Hemorrhoids
are also known as piles, and they're simply swollen and inflamed veins in your
anus and rectum.
There
are two types of hemorrhoids: Internal and External.
Hemorrhoids
are a common problem for many American adults. In fact, many sources say at least
50% of adults have experienced hemorrhoids by the time they reach the age of 50.
Hemorrhoids have many causes, some of which include pregnancy, weight gain and
obesity, anal sex, and chronic constipation or diarrhea.
Many
pregnant women develop hemorrhoids due to the extra weight of the fetus putting
pressure on the lower rectal muscles. Childbirth itself enhances this problem,
but most women's hemorrhoids caused by pregnancy clear up after the baby is born.
People
who are overweight or obese also get hemorrhoids for the same reasons; extra body
weight adds pressure to the rectal muscles, and this can cause the veins to swell
and become enflamed.
Anyone
who sits and stands for very long periods of time can also develop hemorrhoids.
Changing your position frequently is one way to prevent them.
Internal
hemorrhoids can't be seen, and often people have these without knowing it. When
these get bad, however, they can cause blood to show in your stools, or appear
in the toilet and on the paper when you wipe.
External
hemorrhoids are visible to the eye, and can be touched. These tend to be protrusions
gathered around the anus opening, and often they burn, itch, or cause pain.
One
of the biggest causes of internal and external hemorrhoids is constipation, and
the accompanying strain involved with having a bowel movement. Because of this,
the most common natural and home remedies for hemorrhoids involve solving the
constipation problems.
Constipation
is often caused by a lack of fiber or water in the diet. Sometimes both. Fiber
is not able to be used by our body in any nutritive ways, so it passes into the
colon unchanged. Once there, it works as a broom, or cleanser, to help move the
waste materials through the colon and out of our body. The bulk of the fiber is
what makes it so useful.
Water
also plays an important role in relieving and preventing constipation. Without
enough water in our system, the waste material gets dry and hard because the colon
extracts what little water there is for use in other areas of our body. When the
waste material becomes dry and hard, it's difficult for our bodies to pass easily,
and it scratches, scrapes, and injures our tissue as it tries to pass through.
Disclaimer:
Throughout this website, statements are made pertaining to the properties and/or
functions of food and/or nutritional products. These statements have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these materials and products
are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.