Hemorrhoids are both painful and embarrassing and make life miserable for up to 40 percent of the population at some point in their lives.
While many go from treatment to treatment trying to find something that will relieve the discomfort associated with hemorrhoids, often the result is periods of intermission with no no term cure.
There are three options to consider when treating hemorrhoids and they should be considered in this order.
Unfortunately, most people skip the first choice completely, when in fact this is the easiest way to make a difference immediately and in the privacy of your own home.
Option 1: the natural home cure for hemorrhoids There are many simple steps that should be used to improve your condition before turning to a medical solution.
This range from using alternate hot and cold, hot salt water baths, aloe creams, witch hazel and vitamin E.
In a huge number of cases, there will be some immediate benefits and will stop hemorrhoids from dominating your life.
Option 2: using an over the counter cream.
Although most people immediately head for this choice, it is not really the starting place.
These treatments tend to vary in their effectiveness from person to person, and often contain strong active ingredients that can have some side-effects.
If you find something that works, however, it might be worth keeping as part of your range of treatments.
Option 3: surgery.
This is sometimes necessary after exhausting other avenues.
Once more, it is important to go through steps one and two before investigating the possibility of surgery.
In what case should you consider this? If there is any doubt that the problem really is hemorrhoids, you should obviously immediately seek medical advice.
Blood in the stools is a symptom of hemorrhoids but also of several other rather more serious conditions.
External hemorrhoids will be visible with the use of a mirror and are often associated with a characteristic itching sensation.