While it can be embarrassing to discuss conditions involving your private areas, the truth is that a little bit of knowledge can take you a long way towards prevention and pain reduction. You will find some practical advice on how to deal with hemorrhoids in the article below.

If you keep your anal area clean, you will be less likely to develop hemorrhoids. A moist towelette is preferable to toilet paper, and it will probably be more comfortable, too. Hemorrhoid swelling and pain can be relieved by a sitz bath of warm water. You should soak in this warm bath for 20 minutes at a minimum.

Witch hazel is a product that could help to alleviate some of the pain felt from hemorrhoids. Witch hazel relieves pain because it shrinks hemorrhoid tissue. Put the witch hazel on a cotton ball, applying it to the affected area for about 5 minutes. You can also put it in a sitz bath.

If you have hemorrhoids, avoid using hygiene products containing oils, dyes and fragrances. Allowing the hemorrhoid to come in contact with substances like these for even a brief moment can bring on pain, stinging, and exacerbated swelling.

Hemorrhoids are most often cause by overexertion and strain to the sphincter muscles and surrounding areas. If you suffer from hemorrhoids on a regular basis, it is important to be aware of how much you exert yourself when evacuating your bowels.

Much like chicken pox or other skin irritations, hemorrhoids can cause great exasperation due to their itchiness. You must not scratch them since you need to avoid them tearing open. Opening up the skin when you scratch hemorrhoids can increase the pain you feel, as well as possibly opening you up to infections created by contamination entering your body through the raw skin.

You can soften your stool by adding more fibers to your diet and drinking water. When your stool is soft, it can prevent the strain of your bowel movement and help to prevent hemorrhoids or reduce the pain of those present. Papaya, grapes and watermelon are particularly effective in producing softer stool and regular movements. Fiber-rich vegetables, such as okra and cabbage, can also be very beneficial. Keeping yourself hydrated with plenty of water can also increase the effects.

If you think that you may be constipated, take a walk before going to the bathroom. Walking can get your body functioning and prepare your bowels for movement. Walking a little before using the bathroom will help to prevent any undue straining, a major cause of hemorrhoids. Even fifteen minutes of briskly walking around your neighborhood is enough to help.

Water is one of the best treatments against hemorrhoids. A ten minute soaking of the rectal area in warm water can be followed by the application of a cold compress for maximum relief. Consider purchasing a toilet bath. This can be found in the majority of pharmacies.

Drink plenty of water. When your body doesn’t have enough water, it starts to get water from your stool. This process makes stool harder and more painful to pass when the time comes. Drink eight to ten glasses of water every day and you can stay away from hard stools.

Laxatives only help you move your bowels once, so do not depend upon them to alleviate your problems with hemorrhoids. They will only provide temporary relief of your discomfort.

Don’t wait by sitting on the toilet before you’re expecting a bowel movement. A lot of people like to sit and read on the toilet, it actually causes you to strain. Gravity also plays a part in affecting your hemorrhoids, so before you sit down make sure you need to go.

While hemorrhoids aren’t exactly a hot topic for conversation, this information may very well come in handy. If that happens, rest-assured you will be more than happy to have read this article! With the advice you learn from this article, you can get some quick pain and itching relief, which sounds like heaven for anyone who suffers from hemorrhoids.