Hemorrhoids are a common complaint with pregnant women; this is because of a few different factors. Not only does the developing fetus put a lot of strain on the anal canal, but a vaginal birth also places a lot of stress on the anal veins. Plus, a lot of pregnant women experience stomach problems as a result of pregnancy such as constipation; this may lead to straining during bowel movements which is a leading cause of hemorrhoids. But constipation and pregnancy aren’t the only factor leading to hemorrhoids; other common factors include obesity, anal sex, aging, and genetics.
The embarrassing symptoms usually associated with hemorrhoids are anal bleeding, swelling, burning and itching, these symptoms can make simple activities like sitting, exercising and using the bathroom very painful. The only way to get a 100% correct diagnosis of hemorrhoids is with a doctor’s exam. Usually your doctor will need to do a colonoscopy to make sure your symptoms aren’t related to something like colon cancer or polyps that may potentially lead to cancer.
Some simple hemorrhoid treatment that your doctor may recommend include diet, lifestyle changes, medication, or surgery. Without a doubt, for minor hemorrhoids, diet is the easiest change that can yield excellent results. Obviously you want to avoid further irritating the impacted area by not scratching. It may also be a good idea for women to change from thong style underwear to a more comfortable cotton style of brief. In addition, switching to a scentless, dye free toilet paper may also help. Simple things like ice packs or sitz baths may also provide some temporary hemroid relief.
If none of these options work, you may need to discuss prescription strength medications or surgery with your doctor. Prescription medications are generally versions of the over the counter medications only with a stronger dose of active ingredients, they come in cream versions for external hemorrhoids or suppositories for internal hemorrhoids. If none of these solutions works, surgery may be the only remaining option. Most people won’t ever need surgery, but if you do there are many excellent procedures such as the rubber band ligation or Doppler guided hemorrhoidal ligation that can yield excellent results.
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