Hemorrhoids Specialist

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are soft packets of swollen veins that appear in the anal canal. They often produce discomfort in the form of itching. Hemorrhoids are frequently painful and accompanied by burning. Hemorrhoids tend to lead to anal bleeding, which is often the first warning sign. You might have blood in the toilet bowl, on toilet paper, or in your stool.

Prolapse refers to a condition where the hemorrhoidal tissue slips out of place and extends through the rectum. In medical terms, internal hemorrhoids are graded according to the following scale:

• Grade I: Bleeding without prolapse
• Grade II: Prolapse with spontaneous reduction: With or without bleeding
• Grade III: Prolapse with manual reduction
• Grade IV: Incarcerated, irreducible prolapse

What are the causes of hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids can arise from a number of sources. The major cause of them is constipation, but they can even result from extended periods of sitting or standing. Obesity, poor diet, and irregularity can all increase your odds of suffering from hemorrhoids. Pregnant women also have a high risk of developing hemorrhoids.

How are hemorrhoids treated?

The symptoms of minor cases of hemorrhoids can sometimes be treated with over-the-counter products. Ibuprofen can reduce the pain, and warm sitz baths — where only your hips and buttocks are in warm saline water — can provide some temporary relief. Stool softeners, aloe wipes, and creams are also beneficial. Drinking large quantities of water, more than 64 ounces a day, may also improve symptoms.

To painlessly treat hemorrhoids, the medical procedures offered by Dr. Shamsi, listed below, are very effective:

Infrared coagulation (IRC):
This quick and nearly painless procedure is one of several non-surgical treatments for managing hemorrhoids. The instrument used in the procedure, a photocoagulator, creates infrared radiation that evaporates water from the cells and coagulates tissue protein.

The amount of tissue that is destroyed depends on both the length of the application and its intensity. Three or four treatments are usually sufficient to treat a Grade I or small Grade II hemorrhoid, with the treatments occurring about one month apart.

Rubber band ligation:
Mostly used on Grade II hemorrhoids, rubber band ligation is an extremely old technique that causes very little pain and is a quick procedure. In it, constricting bands are carefully placed around the hemorrhoid to restrict its supply of blood. Within a week to a week and a half, the hemorrhoid and the band shrivel up and fall off.

Hemorrhoid surgery:
Surgery is usually a last option, undertaken only when non-surgical or other treatment options have failed to provide relief from hemorrhoids. As in all surgeries that require anesthetic, there are risks involved, but reactions to the medications are rare. The outcome following surgery is very good, and full recovery often takes place in about two weeks.