Currently, there are numerous hemorrhoid therapies that are available to make this condition much less of a problem. Hemorrhoids can usually be treated or removed with great success. If you are suffering from hemorrhoids, contact your doctor to see which of these hemorrhoid therapies may be right for you.

Some of the most common hemorrhoid therapies are non-invasive and do not require surgery. These treatments are very effective, so surgical therapy is very infrequently required. Hemorrhoids are quite common and can occur for many different reasons. In some cases, they may be the result of chronic constipation, straining when moving one’s bowels, or because of increased pressure in the abdomen. For example, pregnant women commonly get hemorrhoids since the enlarged uterus is causing pressure on the large veins in the abdomen, which can cause the veins in the anus and rectum to enlarge. This can be made worse by the fact that, while pregnant, one’s colon does not work as efficiently, causing constipation and requiring the patient to strain more when moving her bowels. Of course, there are other causes as well, some of which are not very well understood.

If topical creams and other conservative measures are not sufficient to rid the patient of their hemorrhoidal symptoms, there are several relatively non-invasive measures available to treat these patients. An example of this is Rubber Band Ligation. Banding involves placing a small rubber band around the tissue creating the hemorrhoid, causing the tissue to shrink and actually fall off. This technique can be used in the vast majority of cases, and it is very successful (as high as 99%), as well as being virtually pain-free.

Infrared Coagulation (IRC) is another technique, which uses infrared light to coagulate and shrink the hemorrhoidal tissue. This technique is appropriate for patients with smaller hemorrhoids, is also an office-based procedure, and is accompanied by minimal discomfort and few potential complications.

In the most severe cases, more invasive treatments may be necessary. These surgeries involve the actual removal of the problem, using a number of techniques. In some cases, a Harmonic Scalpel (ultrasonic sound waves), a laser, or a stapling device is used in order to surgically remove the problem. These all are done in an operating room, and have some associated pain and post-operative disability, so they should be reserved for only the most severe cases.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you receive a regular colon cancer screening, or colonoscopy. This test is recommended for adults over the age of 50, or for those that may have a family history of the disease. The process is quite painless and is very effective at detecting colon cancer while it is still in its early stages, or even capable of preventing the development of the disease. Every year, thousands of lives are saved thanks to colon cancer screenings.

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