Do I need to see a doctor for my hemorrhoids?

It is wise to have any signs of rectal bleeding checked by your physician, to rule out more serious issues. In most instances of pregnancy related hemorrhoids, the situation will dramatically improve after delivery.

Topical treatments for hemorrhoids

There are many different types of oral supplements and topical ointments available to treat hemorrhoids. While oils and ointments are typically only a temporary relief for pregnancy related hemorrhoids, they can help when hemorrhoids are particularly painful or bothersome since they often contain ingredients that soothe and anaesthetize.

I’m concerned about safety issues

Most types of hemorrhoid preparations are safe for pregnant women to use, but it’s always best to check with a knowledgeable caregiver. In many prescription products, for example, the active ingredients are a type of steroid that helps reduce inflammation. Most have a local anesthetic as well, to help relieve the pain associated with hemorrhoids. These chemicals can be quite effective short-term, but they might be contra-indicated during pregnancy. Especially while pregnant, we want only body friendly things entering the bloodstream. If you are shopping for a commercial product to alleviate your symptoms, look for one of the newer offerings with all natural & organic ingredients.

Some traditional remedies

Natural Aloe Vera can provide soothing local relief for hemorrhoids. Simply take a small amount of Aloe Vera gel directly from the plant (or use commercially available 100% pure Aloe Vera gel) and apply it to the affected area. To use the plant, simply snap one of the thick leaves about one inch of the way down and use the sticky gel that’s inside. The gel can be left on the affected area for as long as needed, and should help reduce the hemorrhoid swelling, which will in turn relieve the pain and itching.
Native Americans have long used Witch hazel to treat swellings and inflammation. Try combining witch hazel with aloe, glycerine or petroleum jelly and apply gently on external hemorrhoids, and you will reduce itching and dry up most bleeding.

Sitz baths

There are several ways to treat hemorrhoids in the bath. Epsom salts in the water can help, but remember that for hemorrhoids that are bleeding or are already open wounds, Epsom salts could be very painful. Another traditional bath treatment is with vinegar. You can use one to two cups of vinegar in the bath water as an astringent to help reduce the swelling associated with hemorrhoids. This will help relieve pain and swelling as well.

Other folk treatments

There are other folk treatments that have traditionally been used to soothe hemorrhoids and relieve swelling, although they cannot be relied upon to have lasting effect . One of these is as follows: Chill a potato in the freezer for about 20 minutes and then use a food processor to puree it or grate the potato into pieces. Place the pureed potato on the affected area for fifteen minutes. The cool potato will soothe the area and help reduce swelling and the potato itself is anti-inflammatory and will help to reduce pain and itching . This is best done in an area where the woman can make herself comfortable in order to leave the potato in place for a period of time.

Hemorrhoid treatment in summary

Your body is going through many changes during this time period, and if you are suffering from hemorrhoids it’s important for you to find a safe treatment that will help relieve the pain and itching without causing any problematic side effects.
Chemical additives and steroid products can definitely provide effective short term relief, but these substances are also readily absorbed into your bloodstream, and could be harmful to your baby.
Certainly for a woman pregnant or nursing who might have a history of latex allergies, kidney or liver disease, or diabetes, it may not be safe to take some medications due to the possible side effects of their chemical ingredients. Even some organic ingredients such as horse chestnuts and diosmin/hesperidin may be contra-indicated during pregnancy.
Look for natural & organic solutions that are safe for you and safe for your growing baby. Either experiment with some of the simple topical solutions we have mentioned, or buy a natural health product made with organic and herbal ingredients specially formulated to shrink and heal the hemorrhoids. That’s Alleviate.

What are hemorrhoids and why particularly during pregnancy?

Generally, hemorrhoids occur when a vein, or other vascular tissue, swells out of shape and develops a sac or bulb. Under normal circumstances, when a person has a bowel movement, additional blood flows to the rectum and colon to assist the muscular function in the area. If a person overly strains or pushes, they may also be pushing extra blood to the veins in and around the anus, causing those veins to stretch. Those stretched veins can then develop into hemorrhoids. In the same way,  the straining brought on by diarrhea or constipation can cause hemorrhoids.

Internal pressures

Many women find themselves suffering from hemorrhoids to some degree during pregnancy, and often post-partum as well.  Your growing uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins and the inferior vena cava which is a large vein on the right side of the body that returns blood from the lower half of your body back to the heart.  This pressure from the uterus can slow down the blood return, increasing pressure on the veins below the uterus and causing them to dilate, or become swollen.

Varicose veins

Because of this added pressure during pregnancy, you may find yourself prone to varicose (swollen) veins in the legs, vulva, or elsewhere.  Hemorrhoids are simply the same kind of swollen and bulging veins, but in the rectum.   Hemorrhoids can occur singly or in clusters, they can be as small as a pea to the size of a grape and can occur singly or in clusters, and can occur both inside the rectum or protrude through the anus.
Statistically, up to 50 percent of pregnant women get hemorrhoids, particularly in the third trimester. If you’ve had them in the past, you are more prone to have them again now.

What increases my susceptibility for hemorrhoids?

During pregnancy, your body’s blood volume increases greatly and the increased pressure will cause veins to enlarge. The expanding uterus also puts pressure on the veins in the rectum.

An increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy causes the walls of the veins to relax in the anorectal area’s supporting muscles, and the baby will press more and more on the veins below it.  The relaxed veins can also swell out of shape more readily.

Furthermore, the hormone progesterone slows down your intestinal tract.  That slowdown, combined with the added physical pressures often cause constipation, and of course constipation and the resulting straining during bowel movements can aggravate the situation.  Hemorrhoids can be itchy and mildly uncomfortable – or downright painful. Sometimes they will result in rectal bleeding,  especially during a bowel movement.

The good news is that hemorrhoids usually resolve after delivery of your baby, especially if you are are careful with your diet to avoid constipation.

What might help reduce my susceptibility while I’m pregnant?

• Drink plenty of plain water (eight to ten glasses a day).
• Fiber-rich foods, like whole grains, beans, raw or cooked leafy green vegetables, and fruits like apples and pears will keep your bowel movement regular.
• A stool softener, or plenty of fruits and fruit juices can also help regularity. The soluble fiber (pectin) in fruits, like apples and pears, will keep your movements loose as well as regular.
• Keep as active as you can, a regular walking regimen will keep your bowels moving also.
• Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time.  Even lingering on the toilet after a bowel movement adds extra strain on the area.
• Try not to strain with bowel movements.
• The Kegel exercises that you should already be doing to tone the muscles around the vagina and urethra will also serve to strengthen the muscles around the anus.
• Because the inferior vena cava, that large vein on the right side of the body, is under pressure during pregnancy… when you are lying down you can relieve some of that pressure by remembering to lie on your left side while resting or sleeping.
• Talk to your doctor about using topical ointments or suppositories to soothe and alleviate hemorrhoids.

How can I get quick symptomatic relief?

• A sitz bath, or just sitting in the tub with a few inches of  plain warm water can provide relief.  A typical sitz bath is taken with Epsom salts, but keep in mind if you have bleeding hemorrhoids that Epsom salts will sting.
• Ice packs will help decrease swelling and discomfort. Simply prepare a frozen gel pack by wrapping it in a soft cloth before applying for short periods of time.
• Alternating the cold compresses and warm sitz baths often helps.
•  Use pre-moistened baby wipes to gently clean the area after a bowel movement, or use the commercially available wipes containing witch hazel, a traditional herbal anti-inflammatory.