context: Hemorrhoids often get better without surgery or even procedures your doctor can do in the office. Start with over-the-counter products and lifestyle changes. ( If you're pregnant, you should talk to your doctor before you try any medicine or change your diet.) var s_context; s_context= s_context || {}; s_context['wb.modimp'] = 'vidfloat'; NIH: â Hemorrhoids.â; Harvard Health: â Hemorrhoids and what to do about them.â; Mayo Clinic: â Hemorrhoids.â; Audio Jungle; Brand X Pictures; Peter Cade; photolibrary.com; Gianni Diliberto; Creatas -; Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc [ MUSIC PLAYING] if(webmd.useragent && webmd.useragent.ua.type === 'desktop'){ webmd.ads2.disable Initial Load(); webmd.ads2.disable Ads Init = true; $(function() { webmd.p.pim.increment(); $('.responsive-video-container').insert After('.module-social-share-container'); require(['video2/1/responsive-player/video-loader'], function(video Loader) { video Loader.init({ autoplay: webmd.useragent.ua.type === 'desktop' && ! !s_sensitive, chron ID: $('article embeded_module[type=video][align=top]:eq(0)').attr('chronic_id'), continuous Play: true, cp Options: { flyout: true }, display Ads: true, mode: 'in-article', sticky: true }) }); }); } else { $(function(){ $('.responsive-video-container').remove(); }); } Warm (but not hot) "sitz baths" are a time-honored therapy: Sit in about 3 inches of warm water for 15 minutes or so, several times a day. This helps reduce swelling in the area and relaxes your clenching sphincter muscle. It's especially good after pooping. Put a little petroleum jelly just inside your anus to make pooping hurt less. Don't force it! Dab witch hazel on irritated hemorrhoids, or use over-the-counter creams or ointments made for hemorrhoid symptoms. A 1% hydrocortisone cream on the skin outside the anus (not inside) can relieve itching, too. But don't use it for longer than a week unless your doctor says it's OK. Or try putting a simple cold pack on the tender area for a few minutes to numb it and bring down the swelling. It's the best thing for hemorrhoids: A diet rich in high-fiber foods and with few processed foods. Eat mostly vegetables, fruit, nuts, and whole grains to avoid constipation. If you can't get enough fiber from food, your doctor may want you to take a fiber supplement or stool softener. Don't take laxatives, because they can cause diarrhea that could irritate hemorrhoids. Drink seven to eight glasses of water each day, at least a half-gallon total. If you're very active or you live in a hot climate, you may need even more. Even if your doctor prescribes medication or suggests surgery, you'll probably need to change your diet. Introduce new foods slowly to avoid gas. If your symptoms are severe or aren't getting better after a couple of weeks, your doctor may want do a procedure to shrink or remove the hemorrhoids. Many can be performed in his office. Injection. Your doctor can inject an internal hemorrhoid with a solution to create a scar and close off the hemorrhoid. The shot hurts only a little. Rubber band ligation. This procedure is often done on prolapsed hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids that can be seen or felt outside. Using a special tool, the doctor puts a tiny rubber band around the hemorrhoid, which shuts off its blood supply almost instantly. Within a week, the hemorrhoid will dry up, shrink, and fall off. Coagulation or cauterization. With an electric probe, a laser beam, or an infrared light, your doctor will make a tiny burn to remove tissue and painlessly seal the end of the hemorrhoid, causing it to close off and shrink. This works best for prolapsed hemorrhoids. Surgery. For large internal hemorrhoids or extremely uncomfortable external hemorrhoids, your doctor may want to do a traditional hemorrhoidectomy to remove them, or newer techniques using staples or a Doppler sensor to identify and cut off the blood supply. Medical treatments are effective, but unless you change your diet and lifestyle, hemorrhoids may come back.