cause of hemorrhoids aside from pregnancy and childbirth is straining during a bowel movement. As noted on the Prevention page, avoiding constipation helps a lot. Here are some other strategies for reducing the amount of straining:
- Don't wait: Go to the bathroom when you first have a strong urge. No doubt there will be times when the bathroom is not available or when you are traveling or when you are too busy, but always do what you can to go when as soon after that first urge as possible. If you wait too long, the stools tend to start backing up and dry out, which leads to constipation. By the same token, don't go before you have a strong urge (who does that anyway?), which just requires more straining.
- One and done: Often times when you have a bowel movement, a certain quantity of stool will come out right away, but you will still have a vague urge to push out more. If at all possible, supress that urge and wait until later when the urge is stronger. This may increase the number of trips you have to make to the bathroom, but it will keep you from straining to try to get the next "load" out. The practice will also endear you to your family members and co-workers who are waiting for the bathroom.
- Make it quick (No camping!): Sometimes we (introverts in particular) retreat to the bathroom just to get away from it all or to have time to read a book. As valuable as that time is or as good as that book is, sitting on the toilet for long periods of time makes you more inclined to strain, even if you don't have the urge. If you want, do your business, put the toilet seat down and sit there and read or meditate; no one will be the wiser (and I certainly won't tell). Or, negotiate with your significant other some alone time; tell him or her that it is for "hemorrhoid prevention". They probably won't object.
Treatment of hemorrhoids
The method described in this section does not actually "treat" hemorrhoids in the sense of getting rid of them (surgical treatment is probably the only way to do that anyway), but it is more than just symptom relief, in that it should last until the next bowel movement. This method only applies to prolapsed internal hemorrhoids.
There are a wide variety of shapes and sizes when it comes to external hemorrhoids. If your hemorrhoids or small, round, firm, and painful, your only recourse may be symptomatic relief (e.g., creams) as described on the Treatment page. If they are are flexible (floppy?) you may be able to put them back where they belong (known as "manual reduction").
In order to do this you have to get over any squeamish fears you have about touching your anus or sticking your finger in your rectum. Unless your hemorrhoids are excruciatingly painful, you shouldn't worry about safety: you will be doing what proctologists do all the time.
Here are some tips:
- Do as much wiping as you can before you start. This will reduce the amount of cleanup required later.
- Make sure either your hemorrhoids or your fingers are well lubricated. Keep some cream handy for this purpose (ideally one of the creams described on the Treatment page).
- Gently massage the hemorrhoids with one or two fingers and push them back into your anus. Your middle finger probably will work best (because it is longer), the sexual connotations notwithstanding. Add your index finger if necessary. Depending on the extent of the hemorrhoids, you may find that when you push one in another pops out, like when you're trying to pack too many clothes in a small suitcase. In that case, just keep trying; in most cases each push will have a small effect and eventually you'll get them all back in.
- While you are pushing, occasionally squeeze your anal sphincter to see if the hemorrhoids are far enough in that you can use the anal sphincter to get them the rest of the way. If they are not far enough in, squeezing will make them fall out again. Eventually, however, you will get them far enough in that squeezing will help. In any case, once they are all in, squeeze for a few seconds just to make sure everything is back to normal.
- If you are having trouble, stand up and lean forward at the waist while pushing. This position provides less resistance. Men will recognize this position from their last prostate exam. Ladies, if you need to, find a man you trust and ask him about it. Even if it brings back painful memories, he will appreciate giving you the opportunity to sympathize with him.
- When you are done, finish wiping and wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Avoid touching sink fixtures with your dirty hand. Keep your fingernails trimmed so that you don't have to worry about feces getting under your fingernails.
There, that wasn't so hard was it? If you have struggled with hemorrhoids for a long time, you will be amazed at the improvement in your quality of life. For me, I went from dreading each trip to the bathroom, knowing I would have pain, bleeding, and oozing for hours or days and would have to curtail my activities, to living a normal life (except, of course, for those few minutes in the bathroom).