Hemorrhoids affect both men and women in about 40-50% of the adult population. It is a condition where veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. Common symptoms include itching and sometimes pain and bleeding when stool passes. These are often caused by too much straining to move out stool. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and anal intercourse.
Listed below are the top 5 ways to manage hemorrhoids:

Add much fiber in your regular diet.
Increasing your intake of fiber enriched foods will help you manage hemorrhoids faster. Eating whole grains, pineapples, beans, fruits and vegetables result in softer, bulkier stools. A softer stool makes emptying the bowels easier and lessens the pressure on hemorrhoids caused by straining.

Increase your water intake.
Each taken fiber particle absorbs water from your intestines and colon. If you eat more fiber and don’t drink enough water, you could make your situation worse as this result to increased rather than decreased constipation. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of fluid each day facilitates bowel elimination.

Try nature-enriched remedies.
Psyllium and chamomile might be of help. Psyllium is a commonly used soluble fiber supplement, made from the husks of seeds of the plantago plant. Since hemorrhoids are caused by chronic constipation and by prolonged periods of straining to pass out stool, psyllium as a soluble fiber promotes regular bowel movements, and softens stool by drawing water into it. Chamomile on the other hand, is one of the best known and most widely used herbal remedies in the world. It has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated tissue, reducing redness and itching. Chamomile can be taken as a tea, and used externally as ointment. Pour a cup of not-quite-boiling over chamomile tea bags and steep for three to five minutes. Place this inside the refrigerator but not allow it to freeze. Apply such solution to the affected area for as long as desired. Apply chamomile ointment directly to the hemorrhoids as often as needed for relief of symptoms.

Do hot sitz bath.
A sitz bath involves sitting in a bath of warm water, immersing only the buttocks and hips. Such works by cleaning the affected area, relaxing the sphincter, and increasing blood flow to the region, promoting faster healing. It also provides almost instant relief of the pain and itching associated with hemorrhoids.

Seek medical help.
In some cases, hemorrhoids must be treated surgically. These methods are used to shrink and destroy the hemorrhoidal tissue and are performed under anesthesia. These techniques include rubber band ligation, (a rubber band is placed around the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum to cut off circulation and make the hemorrhoid wither away within few days), sclerotherapy (chemical solutions are injected around the blood vessel to shrink the engorged vessels), infrared coagulation (a special device is used to burn hemorrhoidal tissue), and hemorrhoidectomy (removal of extensive or severe internal or external hemorrhoids by surgery).

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