Over The Counter Hemorrhoid Treatments

For some people, visiting the doctor is the easiest way to get rid of hemorrhoids. They can give them an idea as to what the problem is, and then tell them how to solve it. But if you are only suffering from a mild form of this, sometimes seeing the doctor is not as necessary as it may seem. In fact, there are many over the counter hemorrhoid treatments that you can rely on to help you out.

If you are searching for over the counter hemorrhoid treatments the best place to go is your local drug store or grocery store. By doing this you should be able to find at least a couple of treatments that can work for you. The most common over the counter hemorrhoid treatments consist of creams that you can apply to the area. These will help to soothe and heal your hemorrhoids.

In addition to creams, there are also hemorrhoid pads that you can buy. These are similar to creams, but the pads are pre-moistened with medicine. This allows you to easy apply to the problem area without too much mess or stress.

Choosing the over the counter hemorrhoid treatment option that is best for you can be difficult. If you are having a hard time making a decision, be sure that you do not do anything that is detrimental to your health. If you have any questions or concerns the best thing to do is hold off and speak with a doctor. But if you are comfortable moving forward, be sure to follow the directions on the packaging. This will point you in the right direction.

Herbs For Hemorrhoids: Do They Help?

Many people overlook using herbs for hemorrhoids, but this has been proven effective time and time again. This best part about using herbs for hemorrhoids is that you usually never have to leave home in order to do this. So using these herbs is more or less a home remedy if you have the means necessary to find the herbs.

Listed below are a few herbs for hemorrhoids that are most common. Not all of them will work for you, but they are at least worth a try.

1. Birch sap is great for hemorrhoids because it works as an astringent as well as an antibacterial solution. It has been known to have great healing power on problem areas of the skin.

2. Calendula is excellent for skin care because of its cell rejuvenation and anti-inflammatory properties. By using calendula your hemorrhoids will heal faster and not become inflamed as much as you have come to expect.

3. Centella is known to increase circulation while also healing problem areas such as hemorrhoids. It is particularly useful on helping damaged areas of the skin and surrounding tissue.

4. Chickweed can help to soothe and heal hemorrhoids as well as many other skin conditions. In addition it also helps to prevent tissue degeneration.

Overall, herbs for hemorrhoids can be great treatment options. The four herbs listed above are great for this problem, and are worth a try if you are suffering. If you look around, you should be able to find an herb that works for you in no time.

Hemorrhoid Diet: What Is It

If you are suffering from hemorrhoids chances are that you are not eating right. Of course, this is not always the case but it is at least worth looking into. For some people a simple diet change is all that they need in order to get their hemorrhoids corrected, and their life back to normal.

When searching for a hemorrhoid diet you may want to consult with your doctor. This is not a necessity by any means, but they may be able to give you a better idea of what would work best for you.

To start, you will want to eat plenty of food that is high in fiber. Things such as green vegetables, apples, and whole grains are a great place to start; not to mention the fact that they taste great as well. The bottom line is that fiber is the best way to fight constipation that can lead to hemorrhoids.

In addition to what you eat, make sure that you also take the time to drink properly as well. Anything that is clear, such as water, will do your body good. Also remember to stay away from drinks with caffeine such as cola or coffee.

By going on a diet that is specifically tailored to fight hemorrhoids will allow you to stay pain free without much trouble at all. Many people feel that this is hard to do, but the fact of the matter is that you do not have to go crazy. Simply add some fiber to your diet and cut out the caffeine and you will be fine.

Hemorrhoid Grades: How Badly Does It Hurt

There are four different grades of hemorrhoids that you can get. This is nothing more than a classification system set up by doctors so that they can properly diagnose which stage your hemorrhoids are in. This in turn allows them to make a proper decision on which treatment method is best for your situation.

First degree hemorrhoids are often classified as bleeding hemorrhoids. If you notice blood during bowel movements chances are that you may be suffering from this stage of hemorrhoids.

Second degree hemorrhoids are ones that may or may not bleed. In addition, they also protrude from the anal canal, but will not stay inflamed and will disappear on their own.

Third degree hemorrhoids are similar to second degree, but they will not disappear on their own. They need to be manually pushed back into the anal canal by a doctor.

Fourth degree hemorrhoids are ones that protrude from the anal canal and will not disappear on their own. In addition, they cannot be pushed back in manually either. In this case the doctor must come up with the best treatment option which is sometimes surgery.

It is possible to take a guess at what degree of hemorrhoids you are suffering from. But when push comes to shove you are going to need to visit a doctor to find out exactly what is going on. They will be able to run tests that show what degree hemorrhoids you are suffering from, and from there they will be able to put together a treatment plan for you.

How Do You Get Hemorrhoids?

