During pregnancy, the body goes through major changes. A more uncomfortable possible side effect that around half of women experience is enlarged hemorrhoids. STYLEBOOK knows what helps once morest suffering.
Burning and itching in the anus – complaints that are typically caused by enlarged hemorrhoids. Pregnancy is considered a risk factor. Read with us what causes the disease and what helps.
What are hemorrhoids?
Everyone has hemorrhoids. And that’s just as well. They sit as slightly raised vascular cushions near the anus. The tissue is normally well supplied with blood and (unnoticed) fulfills an important purpose: together with the sphincter muscle, it has the task of sealing the exit of the rectum.
Hemorrhoids only cause symptoms when the arterial vessels in the tissue have expanded. They then become larger and have knots. A hemorrhoidal disease therefore correctly means “enlarged” hemorrhoids. Colloquially, however, this addition is usually omitted.
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Symptoms of enlarged hemorrhoids
At first, enlarged hemorrhoids usually go unnoticed. Over time, however, they can start to itch, burn and sometimes ooze. It is not uncommon for those affected to describe a feeling of strangeness or pressure in the anus area.
The blood-filled nodules can also burst open. Bright red traces of blood on the stool can therefore indicate hemorrhoids.
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Possible causes of hemorrhoidal disease
Hemorrhoids are often an issue during pregnancy, but by no means only. Men suffer from it too. Various possible causes can promote the development of hemorrhoids or aggravate existing ones.
Constipation and frequent diarrhea
Habits related to bowel movements are usually behind it. In particular, firm pressing and squeezing on the toilet should be able to promote vasodilatation. This is why people with chronic constipation are often affected. A low-fiber diet is therefore also considered a common risk factor.
At the same time, frequent diarrhea can also be problematic. In those affected, the closure system of sphincter and hemorrhoidal cushion is often not sufficiently trained.
overweight
As already explained, the hemorrhoidal cushions should be well supplied with blood. Factors that can decrease blood flow (thereby increasing the likelihood of symptomatic hemorrhoids) include: B. a corresponding previous load, increased sedentary activities and above all overweight.
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Hemorrhoids in pregnancy
During pregnancy, some of the risk factors mentioned for hemorrhoids come together. As the baby grows in the womb, there is pressure throughout the abdomen. The child and the uterus press on the vessels – including in the anal area. This can affect blood flow. Finally, the pressing contractions during childbirth also mean further stress for this area.
In addition, the pregnancy hormones ensure that the pelvic floor and connective tissue become soft. This should help later in the birth process. At the same time, the elasticity of the hemorrhoidal cushion suffers as a result.
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Severity of symptomatic hemorrhoids
In the case of first-degree hemorrhoids, the enlarged hemorrhoids cannot yet be felt. You would have to have an anal canal scan to see them. At this stage, hemorrhoids should cause very mild symptoms at best.
Tissue congestion occurs when you strain (e.g. when you have a bowel movement) and retract by itself. This no longer happens with a third-degree disease, the protruding tissue now has to be pushed back by hand.
In this advanced stage, the bulges are permanently visible and palpable. With increasing severity, anal prolapse can also occur, i.e. a prolapse of the anal mucosa. In this case, you should contact your family doctor or a proctologist directly. Otherwise, if you have hemorrhoids, your dermatologist is the right person to talk to.
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Treatment of hemorrhoids
Conventional Measures
In the early stages, hemorrhoids are relatively easy to treat with topical preparations. Pharmacies have numbing ointments, zinc pastes and anti-inflammatory hip baths for this purpose. When drying yourself (also following going to the toilet), make sure not to rub too hard so as not to irritate the affected skin.
If the symptoms are severe, medication may be necessary. For example, cortisone can be applied externally as a cream, but also by suppository.
The next step would be tying off hemorrhoids: a rubber band ligation. The protruding vessels would be tied off with small rubber bands to die off over time and fall off painlessly. A similar treatment would be cauterization. Here, the doctor would inject an appropriate substance into the affected tissue using a syringe.
Operation
In hemorrhoid surgery, the hemorrhoids are cut out. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and – apart from the general surgical risks (e.g. wound healing disorders) – does not involve any significant risks.
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Prevention Tips
Avoid straining hard when having a bowel movement. If you suffer from digestive problems with constipation, high-fiber foods and sufficient fluid intake are recommended to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.
Generally important: lots of exercise. Pregnant women should also take this to heart. Otherwise (besides the tip on nutrition) there is unfortunately not much you can do to counteract your increased risk of hemorrhoids.
weight reduction can be an effective tool for preventing hemorrhoids. Especially if you are very overweight and have therefore had to deal with hemorrhoids more often.
Sources
– professional advice by dr medical Timm Golukespecialist in dermatology in Munich