Shrink Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids develop when veins in the anal area become swollen and distended. Internal hemorrhoids are typically painless, even when they bleed, but external hemorrhoids are typically painful and itchy. Thankfully, there are many ways you can shrink your hemorrhoids starting right now. See Step 1 to learn how.

Steps

Shrinking Them Quickly

  1. Apply witch hazel extract. This natural plant extract has astringent properties that help to shrink hemorrhoids and relieve itching. Bottles of witch hazel extract are available at most drugstores. You can also find topical creams containing witch hazel.
    • Soak a cotton pad in witch hazel and apply it to the hemorrhoids after having a bowel movement.
    • When you feel the hemorrhoids itching, apply more witch hazel as needed.
  2. Try using over-the-counter ointment. Suppositories or creams containing hydrocortisone will reduce inflammation and help relieve the pain.[1]
    • The medicines in these creams and ointments can cause skin damage over time, so don't use them for longer than suggested on the packaging.
  3. Try an ice pack. Place small ice pack against the anal area for a few minutes. This causes the veins to constrict, thus reducing pain and swelling. Apply ice for no longer than 20 minutes at a time.
  4. Take a sitz bath. A sitz bath is a warm water bath for the buttocks and hips. Place enough warm water in a big tub (that can fit over a toilet seat) or sit in a regular bathtub with a few inches of warm water. Experts recommend a 20-minute sitz bath after each bowel movement and two or three times a day. [2] This can relieve itching, irritation, and spasms of the sphincter muscle.
    • Take care to gently pat the anal area dry afterward. Do not rub or wipe hard as this may cause bleeding and irritation.[2]

Changing Your Habits

  1. Don't strain on the toilet. Try to avoid straining on the toilet. Straining to have a bowel movement is the leading cause of hemorrhoids. Don't go unless you have to, and don't sit on toilet longer than 5 minutes.
    • Straining is also called the Valsalva maneuver. During the strain, peripheral venous pressures become increased, causing the dilated veins to become more painful. [3]
    • Try placing a cushion on the toilet (available at drugstores). Sitting on a cushion rather than a hard surface helps reduce the swelling of existing hemorrhoids and prevents the formation of new ones.
  2. Prevent constipation. Constipation makes it more likely for straining to occur, making it tough to shrink hemorrhoids. To prevent constipation, drink plenty of water and maximize fiber intake to keep things regular.
    • A high fiber diet along with adequate water intake helps soften stools and makes them easier to pass thus reducing pain on hemorrhoids.
    • High-fiber foods include broccoli, beans, wheat and oat bran, whole-grain foods, and fresh fruit.
    • Fiber supplements can also help. According to Harvard health you may start slowly, and gradually increase your intake to 25–30 grams of fiber per day. [2]
    • Use a stool softener if other methods don't help your constipation.
  3. Try unverified natural remedies. Certain herbs and supplements have been said to help shrink hemorrhoids and prevent them from returning. There's no scientific evidence that they work, but many individuals have found relief using these remedies:
    • Take triphala capsules, available at health food stores. They contain herbs that help with bowel health.
    • Use horse chestnut and butcher's broom. These substances are used in herbal hemorrhoid creams, and you can also take them in the form of tea.
    • Use aloe. Eat a teaspoon of aloe after meals, and rub aloe on your hemorrhoids for a cooling effect.

Getting Medical Help

  1. Discuss non-surgical treatment options with your doctor. Hemorrhoids that won't go away after you've tried at-home treatments can be removed using a variety of treatment methods. Discuss the following options with your doctor and decide which one is right for your situation:
    • Rubber band ligation. A band is placed around the hemorrhoid to cut off the supply of blood, causing it to eventually fall off.[4]
    • Injection sclerotherapy. A fluid is injected into the hemorrhoidal tissue, causing it to shrink.
    • Infrared photocoagulation. A probe is used to irradiate the hemorrhoids that don't respond to other treatments.
  2. Consider having a hemorrhoidectomy. This is the surgical removal of the hemorrhoids and surrounding blood vessels that could lead to recurrence. Recovery time after surgery normally takes just a few days.

Warnings

  • See the doctor for the following.
    • External hemorrhoids.
    • Excessive bleeding.
    • Colon cancer family history.
    • Change in bowel habits.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Hemorrhoids_and_what_to_do_about_them.htm They are available over-the-counter. Hemorrhoid ointments like Preparation H contain phenylephrine, which is a vasoconstrictor that constricts your anal blood vessels. Read the instructions on the package and follow them closely to shrink hemorrhoids.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Hemorrhoids_and_what_to_do_about_them.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6565684
  4. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemorrhoids/basics/treatment/con-20029852

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