Many people shy away from talking about it. Many who suffer from it won’t admit it. Millions of people every year may be putting up with the pain and nuisance of bleeding hemorrhoids, simply because they are embarrassed to admit they have this problem. If you are one of the many who want to keep the problem private, there are some things you can do and some things you should know:
• Blood in the stool, in the toilet after a bowel movement, or on the toilet paper after you wipe yourself should never be ignored or passed off as simply a hemorrhoid. A physical examination, and possibly a colonoscopy may be required. What you assume to be a bleeding hemorrhoid may actually be a symptom of rectal or colon cancer. Having your doctor determine the truth is the only way to know for sure.
• New studies suggest that drinking buttermilk after you eat may actually help to stop hemorrhoids in their tracks.
• Being constipated will make matters much worse. If you have a problem with constipation, use an over-the-counter stool softener or add dried plums and apricots to your cereal each morning. Also, adding more fiber to your diet will increase the ease of eliminating.
• Don’t panic. Seeing blood can be a scary thing, but panicking or not talking to your doctor will make matters much worse. Don’t wait- as soon as you see blood, get help. You will be more likely to get rid of the bleeding hemorrhoid if you get help sooner rather than later.
• If you want support and don’t want to face people, look on the Internet for a pain management or hemorrhoid support group. Meeting other people who are going through the same things that you are can offer you a chance to help yourself feel better. You will also find a lot of good ideas people have tried and been successful with.
Having bleeding hemorrhoids is nothing to be embarrassed about. Talking to your doctor and getting the right diagnosis is the first step to taking your life back.