Hemorrhoids
Gastroenterology in Irvine, Santa Ana and Anaheim, CA
Hemorrhoids are common and can be extremely painful. But you can treat them successfully with the modern, noninvasive techniques available at Gastrointestinal & Liver Consultants in Santa Ana, Irvine, and Anaheim, California. The highly experienced doctors offer treatments like sclerotherapy and coagulation to rid you of troublesome hemorrhoids with minimal fuss. Call Gastrointestinal & Liver Consultants today or book an appointment online to benefit from expert hemorrhoid treatment.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins protruding from your anus or in the anal canal. They’re often very uncomfortable, causing pain, itching, bleeding, and burning sensations. Most people seeing blood in the toilet bowl or toilet paper after wiping have hemorrhoids.
External hemorrhoids on the anus are usually more painful because the anus has more nerve endings than the anal canal. External hemorrhoids sometimes develop blood clots, forming hard, painful lumps.
Internal hemorrhoids in the anal canal might not cause this problem. But if you have constipation (hard, dry stools), they can sometimes rupture and bleed. Internal hemorrhoids can also drop down from the anal canal, a potentially severe problem affecting blood circulation.
Most hemorrhoids develop when people strain too hard during bowel movements. Other things that increase your risk of hemorrhoids include:
If you frequently suffer from constipation, hemorrhoids are more likely to develop.
Constipation is most often caused by a lack of dietary fiber, not drinking enough water, and a lack of exercise. You can usually resolve constipation by eating fiber-rich foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and drinking water frequently.
Hemorrhoids can heal without treatment if you address their causes soon enough. But they weaken the anal veins, so they’re likely to return if you don’t maintain the actions needed to prevent them.
You can ease the itching and pain hemorrhoids cause using medicated creams, pads, and suppositories (pills you insert in your rectum). If your hemorrhoids are severe or won’t clear up with these treatments, Gastrointestinal & Liver Consultants offers effective ways to remove or destroy them, including:
This treatment involves wrapping a rubber band around the hemorrhoid. This cuts off its blood supply, and after a few days, it should drop off.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting an irritant (sclerosant) into the hemorrhoid. The sclerosant collapses the damaged vein, forcing blood along a different path. The treated vein fades away, and your body absorbs the remains.
Coagulation works similarly to sclerotherapy, blocking the vein and destroying it.
This procedure involves cutting into and draining the hemorrhoid.
With these treatments, most patients avoid the need for surgery.
Call Gastrointestinal & Liver Consultants today or book an appointment online to find an effective solution to your troublesome hemorrhoids.