Drinking Water, Hemorrhoids and Alcohol Consumption

There is a lot to be shared about the connection between drinking water, hemorrhoids (piles) and excessive alcohol consumption. The news media, health blogs and healthy living magazines constantly remind people to drink more water for better health.

We all know water is better for us than soda, sugary drinks and all the other liquids most people prefer to drink than simple water. But we all have cravings. I used to drink lots of soda thinking I was getting enough water from it.

These same health sources also warn that excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids are a painful reality for many heavy drinkers. Piles are inflamed anal veins that grow into small or large masses inside or outside of the anus.

They are commonly known as internal or external hemorrhoids or external piles and internal piles. Hemorrhoid symptoms are chronic itching in and around the rectal cavity. They also cause a stinging burning pain that makes walking or even sitting extremely painful. Severe inflammation of anus veins can cause bleeding from the anal region that can be scary.

Let's look at drinking water, excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids a little more closely.

Drinking Water and Hemorrhoids

Water is absolutely essential in digestion, absorption of nutrients and bodily waste elimination through urination and bowel movements. Health experts recommend as a general rule of thumb to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. If you're exercising or losing bodily fluids more rapidly you'll need to drink more, but the "8 x 8" rule is a good to gauge follow.

Drinking water helps prevent chronic constipation, which can play a big role in developing piles. Straining when passing bowel movements can lead to blood swollen veins around the anal region. When a person's body is not properly hydrated from drinking enough water constipation can happen that causes painful piles to develop internally or externally.

Dehydration is significant contributor to hemorrhoids. Drinking plenty of water can greatly reduce the risk of getting this condition that effects millions of people yearly. It can be caused by digestive problems due to poor body hydration. You would be amazed at how many cases could be prevented using the "8x8" rule.

Chronic diarrhea is another major cause of piles forming. Diarrhea's spastic motion adds a tremendous amount of unhealthy pressure to the anus that can cause straining like with constipation. Strong spastic pressure on the anus that can also cause anal fissures besides inflamed anal veins.

When people do develop hemorrhoids their doctors always tell them to drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins while keeping their digestive system healthy to prevent a future outbreak.

If you don't like the taste of tap water or want to live eco-friendly avoiding bottled water invest in an affordable water purifier for the kitchen faucet.

As a former hemorrhoid sufferer who went through laser surgery in Los Angeles I make sure I drink plenty of water daily. Hydrate to beat them!

Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Hemorrhoids

By no means am I telling people not to drink. I enjoy one glass of red wine with dinner most nights. My doctor told me it was good for my heart in moderation. If I'm at a dinner party it's not uncommon for me to have two or three glasses of red wine while enjoying good company.

When I go fishing or camping with family and friends I enjoy more than a few bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. As I've got older in life I've learned my drinking limits and no when to not push it to excessive alcohol consumption.

Where excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids becomes a dangerous mix is when it comes to heavy or binge drinking. College was my first experience with excessive alcohol consumption and piles. I wasn't drinking enough water or eating right. My sophomore year I developed a very small external hemorrhoid.

It still hurt like an itchy fiery bee sting and I was embarrassed to tell my friends. My parents took me to a doctor who prescribed me a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to treat it and eliminate it. The growth was very small and was caught early, so it could be treated without surgery or banding. There are other many excellent hemorrhoidal products you can buy online for hemorrhoid relief and treatment.

Alcohol dehydrates the body badly and robs it of precious vitamins. Most people when they drink alcohol skip drinking water in between alcoholic beverages and don't take a vitamin for a day or night of drinking.

Heavy drinkers have a higher risk of getting this rectal condition because of alcohol dehydration and lack of vitamins in their bodies. It's recommended to take a multivitamin 4 hours before drinking alcohol. When you drink alcohol make sure to take your vitamins.

Drinking too much alcohol can cause severe constipation and small, dry stools that are tough to pass during bowel movements. The strain and pressure to pass a bowel movement makes the veins in and around the anus inflamed. This is a major factor to internal and external piles developing.

People that consume alcohol excessively will commonly experience digestive and bowel movement problems. This is because alcohol in any common form (beer, wine, whiskey etc.) acts as a diuretic that will dehydrate the alcohol drinker.

A person who is dehydrated normally experiences constipation and is forced to severely strain when passing bowel movements. Binge drinking can also lead to highly elevated blood pressure, which in turn increases the pressure to delicate veins in and around the anus.

The important thing is to drink water even when you're drinking alcohol to stay well hydrated. Dehydration, constipation and diarrhea contribute heavily to hemorrhoid risk or can make a current hemorrhoid condition worse. Water is your friend when it comes to hemorrhoids. Excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids are two things to avoid if you can.

By Winston Cook

Pain in the Butt. How to Deal with Hemorrhoids?

