Healthy Lifestyle

A person who has an hemorrhoid will want to try to avoid aggravating it as much as possible. An aggravated hemorrhoid can become worse in terms of itching, burning, or even in size. Hemorrhoids are classified in degrees, from first degree hemorrhoids to fourth degree hemorrhoids. Each classification describes the hemorrhoid in terms of whether they prolapse or not and whether they can be reduced normally or not. There are several ways to aggravate hemorrhoids, including sitting down for long periods of time, constant constipation, and excessive straining of the lower body.

Most people who get hemorrhoids are probably sitting down for long periods of time without breaks. If a person does not take frequent breaks from sitting down for a long time, then a hemorrhoid may develop and even progress through the different classifications that doctors use when diagnosing a hemorrhoid.

First degree hemorrhoids are the least serious and can be treated by a simple change in diet and daily habits. They are defined as hemorrhoids that do not prolapse, that is, they do not stick out of the body. People with first degree hemorrhoids sitting down can help reduce the swelling by simply standing up and going for a short walk. The main treatment for this kind of hemorrhoid is a change in diet to include more water and fiber, which will allow stool to travel more easily and prevent constipation, which can strain the rectal veins and make the hemorrhoid worse.

A second degree hemorrhoid is prolapsing, but it will usually spontaneously reduce in size. The most common treatment for this is banding, which involves putting a rubber band around the swollen vein to reduce blood flow and cause it to reduce in size. Third degree hemorrhoids, on the other hand, are able to be manually reduced in size via banding, or in more serious cases, surgery.

The final classification of hemorrhoids is fourth degree, which are the most serious. These hemorrhoids are prolapsed almost fully and cannot be reduced in size. The only treatment for fourth degree hemorrhoids is surgery to remove the swollen vein before it causes more problems. These hemorrhoids are unfortunately very painful, and the recovery after surgery can be uncomfortable as well, as it is usually required to lay down on one's belly for quite some time to allow the body to recover.