Hemorrhoid Treatment Options: What’s Best for Me?

Mar 24

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If you’ve ever dealt with hemorrhoids, you’ll know that they are the embodiment of the phrase “pain in the rear.” The stinging, itching pain just doesn’t go away, no matter what you try, and bowel movements? Forget it. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few common questions about hemorrhoids: what is the fastest way to heal a hemorrhoid, do hemorrhoids go away on their own, and how long should it take for a hemorrhoid to go away?

Do Hemorrhoids Go Away on Their Own?

You probably be relieved to hear that most hemorrhoids do go away on their own. However, you should still pay attention to them (it’s pretty hard not to) and make sure that progress is being made. Next, let’s take a look at how long it should take:

How Long Should It Take for a Hemorrhoid to Go Away?

Most mild hemorrhoids resolve in a week or less. If your hemorrhoid worsens or does not improve at all within this time, it may be a sign that you’ll need help from a doctor. Keep in mind that, if you develop any serious symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, or acute pain that induces vomiting, you should always go directly to the emergency room.

Hemorrhoid Treatment Options:

Lifestyle Options

The only thing you can really do at home is wait. Lifestyle options involve treating your symptoms as best you can – all while keeping the area clean and dry. Avoiding infection is your top concern, and reducing inflammation will help keep your pain under control.

Once your current hemorrhoids have resolved, it’s important to avoid getting hemorrhoids in the future. This will include adding more fiber to your diet, drinking more water, and avoiding straining on the throne.

“Banding”

Pain Level: Minimal

Also known as rubber band ligation, banding is a procedure that involves “tying” off the base of the hemorrhoid (which is basically just an inflamed blood vessel) and waiting for it to die off. This is an effective, mostly painless way to resolve hemorrhoids that aren’t responding to at-home treatment and time.

Hemorrhoidectomy

Pain Level: Moderate

If you’ve tried everything to prevent your hemorrhoids but they just keep coming back, it might be time to consider a more permanent solution. A hemorrhoidectomy can actually prevent hemorrhoids from recurring, all while solving your current hemorrhoid woes. Recovery from this procedure is a bit longer, but the long-term gains are well worth the recovery period.

Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization

Pain Level: Minimal

This method is similar to a hemorrhoidectomy, but it’s minimally invasive and takes far less time. THD identifies the blood vessels within the anal wall that are causing the issue. From there, surgeons use doppler technology to access the artery directly, minimizing cutting and speeding up the procedure tenfold.

What Is the Fastest Way to Heal a Hemorrhoid?

Technically speaking, THD would be the fastest way to heal a hemorrhoid; however, most doctors don’t jump right into recommending that. If you don’t deal with hemorrhoids that often, your best bet is to treat the current iteration at home and focus on prevention techniques. For people with intense, recurring hemorrhoids, hemorrhoidectomy is still the best option.

Here at Suncoast Surgical, we know that dealing with painful, obnoxious hemorrhoids is a pain in the rear. Get in touch with our team of hemorrhoid experts over at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay today!

Contact Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay

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