Recently, hemorrhoids have become a common issue. Hemorrhoids, also called piles, refer to swollen veins in the outer part of the rectum and anus, and they cause pain when an individual stretches the walls of these parts. Symptoms of this condition include rectal itching, pain, and bleeding. Some hemorrhoid risk factors include pregnancy, obesity, constipation, diarrhea, overusing laxatives, straining bowel movement, insufficient dietary fiber, and age.

Although hemorrhoids typically heal independently within a few days, they can cause discomfort and become a recurrent nuisance. However, the following tips can assist you in preventing hemorrhoids:

1. Resist the urge to strain when passing a bowel movement
Straining and exerting more pressure on your rectum’s veins is one of the significant causes of bleeding and painful hemorrhoids. In some instances, sore and bleeding hemorrhoids can occur when you push too hard when attempting to get your bowel movement. Other situations, such as weight lifting, chronic coughing, or pregnancy, can force you to push too hard when emptying your bowel. If you suffer from hemorrhoids, ensure you do not strain when passing a bowel movement.

2. Consume a fiber rich diet
Foods rich in fiber help you avoid constipation, which results in straining. Constipation is a hemorrhoids risk factor. If you already have hemorrhoids, a diet with high fiber content reduces the pain by softening the stool and enabling you to pass it quickly. Some of the high fiber foods you can include in your diet include legumes, fruits, vegetables, bran, whole-grain pieces of bread and cereals. Besides, consume a lot of water with the roughage because fiber without water hardens the stool.

3. Get some exercise daily
Physical activity contributes to the prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids. If your work requires you to sit most of the time, ensure you move around for a few minutes each hour. However, you should understand that you need to avoid some exercises, such as weight lifting and anal sex, because they increase your chances of getting hemorrhoids and worsen signs.

4. Go when you feel the urge
Although this tip sounds like common-sense advice, many people ignore it. When you delay emptying your bowels, your stool gets harder and dry, becoming hard to pass. When you fight the urge, you increase your chances of developing hemorrhoids.

5. Know when to see a doctor
In most cases, hemorrhoids are easy to treat and heal on their own. They can rarely cause complications. However, heavy bleeding as a result of hemorrhoids can cause anemia. Besides, internal hemorrhoids can experience a shortage of blood supply, leading to strangulated hemorrhoids. If you try home treatments and fail to see some results after two weeks, make a plan to see your doctor.

You can get successfully treated for hemorrhoids and not develop complications, especially if you seek treatment early. If you have hemorrhoids, the tips mentioned above can help you treat the disorder.