A lot of people don’t even know they have hemorrhoids. The rectum is not an area you can readily see. Some times you don’t know you have hemorrhoids until you see blood in the toilet water after a bowel movement, when you start to have pain or discomfort in the rectum, or when you feel extra tissue around the rectum.

So how do you develop hemorrhoids? For sure, constipation is not the only way you can get hemorrhoids. Here are some additional ways:

Alcoholism or drinking to many alcoholic drinks

Being pregnant and not eating enough fiber

Doing daily heavy lifting and holding your breath while you do it

Eating excessive processed foods, which are low in fiber and move slowly through your colon.

General body weakness, which will affect the colon function

Having a predisposition to constipation or inheriting a weakness in the colon and rectum area * Holding fecal matter too long in the rectum causing pressure to buildup in the rectum veins – postponing a bowel movement

Having a weak liver, which reduces the amount of bile released into the intestines. Bile helps to active peristaltic action.

Having inflammation in the rectum that causes you to have constipation

Irregular eating patterns

Lack of protein leading to weak tissues and slow healing of wounds

Not eating foods that keeps you constipation free such as fiber, vegetables, essential fatty acids, protein, water.

Not getting the right vitamins and minerals in your food.

Being overweight

Poor muscle tone in the anal area from lack of exercise

Pressure on rectum veins from cysts or tumor in the colon

Sitting in a chair at home, at work, in a car, or in a truck for long periods

Using laxatives to the point where your colon no longer works properly and you end up with constipation
As you can see there are many reasons that you can develop hemorrhoids. And most of them relate to the function of your colon. If you want hemorrhoid relief look at the list and see which condition or situation relates to you and try to make changes in these conditions. In addition to changes add new foods that will help your colon to work better.

Getting Help With Over The Counter Hemorrhoids Treatment?

There are a number of over the counter hemorrhoids treatment products available and proper advice from a doctor or pharmacist must be taken, when choosing which one is the most appropriate.

Before applying medication, the anal area needs to be gently washed by dabbing, (avoid wiping) with a moistened cleansing tissue. It’s advisable not to use colored or scented tissue.

Any of the over the counter hemorrhoids treatment which contains a vasoconstrictor must be avoided if you have any of the following conditions; hypertension, urinary difficulties, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or if you’ve been prescribed medication for depression. A vasoconstrictor may be in the form of phenylephrine HCI, ephedrine or epinephrine. Some people may be allergic or hypersensitive to products including local anesthetics. The ingredients may cause pain, irritation, swelling or redness. If this occurs, patients need to consult their doctor, or if protrusion, seeping or bleeding occurs.

Some products can be inserted intrarectally for the treatment of internal hemorrhoids, and some products can only be used externally. Astringents, vasoconstrictors and protectants are allowable for internal hemorrhoids.

Over the counter hemorrhoids treatment can be roughly divided into the following, and their major benefits being; astringents which decrease inflammation, give relief from burning and itching but not pain, protectants which decrease inflammation, vasoconstrictors which help to reduce irritation and itchiness, local anesthetics which help with pain, itching and burning, keratolytics which reduces itchiness and discomfort, antipruritics which act as counter irritants and hydrocortisone which helps with itching and swelling.

If you are unfortunate enough to be a sufferer, over the counter hemorrhoids treatment can at least bring relief fairly quickly, and lead to eliminating the problem.

Drugstore Hemorrhoid Medications

There are many drugstore and alternative Internet products for treating hemorrhoids. Most of the products are not made to cure or eliminate hemorrhoids but to give you temporary relief of itching, pain, swelling or bleeding. I don’t recommend using any type of product that is not natural or that comes from a drugstore.

If the product contains petrochemicals, additives, coloring, dyes, or other chemicals, which enhance its appearance and feel, I would not use them. Most, if not all, of these chemicals will be absorbed into your body where your organs of elimination will have to deal with eliminating them.

All products whether drugs, drugstore medications, or natural formulations use chemicals, substances, oils, and herbs that have the following properties:

Anesthetics – suppresses pain and gives relief…any name with the suffix “caine” like tetracaine

Analgesics – suppresses and give pain relief – some of them are Anacin, Tylenol with Codeine, OxyContin, Darvocet, Ultracet

Vasoconstrictors – helps to narrow or constrict hemorrhoidal veins…any name with the suffix “rine” like phenylephrine

Lubricants – provide lubrication in the colon to relieve constipation – mineral oil, flax seed oil, castor, oil olive oil

Astringents – help to tighten tissue, which have been pushed out by hemorrhoid action – zinc oxide, witch hazel, calamine

Keratolytics – help to remove excess hemorrhoidal tissue. They are compounds of sulfur and salicylic acid
Many of the drugstore medications have anesthetics. They can aggravate and irritate the hemorrhoids you’re trying to eliminate. If you are using one of these drugstore medications, consider using a more natural remedy.

