How to Prevent Another Hemorrhoid Flare-Up

About 5% of people in the United States experience hemorrhoids at some point in their lives, with frequency increasing as they get older. It’s a condition where veins in and around your anus become enlarged and swollen, causing bleeding, discomfort, pain, or a combination of symptoms. 

As hemorrhoid specialists, the team at Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida can help when home care isn’t enough to relieve your symptoms. When it comes to preventing another hemorrhoid flare-up, there are steps you can take on your own. 

Causes of hemorrhoids

Everyone is born with the veins that can become symptomatic hemorrhoids later in life, though not everyone develops these enlarged and problematic conditions. Hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins, the gnarly, twisted superficial veins that typically affect your legs. 

Hemorrhoids can be internal, located in the rectum, although they aren’t usually painful. They can, however, cause anal bleeding. External hemorrhoids are usually the ones that become symptomatic. 

These start as swollen veins under the skin around the anus. This swelling causes the itching and pain that’s most commonly associated with the condition. As with their internal cousins, external hemorrhoids can bleed. 

Each type of hemorrhoid can also prolapse, bulging outside the anus, where they can bleed and cause pain. Hemorrhoids can be a one-time event, or they can recur for some people. 

How to prevent another hemorrhoid flare-up

When your second hemorrhoid flare-up occurs, you’ve got a great incentive to break the cycle before yet another episode follows. With a few minor lifestyle modifications, you can create conditions that help suppress hemorrhoid formation. 

We’ve chosen the following suggestions as simple and successful ways to reduce the recurrence of hemorrhoids in your future. 

Fill up on fiber

Soft, easy-to-pass stools are less likely to create conditions that support hemorrhoid formation. Start by adding foods that are rich in fiber. If you’re prone to constipation, adding fiber helps add undigested bulk, keeping stools at the right consistency. 

Fruits, green vegetables, and whole grains are the go-to dietary sources for fiber. Boosting your intake of these sources while reducing protein and fat overload can help prevent constipation, which in turn reduces straining —a chief cause of hemorrhoid irritation. 

Heighten your hydration

Fiber needs water to create easy-to-pass stools. Staying hydrated is a powerful way to boost the efficiency of so many of your body’s systems, and your gut is one of these. Find ways to increase your water intake to prevent future hemorrhoids. 

Go means go

When you choose to hold off on having a bowel movement, your body starts to absorb water from the stool, making it denser and harder to pass. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of developing hemorrhoids. 

Lose the library

We get it. Sometimes, the bathroom is the only place you have to yourself. Reading a book, scanning a magazine, or surfing your smartphone can fill the time. However, this unsupported seated position adds stress to blood vessels in the anus, another risk factor for another round of hemorrhoids. 

Consider adding more moderate activity along with these other changes to give your digestive system an added boost. A sedentary lifestyle can also slow down your bowels. 

Despite your best efforts, sometimes hemorrhoids require medical attention. Contact Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida in The Villages, Leesburg, Wildwood, Summerfield, or Tavares for a personal consultation. 

Call 352-315-4111 to book with any of our locations, or use the online tool on this page to schedule your visit today.