The pain and discomfort of hemorrhoids will often send you rushing straight to your nearest drug store or pharmacy.  Once there you will see a large range of creams, pessaries and ointments especially for dealing with hemorrhoids or piles, as they are sometimes called.

Hemorrhoids are formed when too much pressure is brought to bear on the delicate veins inside the rectum.  This pressure is caused by constipation, straining, anal intercourse, long periods of standing (or sitting – you can’t win!) or chronic diarrhoea.  By the age of 50, nearly half of all adults will have dealt with the problem of hemorrhoids at some time in their lives.  If they are lucky, it was just a one-off occurrence – maybe it was brought on by pregnancy or childbirth, or just a period of having  a bad diet.  Whatever the reason, you can be assured that you are not alone with this embarrassing problem.

To go back to the pharmacy; all these treatments which you can see will be effective in relieving some of the discomfort, pain and itching associated by suffering from hemorrhoids.  However, they are not actually going to cure the problem and prolonged use of many of these treatments can result in permanent damage to the delicate skin surrounding, and just inside the anus.  None of them should be used for more than a week.

In very severe cases, some people resort to surgical measures to get rid of their hemorrhoids, but once again, this isn’t really a cure.  It isn’t going to prevent them from coming back.

To prevent a return of, or long term suffering from hemorrhoids, you must find a proper cure.  A lot can be done with simple lifestyle changes such as drinking more water, eating more fiber or taking a supplement such as Metamucil.  An increase in activity will also result in an increase in bowel activity which is essential for long term colon health.

There are many cures available – carry out your research carefully and choose a program which has a number of testimonies as to its effectiveness.