What a pain in the you-know-where. Who knew that someday you would have to deal with bleeding hemorrhoids? And who would have guessed that they could be this annoying. You probably expected them to go away on their own, or at least after a bit of medication. If you’re reading this article, chances are none of that happened. Don’t worry. A lot of people get hemorrhoids; you just don’t know it because no one likes to talk about it. Chances are your doctor has dealt with them plenty of times.
When home treatments fail and products meant to help leave you feeling just as irritated as before, it’s time to start thinking of alternative means of relief. Talk to your doctor about the various fixative procedures available. They’re fairly quick and relatively painless. Each bleeding hemorrhoid treatment will vary in method, but the goal is the same. Cut off the blood supply to the sore spot (often in this case there will be more than one) in order to shrink it down until there is nothing but scar tissue left. It may sound a bit awkward, but the scar tissue can actually help to prevent problems on down the road by offering extra support to the surrounding tissue.
There are three main methods of treatment; rubber band ligation, injection sclerotherapy, and coagulation therapy. The first method utilizes special rubber bands to cut off the blood supply, and the second utilizes chemicals. The last one actually encompasses a few different ways to create the same result. Heat, laser treatment, or mild electric current may be combined to interrupt blood flow to the area and cause the tissue to die and fall off.
During the procedure, the doctor may use some of the same tools he would during another bleeding hemorrhoid treatment, such as a proctoscope in order to view his or her progress. Then a small instrument is inserted (don’t worry, hemorrhoids are often very close to the anal opening, so it won’t be far), to create a powerful but precise beam of heat or as with a laser, infrared light. Another instrument may create a small but effective amount of electric current in order to disrupt the blood flow. You may be able to feel the heat and a mild pain during the procedure. If you have any concerns, talk with your doctor.
When the tissue finally falls off, you may experience very slight bleeding. This often occurs anywhere from week to ten days after the procedure has been done. The bleeding usually stops quickly and on its own.
While coagulation therapy is a little more expensive than other treatments, it is still much cheaper than full surgery. If your problem is mild but persistent, this may be an option for you.