Hemorrhoids, the painful swelling of veins in or around the anus, are a common and often embarrassing medical issue. They can cause discomfort, itching, and bleeding during bowel movements. With such unpleasant symptoms, many sufferers wonder if hemorrhoids will disappear on their own without intervention.
Spoiler alert: Unfortunately not always - but fear not! There are plenty of ways to find relief from hemorrhoid discomfort. So let's dive right into it!
The Cold Hard Truth About Hemorrhoids
First things first - what exactly are hemorrhoids? They're actually just swollen blood vessels located near the opening of your rectum or inside your anal canal. That may sound like no big deal until they become inflamed and start causing pain.
There are two types of hemorrhoids:
- Internal: located inside the rectum where you won't be able to see them
- External: under the skin around your anus which could make even sitting down uncomfortable
While some people experience only minor symptoms with their hemorrhoids (if any), others have much more severe flare-ups that require medical attention.
No matter how debilitating your case is there's never been a better time in history for getting treatment for this pesky problem! Especially since we now know that leaving those sensitive little guys unchecked might do more harm than good...
Why 'Wait-and-See' Might Not Be Your Best Option
It’s important to keep an eye on changes in our bodies – especially regarding our most delicate areas – so why shouldn’t we ignore our large intestine when something unusual starts happening?
If you’re experiencing mild internal or external hemorrhoid symptoms (ahem, seeing spots when wiping…), try some natural remedies and lifestyle adjustments before resorting to surgery:
- Wait patiently for them vanish
- Apply FDA-approved topical creams
- Soak your bum in warm water or chamomile solution
- Avoid sitting on hard surfaces for too long
- Consider taking painkillers
While these remedies can sometimes do the trick, there’s no guarantee that they’ll work indefinitely. Frustratingly enough, some hemorrhoids will actually become more stubborn over time and potentially develop into a more severe case.
Even though often dismissed as just a passing annoyance, untreated hemorrhoids can end up seriously impacting your quality of (daily) life. Here are just a few examples:
- Taking quick bathroom breaks is no longer an option when it hurts so much to poop
- Pursuing our careers could require medically-approved therapeutic cushions which raises eyebrows during meetings...
- Even sneezes and coughs could make us double-over in unbearable discomfort
For most people these daily irritations may not seem like such a big deal but imagine dealing with them throughout the day: every bowel movement feels stressful / Every relief break requires bringing along special seating… Getting off on the wrong side of bed would be an understatement!
When Is It Time To See A Doctor?
Sometimes self-treatment isn’t going to cut it - if you’ve already tried all other options without significant improvement then it's likely time to seek medical help For example:
You should see a doctor immediately if any of the following occur
- Frequent bleeding from your backside especially if accompanied by lightheadedness
- Severe pain lasting way-too-long after those visits ‘down there’
- Symptoms returns even worse than before after home treatment(s)
- Irregular growth around/inside anus area
The good news? All these symptoms are pretty treatable! Just pop by at any hospital clinic near you for expert advice.
How Do Doctors Treat Hemorrhoids?
After assessing each case individually, doctors can suggest a variety of treatments, depending on the severity of your condition. These include:
- Rubber band ligation placing an elastic band around hemorrhoid(s) to stop blood flow and eventually makes it fall off
- Sclerotherapy using injections to shrink bleeding external ones
- Surgery called a “hemorrhoidectomy” (don't worry we won’t go into too much detail on this one…)
Once again, with smaller less severe cases of hemorrhoids sometimes going through natural remedies are typically enough for relief.
At the end of the day, the answer to whether or not "will my hemorrhoids ever disappear" is - it depends (sigh). Mild or acute hemorrhoids often can vanish naturally after minimal adjustment in lifestyle while more severe cases could always require necessary medical attention.
Just remember: there's no need to be embarrassed about getting help with anything related to your health down there! Especially something as common as pesky little but mighty Hemorrhoids which have been making their impact since Babylonian times… Yep! Even back then people were seeking out specialists who knew how tackle these silent pains. So don't suffer in silence and let yourself experience what peace feels like when you finally kiss goodbye those stubborn veins Goodbye!