How to treat hemorrhoids at each stage

Treatment has two goals: to relieve symptoms and to stop the hemorrhoids from growing. Without soft, regular bowel movements they enlarge again, so changes in diet and habits are needed at any stage. The proctologist chooses the rest of the treatment after an exam, once it is clear how large the hemorrhoids are, whether they come out and whether there are complications.

What helps in the early stages

In stages one and two, hemorrhoids either stay inside or go back in on their own. At this point, the doctor usually advises you to:

• eat more fiber: vegetables, fruit, porridge, bran and beans;
• drink enough water to keep stools soft;
• avoid straining and spend no more than a few minutes on the toilet;
• rinse with cool water after a bowel movement;
• move more and take breaks from sitting at work.

The doctor may add medicines: topical suppositories or ointments, products that reduce swelling and inflammation, or medicines that soften stools. Warm sitz baths are sometimes recommended. The doctor decides after an exam which product suits you, how long to use it and at what dose.

Why ointments without an exam can hide the problem

An ointment or suppository from the pharmacy often relieves itching and pain within a few days. You feel better, and the visit to the doctor gets put off. Meanwhile, the hemorrhoids may keep growing until the disease reaches a stage where only procedures help.

The other risk is that anal fissures, polyps, inflammatory bowel disease and tumors also cause bleeding and discomfort. While the ointment masks the symptoms, time for diagnosis is lost. Some topical products contain steroids. Do not use them for longer than the leaflet allows without a doctor’s supervision, because they thin the skin.

Which procedures and operations a proctologist may suggest

If bleeding and discomfort keep coming back despite diet and medicines, or hemorrhoids come out, proctologists use minimally invasive methods:

• rubber band ligation: a small band is placed at the base of the hemorrhoid, which cuts off its blood supply, and it falls off a few days later;
• sclerotherapy: a solution is injected into the hemorrhoid to shrink it;
• coagulation: the hemorrhoid is sealed with infrared light, a laser or radio waves.

These procedures are usually outpatient, and you go home the same day. Sometimes several sessions are needed. Before any procedure, the proctologist makes sure the bleeding has no other cause and, depending on your age and symptoms, may order a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

Surgery is offered at later stages, when the hemorrhoids stay outside, are very large or other methods have not helped. Recovery takes longer than after minimally invasive procedures. A blood clot in an external hemorrhoid is treated separately: depending on how much time has passed, this means medicines and monitoring or a small procedure to remove the clot.

Viva Clinic prefers minimally invasive treatment methods. The proctologist decides what suits you after the examination.

When to see a doctor the same day

Do not wait for a routine appointment if:

• you suddenly have severe pain and a firm, painful lump near the anus;
• a hemorrhoid has come out, cannot be pushed back and hurts more and more;
• you have a fever or chills and the pain around the anus is getting worse.

Call an ambulance on 103 if the bleeding does not stop or is heavy (the toilet water turns red or there are large clots), or if you feel weak, dizzy or look pale while bleeding.

How to prepare for a proctology appointment

The day before, avoid heavy food, foods that cause bloating, and alcohol. Your bowels need to be empty before the exam. When you book, the administrator will tell you whether you need an enema or a mini-enema and when to use it.

Think ahead about when your symptoms started, how often you see blood and what products you have already tried. Bring the results of any previous tests. If you take blood thinners regularly, tell the doctor, because they affect the choice of procedure.

At Viva Clinic, hemorrhoid treatment, including minimally invasive methods, is carried out by a proctologist. A proctology consultation takes place at 27a Sobornosti St or 3 Danyla Halytskoho St, and the exact address is confirmed when you book. You can book by phone or on Viber. If you would feel more comfortable with a male or female doctor, tell the administrator: you can choose your doctor for a paid appointment. Anoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy and ultrasound are done at the clinic, and lab tests at the Diagnost-Lab laboratory at 32 Sobornosti St. If you are not yet sure that your symptoms come from hemorrhoids, read about the early signs of hemorrhoids.