This is very sensitive area of your body. Too private. Nobody likes when something is wrong over there. However it happens.
Hemorrhoids occur practically in everyone. Though hemorrhoids cause problems in 1 out of 25 people. Mostly those are people between 45 and 65 years of age.
You find a blood on toilet tissue. Bright red blood. Ok, now what? You do not know why you bleed. It could be rectal cancer by the way. It could be hemorrhoids.
So? What are the hemorrhoids?
They look like cushions. They contain blood vessels, some muscle and elastic fibers. People often call them piles.
Not everything over there is a hemorrhoid. There could be other problems. Fissure, abscess, fistula, pruritus (itching), condylomata (sort of hanging skin caused by viral infection), viral and bacterial skin infections can happen in that, so sensitive area.
It is worth to talk to your doctor.
How would a scenario of hemorrhoids look?
A 46-year-old female presents with complaints on rectal discomfort, occasional bright red blood on toilet tissue and prolapsing tissue in of anal area. This is probably internal hemorrhoid.
Another scenario brings a patient who complains on severe rectal pain and prolapsed tissue.
The severe pain happens in external hemorrhoids. The pain follows thrombosis (thrombosis is the blood clot in your blood vessels).
There are four degrees of internal hemorrhoids.
It may be interesting for you to know because first, second and sometime third degree can be treated by banding only. Fourth degree and sometime third degree requires surgery.
Do not forget non-hemorrhoid causes of symptoms.
To check with your doctor is worthwhile because there could be other problems, including cancer or anal fissure. (By the way for anal fissure medical treatment alone may heal it in 90% of cases).
How are hemorrhoids treated?
Well first you need to understand how do hemorrhoids happen. Several reasons lead to hemorrhoids:
Constipation and extra straining
Chronic Diarrhea and loose stools
Long sitting or standing
Weight lifting
Obesity
Pregnancy and childbirth
Inherited tendency to hemorrhoids.
So, avoid all this and you are free.
Obviously this list of reasons is too wide.
The list of measures is wide too.
Increase the fiber in your diet.
Eat more cereals, fruits, vegetables, grains, etc
Psyllium and methylcellulose are supplemental types of fiber.
Exercise, avoid long standing or sitting, don't strain, keep the anal area clean.
Increase liquids in your diet.
Use stool softeners, stool-bulking agents (not a tasty ones, but what can you do).
Treat diarrhea with anti-motility drugs and fiber.
Not every of these methods are proved scientifically. Nonetheless they are included in the standard recommendations for hemorrhoids treatment.
To treat itching or discomfort you may use suppositories, ointments, creams, and gels. You may find that all in your local pharmacy.
These products contain protectant and anesthetics (pain relievers). Local anesthetics numb the area and decrease burning and itching.
Remember that local anesthetics may cause allergy.
Analgesics (menthol, camphor) relieve pain and itching as well
Vasoconstrictors reduce swelling in the perianal area. Though they may have side effects. Better discuss with your doctor.
Protectants (kaolin, cocoa butter, lanolin, mineral oil, starch, zinc oxide or calamine, glycerin, etc) create a physical barrier to prevent contact of stool and the skin. This reduces irritation, itching, and burning.
Similarly, some agents - astringents - dry the skin. That helps to relieve burning, itching, and pain as well.
To kill or at least suppress bacteria and other organisms use antiseptics. Boric acid, phenol, resorcinol and many others can be used. Again better to discuss with your doctor or at least pharmacist. Many of these drugs are sold over-the-counter.
Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids decrease inflammation and relieve itching, but may cause skin damage. They should be used for few days only.
Sitz bath may also help in relieving the symptoms.
When those methods fail your doctor may perform one of the following:
Sclerotherapy (causes scarring of the hemorrhoid).
Rubber band ligation. The rubber band cut off blood supply and hemorrhoid heals with scarring.
Side effects of any of the treatment may be infection of fat and other tissues surrounding the anal canal, especially if patient has diabetes cancer, AIDS.
Another option - electrotherapy and infrared photocoagulation. Works the same way, cause scarring of the tissue.
Cryotherapy uses cold to cause inflammation and scarring. Practically the same, though more time consuming.
Let say your medical treatment fails. What do you do then?
Well, you go to surgeon and treat it surgically.
Operations are done in less than 10% of patients. Though it depends.
Surgical procedures include Dilation. It is when surgeon stretches your anal sphincter.
Ligation. Often a Doppler probe helps to measures blood flow and finds the individual artery.
The doctor ties off the artery.
Sphincterotomy. It is when sphincter is partially cut. Whole idea is to reduce the pressure.
Hemorrhoidectomy. Hemorrhoidectomy makes sense for patients with third- or fourth-degree hemorrhoids. The hemorrhoids are cut out.
Stapled hemorrhoidectomy. Stapler cuts off the ring of expanded hemorrhoidal tissue.
There are different considerations why to do this and not that type of treatment. And vice versa.
There are complications (pain, difficulty urinating, bleeding several days after surgery, scarring, infection, stool incontinence). Complications happen relatively rare, but they are still there.
Better talk to you surgeon.
I hope you be OK.
You were not alone.
It looks like Napoleon Bonaparte, Carter, Hemingway, Tennyson, Lewis Carroll also were suffering from hemorrhoids.

