Hemorrhoids are a common issue many people deal with at least once. With processed and unhealthy food items conveniently available everywhere, people with poor diets suffer from chronic constipation, resulting in hemorrhoid formation.
While some hemorrhoids remain unnoticed and disappear on their own, most are persistent and unbearable. The pain they cause affects sleep, mobility, and mental health. These hemorrhoids can be treated with drug store medications, natural supplements, and home remedies. In severe cases, when a hemorrhoid is too painful and badly infected, surgery becomes the only treatment option.
Specific factors increase their susceptibility to developing hemorrhoids in their life. These characteristics may include a person’s genetic makeup, body size, age, and even gender.
Hemorrhoids do not directly affect one gender more than the other; however, women commonly suffer from hemorrhoids, especially during pregnancy andafter childbirth.
Continue reading below to learn how pregnancy and giving birth can lead to hemorrhoid formation and how to treat these hemorrhoids.
How Does Pregnancy and Giving Birth Cause Hemorrhoid Formation?
Women experience hemorrhoids in the final trimester of their pregnancy and one to two months after giving birth. According to a study, 43% of women out of a group of 280 experienced postpartum hemorrhoids.
When someone becomes pregnant, their lower abdomen grows in size and weight. Due to this, more pressure is exerted on the ’intestines, rectum, and anus.
This increase in pressure can cause stools to accumulate and the ’gut’s blood vessels to break and get inflamed. When blood vessels get inflamed, they form hard hemorrhoid bumps in the rectal canal or the anus, or sometimes even both.
The continued weight and pressure mean that hemorrhoids will persist and may burst and bleed.
Once a woman tries to push the baby out during the delivery process, pressure on the rectal canal and anus increases significantly. This added pressure leads to blood vessels breaking and causes hemorrhoids to form.
Best Treatment for Hemorrhoids After Giving Birth
Giving birth already comes with many complications and a tiring routine. Hemorrhoids will add to the stress and discomfort.
The reassuring thing is that postpartum hemorrhoids can be shrunk and ultimately treated with medications and natural home remedies.
Hydrocortisone Ointment
Drug store medications can allow quick and effective hemorrhoid treatment. Medicinal creams or ointments containing hydrocortisone can reduce hemorrhoid inflammation and shrink their size. The anus can easily expel the stiff or hard stools if a person has smaller hemorrhoid bumps.
Moreover, these ointments help provide relief from itching and pain. Itching hemorrhoid can scratch its surface and cause it to get infected. A severe hemorrhoid infection can also become deadly.
Hydrocortisone suppositories can be inserted into the rectal canal to treat and cure internal hemorrhoids.
Although effective, the use of hydrocortisone medicines if often discouraged for more than two weeks usage. If a woman’s hemorrhoids are still not cured, she should discontinue this medicine and consult her doctor.
Increased Fiber Intake
Lack of fiber is the leading cause of hemorrhoids. When a person eats foods with less fiber, they get constipated. Chronic constipation after giving birth can either cause hemorrhoids to form or worsen the existing hemorrhoid bumps.
Shifting to a more natural and high fiber diet can help a new mother treat and prevent future hemorrhoids.
She should avoid frequent consumption of processed or deep-fried foods with no fiber and are packed with excessive oils and sodium. These foods can cause the stools to become dry and hard.
Instead, eating whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, and pulses can provide the body with sufficient insoluble and soluble fiber. As a result, healthy stools could pass through a well-lubricated rectal canal, and hemorrhoids could eventually be treated.
Increased Water Consumption
Water intake is critical for healthy bodily functions. When a person’s body lacks sufficient water, their stools become dry and hard. Moreover, the necessary lubricant lining of the gut tract becomes thinner. As a result, hemorrhoids form and existing ones worsen.
If the new mother is lactating, she needs eight to ten glasses of water to improve her digestive system.
Eating vegetables like celery or cucumbers can also help increase water intake.
Soaking in Warm Water
When a new mother has hemorrhoids around their anus and rectus, the skin of the anus might become hard and rough. In order to reduce the inflammation and get some relief from the itching and pain, a woman should prepare a tub with clean fresh warm water. If easily available, you should also add some Epsom salt into the water. This salt would make the water solution great for disinfection and pain relief.
The woman should soak her bottom in the water bath at least three to five times a day, for ten to fifteen minutes. Doing so would soften the hemorrhoids and allow pain-free expulsion of the stools.
Cold Compress
Applying ice or a cold compress to hemorrhoids can instantly shrink its size and numb the area. The numbing effect would help reduce pain and itchiness.
Moreover, the cold compress would attract warm blood to rush to the affected area. Fresh blood would help speed up tissue repair and healing.
The woman should repeat pressing the cold compress to her hemorrhoids at least three to five times every day, for ten to fifteen minutes each time.
Doing so also helps repair and clot any open hemorrhoid wounds, which would help protect the body against deadly infections.
Airy Cotton Clothing
Cotton is a soft, airy fabric that allows the hemorrhoids to remain dry. Moisture can trap germs and cause infection hence keeping the hemorrhoids dry is critical.
Moreover, the soft touch of the fabric does not create a lot of friction and minimizes chances of damage to hemorrhoids due to friction.
Enjoy Motherhood!
Becoming a mother could be a beautiful and rewarding experience; however, the presence of hemorrhoids could keep you from enjoying this time.
Eating the right food, drinking enough water and trying home remedies can cure hemorrhoids and prevent future ones from forming.
For more information and guidance regarding healing and treating your hemorrhoids, click here.
