When a person suffers from chronic constipation, chances are hemorrhoids may develop on their anus or in their rectum. Hemorrhoids or piles, are bumps caused by inflamed veins or tears in the anal or rectal lining. These bumps can form internally, externally, or both and may not be painful.

Untreated hemorrhoids can cause constant discomfort, persistent itching, and unbearable pain. They can affect our lives by making daily activities such as walking, sitting, and sleeping uncomfortable.

The good news is that taking some necessary precautions while suffering from hemorrhoids can help manage the discomfort and promote healing. With nearly half the American population above 50 can experience hemorrhoids, experts have come up with a beneficial precautionary regime for treating and coping with hemorrhoids.

These precautions include care measures regarding a person’s diet, physical movement, sleeping style, and attire.
Keep reading to learn about the five precautions one needs to take when suffering from hemorrhoids.

Refrain from Certain Food Choices

Our bodies’ health is heavily dependent on our dietary choices. The wrong foods can cause hemorrhoids to form and trigger a hemorrhoid flare-up.

Fast foods like burgers or pizzas contain high sodium levels, and refined grains can set off your hemorrhoids. They cause stool to harden and cause gas. As a result, this puts more pressure on a person’s rectum and hemorrhoids, which sometimes causes bleeding.

Moreover, a diet with high dairy content, such as cheese, ice creams, etc., is discouraged. These, too, can cause gas and harden stool.

Carbonated and caffeinated drinks like colas and coffee cause the gut and the stools to be dehydrated. Consequently, natural lubrication of our inner gut lining is reduced, making the passing of stools difficult.

Hence, avoiding these foods is critical to preventing constipation and discomfort while suffering from hemorrhoids.

Adopt a More Natural Diet

A diet containing leafy green vegetables, tube vegetables, and fresh fruits helps people control and manage hemorrhoid flare-ups. This diet includes natural food like apples, raspberries, celery, calcium, spinach, kale, potatoes, ginger, etc.

Moreover, adopting a diet containing whole grains, legumes and pulses can also control constipation, preventing further damage to hemorrhoids. Foods such as brown rice, quinoa, chickpeas, corn, etc. are great for people dealing with recurring hemorrhoid flare-ups.

Such foods help bulk up and soften the stool while lubricating the inner walls of the gut. As a result, the stools pass more comfortably, and the hemorrhoids are not damaged or set off.

Keep Your Movements Controlled and Careful

Since hemorrhoids exist between a person’s buttocks, keeping them unaffected during their daily activities becomes very challenging. Just walking and sitting in a certain way can worsen the hemorrhoids. Hence, people suffering from hemorrhoids must develop controlled and careful methods to carry out their daily activities.

• Sitting on toilet seats for too long puts pressure on the rectum and can affect hemorrhoids. To properly position the rectum and anal opening for stool expulsion, place a footstool in front of the toilet and use it to squat on it. This position aids smooth stool expulsion and protects hemorrhoids from getting damaged.
• Rest as much as you can. Moving too much can cause sweating and friction, both of which are bad for your hemorrhoids. Moreover, resting promotes healing.
• Restrict strenuous workouts and excessive physical movements. Exercises that include lifting heavy waits can put pressure on the rectum and cause more hemorrhoids to form. Furthermore, excessive physical movement can cause friction and sweating. Due to the heat and friction, chances of a hemorrhoid wound reopening increase. The moisture from sweating can trap germs and cause dangerous hemorrhoid infections.
• Maintain your hygiene and use water to clean yourself after using the bathroom. Moreover, also pay yourself dry with a gentle towel or cloth to keep the area dry.
• Invest in a hemorrhoid cushion, and place it on your seat before sitting. The donut-shaped cushion ensures your buttocks stay apart, and the body’s weight does not put pressure on the hemorrhoids.
• Since resting is crucial, knowing how to rest is also very important. Sleeping on your back can put prolonged pressure on hemorrhoids. Hence, try to sleep on your stomach or your side.
  When sleeping on your side, place a cushion between your legs for more comfort and better hemorrhoid protection.

Refrain from Hard and Rough Clothes

Wearing rough or worn-out clothes can cause friction and injure your hemorrhoid wound. The precautionary tip is to wear loose-fitting clothes that ensure minimum contact and friction with the hemorrhoids.

Moreover, wear light cotton underwear. Cotton is a breathable fabric that allows the anus and hemorrhoids to remain aerated and dry. Wearing underwear will also ensure the fabric of your trousers or the surface of your seat does not come in contact with the hemorrhoids.

Furthermore, avoid using rough toilet paper for cleaning yourself after using the bathroom. The toilet paper can harm hemorrhoids and can also cause an infection.

Do Not Delay Treatment

Treating hemorrhoids can take from a few days to even many weeks. Incorporating doctor-advised medication and natural home remedies into your routine can help manage and treat hemorrhoids.

• Using ointment or healing creams containing hydrocortisone can help reduce hemorrhoid inflammation and provide pain relief.
• Soaking the bottom in warm, clean water or diluted witch hazel solution may help soften up the hemorrhoids around the anus. Doing so allows easy and painless expulsion of the stools and promotes hemorrhoid healing.
• Use natural lubricants such as coconut oil to lubricate the inner lining of the gut. You can use a coconut oil suppository or directly inject it into the rectum. Doing so provides coverage and protection to hemorrhoids from getting damaged or infected. Moreover, coconut oil helps promote healing.
• Applying aloe vera gel can reduce itchiness and also promote healing.

Final Thoughts

Having hemorrhoids can affect a person’s daily life and mental health. Since hemorrhoids develop between the buttocks, any wrong movement or activity can easily set them off.

Hence, incorporating the necessary precautionary measures into our lives can help control hemorrhoid flare-ups and speed up recovery.

For more information regarding hemorrhoid relief and recovery, click here.