Hemorrhoids treatment and prevention - Natural treatment for internal and external vein swelling by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Hemorrhoids are a very common problem caused by enlarged and swollen veins in the anus or rectum. They appear when blood vessels of the hemorrhoidal plexus, which is found in the lower rectum, become enlarged. The condition has become more widespread recently as people spend more time seated at work and generally follow a less active and healthy lifestyle. About 10 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids.

Cause of hemorrhoids
They are often caused by straining during bowel movements, especially with constipation. Pregnancy, lack of exercise, immobility, age, certain medical conditions, and medications are among other causes of constipation and hemorrhoids.

Natural treatment for hemorrhoids
You can reduce your chances by eating more fiber, drinking plenty of water, and exercise. If you are constipated, try prunes or drink prune juice. Consider the following natural supplements. Psyllium is a great fiber that can soften stools and ease symptoms of hemorrhoids, and is sold as a supplement. Another option is a natural supplement called Daflon which has a flavonoid called diosmin.

What do you recommend for internal and external hemorroids?
   Psyllium is a fiber that can be very helpful.

Hemorrhoid symptom
They typically cause pain, itching, and sometimes bleeding. External hemorrhoids often cause symptoms of pain and itching when irritated. Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless but can cause bleeding. Hemorrhoids can cause bright red rectal bleeding, but bleeding can be caused by other conditions, not just hemorrhoids. Colon and rectal cancer can also cause rectal bleeding.
   Other hemorrhoid symptoms include mucus drainage. A blood clot that forms within a hemorrhoid, called a thrombosed hemorrhoid. This can be very painful.

Traditional hemorrhoid treatment
Hemorrhoids can usually be treated with topical medications. In severe cases, such as those that bleed and protrude outside of the anus, hemorrhoid surgery is required.

Hemorrhoid surgery
While stapled hemorrhoidopexy may be less painful and easier to recover from than excisional surgery -- the "gold standard" treatment for severe hemorrhoids -- the newer operation carries higher long-term risks of hemorrhoid recurrence and prolapse. Proponents of staple hemorrhoidopexy argue it provides similar results to the open procedure with less pain, less disability and more rapid return to work. The decreased pain and disability may entail increased risk of recurrence. Stapled anopexy, which was introduced in 1998, involves reduction of the prolapsed anal cushion with a pulling-up effect and clipping of the arterial pedicle, which might better address the underlying mechanism of hemorrhoids than does simple removal.

As a treatment for symptomatic hemorrhoids, circular stapled anopexy is associated with less pain and has higher patient acceptability than does excisional hemorrhoidectomy, although the 1-year relapse rate is higher. Dr. M. Thaha, from the University of Dundee, UK, assessed postoperative pain, symptom control, complications, satisfaction, and retreatment rates in 182 patients with grade II to IV hemorrhoids who were randomized to undergo stapled anopexy or hemorrhoidectomy. Complication rates were comparable in each group. Fecal urgency was more common with stapled anopexy than with hemorrhoidectomy, although the difference was not statistically significant. Patient satisfaction at 6 and 12 weeks was higher with stapled anopexy, and more patients were willing to undergo this treatment again than hemorrhoidectomy. The 1-year retreatment rate for residual relapse was significantly lower with hemorrhoidectomy with only one patient in that group requiring retreatment compared to 8 patients in the stapled anopexy group. The results suggest that "patient preference may be biased towards stapled anopexy due to reduced pain," the authors state. "However, this has to be balanced against a higher long-term recurrence rate and the specific complications, especially fecal urgency and post-defecation pain, that are associated with stapled anopexy." Gut 2009;58:668-678.

Additional links
Cissus quadrangularis, a medicinal plant indigenous to Asia and Africa, is used for many ailments, especially for the treatment of hemorrhoids.

Questions
I have noticed that hemorroids tend to bleed after eating cocoa (and after drinking red wine) Is that a good thing ... or not? I read this on a web page, "Eating dark chocolate, or taking a cocoa supplement, which have plenty of flavonoids, improves healthy blood flow. Chocolate improves the function of blood vessels, allowing them to dilate, thereby preventing the formation of potentially damaging clots."
   Cacao, cocoa, red wine, have potential blood thinning potential. As to whether bleeding hemorroids is a good thing or not has to be evaluated on a case by case basis.

I'm contacting you because recently I've heard about a supplement called Hem-eez which claims to promote cardio-vascular health and help in the treatment of hemorrhoids. I've read some of the Hem-eez testimonials which are highly supportive, but I'd be interested in learning what you know about it, as well as any side effects that may be associated with it.
    I am not familiar with this product.