Hemorrhoids are one of the most common ailments known to man. The majority of the worlds population will suffer from hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. By the time a person is fifty they will have a sixty five percent chance of developing some form of hemorrhoids. The older we are,  the more likely the chance of  getting  hemorrhoids.

Who gets hemorrhoids ?

Pregnant women are prone to getting hemorrhoids because of the added pressure of the developing baby and hormonal changes in their bodies. The stress of childbirth contributes to hemorrhoids forming, but usually in this case,  hemorrhoids will clear up after the postpartum period. Truck drivers also seem prone to getting hemorrhoids because of the long periods of time they have to sit while driving. Children and teenagers get hemorrhoids more today than ever because of poor eating habits (fast food) and a lack of exercise.

Millions of people get hemorrhoids and suffer silently instead of taking the necessary steps to see a doctor because they feel embarrassed. For whatever reason our society has conditioned most of us to feel this way, which is unfortunate.

Napoleon Bonaparte had hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are really “varicose veins” in the rectum and anus. Hemorrhoids have probably been around in human beings since we started walking on two legs, because four-legged creatures don’t seem to get them. With walking in the upright position, our species added more pressure to the pelvic area. This additional stress on veins causes them to enlarge and with bowel movements passing through the rectum, the conditions are ripe for the delicate tissue of the veins to be scraped and begin to bleed. If the condition worsens, the veins can protrude from the rectum and add untold misery to your life. Almost everyone has internal hemorrhoids, but they don’t cause major problems in some people. They remain blissfully unaware of having them. But many people at sometime in their life will develop a problem with hemorrhoids that will require some for of treatment. Fifty percent of the population over the age of  sixty are dealing with troublesome hemorrhoids. But it is not just a condition that affects older people; anyone can develop hemorrhoids at any time in their life. Even in the early stages, hemorrhoids can be irritating and can sharply curtail your lifestyle.

If you suffer from hemorrhoids, you are in the company of some famous people. Napoleon Bonaparte was said to have had hemorrhoids, and some historians have actually debated whether he lost the Battle of Waterloo because he was unable to sit on his horse during the battle to lead his army.In 1978, President Jimmy Carter had to leave a party at the White House because of hemorrhoidal pain. The pain was so severe that he was incapacitated and could no longer perform his duties. He had surgery soon afterward, and returned to the Oval Office. George Brett, a third baseman for the Kansas City Royals, missed part of the World Series in 1980 because of hemorrhoids. Minor surgery was performed, so he could return quickly to the game the next day.

Jimmy Carter, hemorrhoid sufferer

To further investigate how and where hemorrhoids form, let’s examine the human body’s internal plumbing. The anal canal is about two inches long and is never cleaned out like every other opening in our bodies; e.g., the mouth, nose and ears. The waste matter passing through the anal canal leaves a lot of residue, which putrefies and causes burning, terrible itching, bleeding, etc. Hard stool can cause swelling, fissures and other injuries to the soft lining of the anal canal and irritate the hemorrhoidal veins which protrude into the canal.Veins in the rectum pull blood away from the tissue to send back to the heart, and they expand (dilate) during defecation when the area swells to force out the stool. When a person is constipated, they often strain at passing a bowel movement.This constant straining can interfere with the normal functioning of the veins. The veins can become permanently swollen, causing pain, itching and bleeding. The swollen blood vessels or capillaries can rupture, causing bleeding. This is a problem with pregnant women, because, during pregnancy, the developing fetus puts pressure on the veins of the lower abdomen. Inside the anus are many blood vessels that act like inflatable cushions, forming a tight seal that helps prevent stool, gas, and mucus from leaking from your rectum. If one or more of these vessels becomes inflamed or drops out of its normal position on the rectal wall it becomes a hemorrhoid.

There are two types of hemorrhoids, internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids remain in the rectum while external hemorrhoids can prolapse or originate outside the anus. Prolapse is the term used for hemorrhoids that start internally but descend outside of the anus. The external or prolapsed are considered the more painful variety of hemorrhoids.

The two most effective ways of relieving the pain of hemorrhoids, which give prompt relief and have gratifying results, are the most simple. They are the use of the elevated-pelvis position and the ordinary hot sitz-bath. If you have a comfortable position to start with, there is usually a better outcome in reducing the pain when dealing with hemorrhoids and other rectal diseases.

In the ordinary prone position, the distribution of weight of the organs and the pelvis and abdomen is distributed over the pelvic floor, thereby exerting pressure upon the acutely-inflamed part. If you are lying in bed in the ordinary position with a pillow at your head, you are, theoretically, lying level. Yet, because of the sagging of the bed, you are in a position where your rectal region is still considerably lower than the rest of your body. This adds to or causes an inflamed condition at the anal canal which  increases the  pain, and creates a sense of “bearing down,” contributing to spasms of the anus or bladder.

If you try the following simple position, you can eliminate much of the discomfort. Remove your head pillow and insert a pillow under your hips and two pillows under your legs. With your body distributed at these levels, you may lie flat on your back, on your abdomen, or else turn gently from your back to either side. A rubber air-ring, semi-inflated, may be placed under your hips for more comfort. Now, it is obvious that the rectal area is no longer in a position to be congested by gravity, nor can your body exert an unwelcome pressure upon the tender area. Furthermore, flatus (gas) escapes with ease. The total result is that you are more comfortable, far more than you might expect to be. On the physical side, the hemorrhoids should heal more rapidly.

The next most useful method in treating hemorrhoids consists of various hydrotherapeutic (using water for medical treatment) measures. Using the hot sitz-bath is the most satisfactory. This is simply a hot bath of water at a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, in which you can sit immersed up to your hips in hot water. The therapeutic factor in this treatment exists in the heat and not in the water. The heat tends to relax the spastic sphincter muscle and induce a peripheral distribution of the blood volume which relieves pelvic congestion. Cold fountain baths are recommended also. These consist of a procedure which allows a stream of cold water to strike the anal region, or enter the lower rectum, and is reputed to have a tonic effect upon the muscles of the rectum.

Suppositories in one form or another have been suggested for the relief or cure of hemorrhoids. There are no medical findings that suppositories ever cured even a single case of hemorrhoids. And in fact, they can cause more harm than good and are completely ineffective in healing hemorrhoids. The best benefit is to use an antiseptic cream and our comfrey ointment is an excellent choice because of its natural healing properties.