By Al K

Piles - Home Remedies for Piles

Piles is a very common ailment. Women have higher incidence than men. The reason behind it is not clearly known. It is more commonly seen in adolescent age group and aged persons who all seem to be more tensed.
In medical terminology, piles is known as hemorrhoids. Piles refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. It is the dilatation (varicosity) of the veins of anus. It appears as bluish coloured swellings due to stagnated blood. Piles arise due to the increased pressure of internal or external veins around the anal canal.
Piles can be both internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids, unless they are severe, cannot be seen or felt. There is however, a discharge of dark blood. External hemorrhoids can be seen around the outside of the anus, and there is a lot of pain but not much bleeding. In some cases, the veins burst and this results in what is known as bleeding piles.
Symptoms -
Symptoms of piles vary, and depend on the type and place of origin. Piles in its initial stage is most commonly found to be without any symptoms.
However, the most common symptoms include -
o Intense pain at the time of passing stool.
o A pain around the anus and lower rectum, which can be quite severe.
o Frequent ineffectual urge for stool without passing stool or without satisfaction of complete evacuation.
o Itching in the rectal area.
o There may be bleeding. This will be bright red blood, not usually mixed in with the motion.
o There is often a feeling of something bulging, or hanging down from the anus.
o If a haemorrhoid at the outside of the anus gets a blood clot, it leads to tender lump.
o Anemia due to profuse bleeding.
o Wind formation in the stomach.
o Sitting becomes difficult due to pain.
If left untreated, piles can lead to complications including, infection, prolapse, necrosis and gangrene. Painful bleeding usually indicates startup of complications.
Causes -
Haemorrhoids are very common. It is more common in people, who regularly follow a low fibre, and high processed diet, such as processed flour, polished rice, bread etc. The main contributory cause is anything that raises the pressure in the abdomen, which leads the blood vessels to swell and become engorged.
Thus, the main cause of piles include -
- People chronically suffering from constipation.
- Even diarrhoea can cause piles. The strain for passing the stool is the main reason for the development of piles.
- After or during pregnancy, as the baby may press on the main blood vessel that returns blood to the heart.
- Overweight people.
- Physical strain - even coughing for long periods can cause the anal veins to strain.
- General weakness of the tissues of the body.
- Low fiber diet
- Age
- Hereditary
- Anal intercourse
- Prolonged periods of sitting or standing.
- Strenuous work
- Mental tension
Piles Treatment -
It is usually best to treat piles with the least treatment possible, as even after the most extensive treatments, there is a possibility that they may still return.
Usually, piles becomes better with increased water intake, a high fibre dietary regimen and other measures to correct the constipation. Care for blood loss should be taken to avoid anaemia.
Many times, they settle on their own over a matter of days without any treatment.
Haemorrhoidectomy refers to the removal of the pile by surgery. In this advanced laser treatment, the surgery reduces the pain and blood loss. However, in course of time, there is a possibility of the recurrence of piles even after surgery.
Over the counter drugs, include cream or suppositories. These soothe itching and pain, and cause the swelling and bleeding to diminish.
If the pain is very severe, cold compresses with ice can be helpful.
Homeopathic treatment, under an expert is also an effective way of dealing with this problem.
Prevention -
Haemorrhoids are very common, and may occur even after surgical removal. However, one may follow certain preventive steps to avoid recurrence -
- Avoid becoming overweight, and lose weight if you are.
- Eat a high fibre diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Take rest and avoid long walks if you are suffering form piles.
- Drink plenty of water and follow regular bowel habits to avoid constipation.
- Use Indian style toilets since the squatting position is better for natural defecation
- If required, pass stool twice a day to avoid constipation.
- Don't strain to evacuate hard faecal matter.
- Take easily digestible, simple homemade food. Avoid spices, chilli, very hot or cold food, and alcohol.
- Take foods such as green vegetables, ginger, onion, garlic, beetroot, bitter gourd, which helps in healing piles.
- Avoid eating potato, and the yellow variety of pumpkin.
- Take plenty of high fibre fruits especially papaya, mango, lime, jamun, figs, etc.
- Avoid sedentary habits, alcohol, smoking and unnecessary drugs like painkillers.
Some useful home remedies for piles -
- Take 1 table spoon of roasted black cumin seeds and mix with 1 tablespoon of unroasted black cumin seeds and powder both together. Take 1/2 a teaspoon of this mixture with a glass of water once a day.
- Drink a glass of buttermilk with 1/4 tsp carom seed powder (ajwain) and a pinch of rock salt.
- The jamun fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months during its season.
- Soak 2-3 dried figs in a glass of cold water overnight. Have it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Have them for 2-3 weeks for good results. It is effective in the treatment for ordinary as well as bleeding piles.
- Mix 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves juice with 1 teaspoon lemon juice & 1 tablespoon honey. Take 3 times a day for relief from piles.
- Take ½ cup radish juice in the morning and night for a period of 1 month.
- Boil 1 ripe banana in 1 cup of milk, mash well. Take 3-4 times a day.
- Extract 3 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice, and mix in 1 glass of buttermilk, and drink on an empty stomach every morning, for a month.

Dr John Anne