In 1975 Carl I. Flath, wrote a book called The Miracle Nutrient – How Dietary Fiber Can Save Your Life. In his book he talks about the effectiveness of drugstore suppositories,

“Suppositories quickly work their way up in the rectum beyond the location of most internal hemorrhoids, and so are of limited value in reducing local pain. As antiseptics they are essentially worthless, since the surface areas they are supposed to protect are under constant exposure to new bacteria….

Anesthetic agents do offer temporary relief from local irritations and pain… Neither the suppositories nor the ointments, however, do anything whatever to correct the basic cause of hemorrhoids—constipation.”

How To Get Relief During The Fall Allergy Season

Not only do temperatures and weather conditions change as the fall season approaches, but those annoying allergies you get every year, around this time, are likely to hit again. But don’t worry just yet, there are ways to fight the annoyance so you can be as allergy-free as possible this fall.

Sometimes it is hard to distinguish whether the symptoms you are experiencing are due to a cold or allergies. The clear difference between the two is colds usually tend to be short-lived whereas allergies can run for weeks or even months. The most common allergy is pollen (also called hay fever), which causes symptoms to flare-up due to the pollen grains floating through the air. Allergies tend to occur when the seasons change and you may notice your allergies approaching at almost the exact same time every year.

There are many things you can do to help ensure you do not get allergies this fall season, and here are some of the most effective prevention tips:

• Close Your Windows – keep your windows closed in both your house and your car especially at night. This will prevent pollen and mold spores from entering your house and into the air you breathe.

• Stay Indoors – staying indoors (with your windows shut) is probably the best way to ensure you don’t get allergies this season. Most of the pollen is found outdoors, so eliminate this allergic element as much as possible.

• Use Your Air Conditioner – Turning on your air conditioner provides relief by cleaning, cooling and drying the air in your home. Dehumidifiers or air filters will also help in these situations.

• Use Air Ionizers& HEPA Filters – These products remove particulates from the air you breathe.

• Protect Yourself – If it is necessary for you to go outside to do yard work (or for other reasons), protect yourself by wearing a mask or a cover-up of some sort to keep you from breathing in the “contaminated air”.

• Take Showers and Baths – If you are outdoors for extended periods of time, take either a shower or a bath when you return home. Showers and baths will wash away some of the pollen that is left on your body. Changing your clothes when you come in from being outside is also a good idea.

If none of these things work for you and you find yourself suffering from allergy symptoms anyway, there are treatments which can help. Nasal Sprays, oral antihistamines and decongestants are all great for allergy relief. For itchy and watery eyes there are many forms of eye drops like Visine which you can purchase at any drugstore.

Immunotherapy (an allergy shot) is also a great way to help with your allergies this season. Check with your doctor before using any medications or treatments since some can potentially cause harmful side effects.

Asthma – Ouch, What A Pain in the Backside

Asthma (Az-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.

Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it harder to breathe.

Illustration showing anormal airway and an airway in a person with asthma.

Asthma attacks are not all the same—some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

So, if you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms and how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines to keep your asthma under control.

Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn what to do, staying away from things that bother your airways, taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring your asthma so that you can respond quickly to signs of an attack. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities.

If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing school.

Eight Tips That Will Help You Avoid Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are one of the most widespread complaints of mankind. Almost all men and women suffer from hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. They can take place at any age, but the possibility of getting hemorrhoids increases drastically after age thirty.

According to a study, 50% of people older than 50 have experienced hemorrhoids at least once in their lives.

You can avoid hemorrhoids by following the following eight tips. However, you should remember that there is no guarantee they won’t develop at some stage.

1. Increase the fiber in your diet. Great sources of fiber are grains, cereals, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Be careful; add fiber to your diet slowly.

2. Avoid straining when defecating. You should also avoid long sessions sitting on the toilet. Forget about reading on the toilet.

3. Drink lots of water to keep the bowels loose. Increased water consumption helps to bulk up and soften stools, making them easier to pass.

4. Avoid long sitting, get up and move regularly. If your work requires you to sit or stand for a prolonged period, take regular stretching breaks that change your position. When relaxing, lie on your side while watching television or reading.

5. Exercise every day. It can be as simple as a walk around the block. Exercise for about thirty minutes on a daily basis.

6. Avoid constipation and diarrhea. Increase water consumption, add fiber to your diet, eat regular meals, exercise daily, do not ignore the urge to go to the bathroom and reduce stress.

7. Avoid sudden heavy lifting. The sudden increase of pressure on the blood vessels can cause the veins in the rectal area to stretch and swell.

8. Keep the anal area clean. Try to remember that the goal is not to wipe the anal area clean but rather, to wash it clean.