A little-known fact about hemorrhoids is that we all have them, and they’re completely normal. In their healthy state, hemorrhoids are cushions of tissue filled with blood vessels between the rectum and anus. They help maintain control of your bowel movements and confine internal fluid in the sphincter.
Hemorrhoids become a problem when they swell and the tissue becomes inflamed. When this happens, they cause symptoms like itching, burning, prolapse, soiling and bleeding. This condition is known as piles or enlarged hemorrhoids.
Pain in the rectum or anus is often the first sign of external hemorrhoids. They can cause significant pain when the tissue is inflamed and swollen due to the number of nerves in the area. You may experience more intense pain during a bowel movement since the passing stool puts pressure on the hemorrhoids.
If you only experience pain during bowel movements, be sure to investigate other possible causes. The causes could be as minor as anal fissures or as serious as colon cancer.
We provide more enlightening information on the causes and solutions of hemorrhoid burning below.
Hemorrhoid burning results from mucus leakage. When that leakage contacts the nearby skin, it causes irritation and inflammation. As a result, you may feel burning sensations with that inflammation. These burning sensations are often most noticeable during bowel movements. However, they also occur at random.
Let’s cover the details of what causes hemorrhoid burning by looking at the differences between internal and external hemorrhoids.
Internal hemorrhoids reside within the rectum. Since the rectum has no pain receptors in that area, internal hemorrhoids do not cause pain and burning on their own. However, internal hemorrhoids can prevent the anal canal from closing which causes anal discharge that can irratate the surrounding skin, resulting in a burning sensation.
In contrast, external hemorrhoids are covered in skin, which contains a host of pain receptors. These hemorrhoids do not usually cause burning sensations. They often cause constant and severe tenderness near the bluish lump. Other symptoms include cracked and itchy skin and uncomfortable pressure during bowel movements.
In summary, hemorrhoid burning is a sign of mucus leakage from an enlarged internal hemorrhoid.
If you are still with us, you likely want to know what you can do to relieve hemorrhoid burning. Fortunately, you have several options at your disposal. These options range from temporary home remedies to semipermanent medical solutions. We’ll start with the temporary remedies you can do at home to relieve hemorrhoid burning.
A sitz bath is a natural therapy used to relax the muscles around the anus, perineum and rectum. Doctors recommend sitz baths for relieving pain associated with anal fissures, episiotomy or vaginal birth recovery and hemorrhoids. A sitz bath involves simple steps:
You can also purchase a sitz bath kit at your local pharmacy. Sitz bath kits consist of a bowl that sits on top of your toilet seat with a cut to allow excess water to drain back into the toilet. The process is the same — only you will be sitting on the toilet instead of the bathtub.
Topical hemorrhoid creams are a common remedy for hemorrhoid burning. Products such as Preparation H or Tucks temporarily reduce inflammation and discomfort by numbing the affected area. Most hemorrhoid creams are over-the-counter so you do not need to see a doctor for them.
You can also use a natural option like coconut oil or aloe vera, as both products soothe the skin and reduce inflammation.
Although it is not a hemorrhoid cream, Vicks Vapor Rub can also reduce hemorrhoid symptoms like swelling, itching and pain for several hours at a time.
Fiber naturally softens your stool and increases its bulk. As such, a high-fiber diet can help with burning hemorrhoids by minimizing the friction between the stool and hemorrhoids. In this way, the mucus membrane will be less likely to leak fluid.
Home remedies are a great short-term solution to hemorrhoid burning. Home remedies work best as complementary solutions to medical treatments for hemorrhoids. Even though burning sensations are not a direct result of hemorrhoid tissue, the most effective treatments for hemorrhoid burning still focus on reducing the hemorrhoid.
Hemorrhoid treatment options vary according to hemorrhoid size and severity, which are measured in four grades:
Here are some effective solutions for hemorrhoid burning.
Hemorrhoid banding is one of the most effective treatment options for internal hemorrhoids. It can be used to treatGrade I, II and III hemorrhoids, and even Grade IV, in some cases. Hemorrhoid banding reduces hemorrhoids with rubber bands that cut off blood flow to the enlarged hemorrhoid. A doctor uses a small suction device to place the rubber band around the base of the internal hemorrhoid. The rubber band remains in place for a few days until the tissue falls off and exits your body through a bowel movement.
Modern suction banding with The CRH O’Regan System is our preferred method, as it is quick, painless and does not involve any metal clamps. Few patients experience pain with The CRH O’Regan hemorrhoid banding system.
This method uses a small plunger device called a ligator that resembles a syringe in size and appearance.The device uses suction to gently pull in the hemorrhoidal tissue and releases a rubber band around the tissue once it enters the device. This process takes approximately 60 seconds to complete, requires no fasting or preparation and causes no pain. Many patients experience satisfactory results after one session.
Hemorrhoid Ligation banding has been around since the 1950s. Today, several types exist, including traditional banding, endoscopic banding and modern suction banding with The CRH O’Regan System. Traditional banding involves metal forceps to clamp the hemorrhoid and insert the band. Twenty-five percent to 50% of patients experience pain during traditional banding.
With endoscopic banding, doctors use an endoscope — a thin flexible tube — to insert the clamping forceps and rubber bands. This type of banding is more expensive and requires fasting, bowel preparation and sedation. Patients often experience some degree of pain with endoscopic banding.
Coagulation is a minimally invasive treatment for Grade I and II hemorrhoids involving laser or infrared light. A hemorrhoid doctor exposes the hemorrhoid to infrared light using a small light device. The infrared light heats and cuts off blood flow to the excess tissue. The tissue dies off and the internal hemorrhoid shrinks to its normal size.
Coagulation is quick and relatively painless but may require several sessions to be effective.
Like coagulation, sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment suited to grade I and II hemorrhoids. Its primary use is for varicose veins but it is also effective on small internal hemorrhoids. With sclerotherapy, a doctor injects a chemical irritant into the hemorrhoid, damaging its blood vessels. This irritant damages its blood vessels, cuts off blood supply and shrinks the hemorrhoid.
Sclerotherapy may cause some slight discomfort but is generally painless and quick. It also requires several sessions to successfully reduce the hemorrhoid.
If you want to treat your piles to find long-term relief, hemorrhoid banding could be the right option for you. This system allows for a more comfortable, painless procedure and can help you get the results you desire. You don’t need to fast or otherwise prep for your procedure, and there is no recovery time when you’re done. You can quickly get back to daily life and enjoy relief from pain, swelling and other symptoms of hemorrhoids. We recommend the CRH O’Regan System- to find a CRH O’Regan physician in your area, visit the CRH O’Regan clinic finder today.
Learn more about hemorrhoid treatments and get the information you need today.
