Do You Need Surgery For Hemorrhoids?

Americans spend in excess of $150 million each year on various treatments and remedies for hemorrhoids which are also known as piles for a condition that affects close to 2/3 of the general population. One of the treatments is of course surgery. Do you need surgery for hemorrhoids?

While this condition can be embarrassing to talk about, you don’t need to suffer in silence. While you should try various treatment methods for hemorrhoids first because there are many effective treatments including various natural remedies for hemorrhoids, surgery is also an option although it should preferably be a last resort after you have tried everything else.

Do you need surgery for hemorrhoids?

It is usually advisable to seek medical assistance with hemorrhoids;

• If you are unable to have a bowel movement
• If you are unable to empty your bladder
• Considerable bleeding
• Fever
• Etc

Surgery for hemorrhoids will be recommended when;

• You are dealing with very large hemorrhoids
• You are dealing with painful hemorrhoids
• You are dealing with constant bleeding from hemorrhoids

Types of surgery for hemorrhoids

1. Hemorrhoidectomy which involves the removal of the hemorrhoids and the surrounding blood vessels. You may be placed under local or general anesthesia and then an incision will be made around the anus to allow the hemorrhoids to be cut away.

After spending an hour or so in the recovery room, you will be sent home usually on the same day. This is usually a same day procedure. You will be able to resume your normal activities in a matter of days.

2. To deal with prolapse when the hemorrhoids or other anal tissue slip out of the anal canal, you doctor may recommend the PPH (procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids) which involves stapling the hemorrhoids or anal tissue back in the anal canal while cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoids or anal tissue.

Without a robust blood supply, these swollen veins or tissue will shrivel up and die. This is less invasive than the hemorrhoidectomy and requires less recovery time and comes with fewer complications.

3. Sclerotherapy is another less invasive method to get rid of hemorrhoids and involves injecting a chemical solution into the blood vessel which is connected to the hemorrhoid (s) in order to shrink and destroy the hemorrhoids in time.

4. The use of a special, laser beam can burn away hemorrhoidal tissue and this is another less invasive method.

5. A rubber band (rubber band ligation) may be wrapped around the base of the hemorrhoid in order to cut off its blood supply which causes the hemorrhoid to die as time goes and this procedure is another less invasive method to treat a hemorrhoid.

Risks and complications of surgery

As with all surgical procedures and not just a hemorrhoidectomy, there is always a risk of an adverse reaction to anesthesia, heavy bleeding, severe swelling, risk of infection, etc. The incision made around the anal area might require stitches which will cause the area to become painful and tender and make it a challenge when you have bowel movements which you cannot suspend until you heal. You may take stool softeners to make bowel movements less painful during the recovery.

Because of this issue, many turn to the many less invasive procedures for treating hemorrhoids some of which were discussed previously because they involve less pain, less recovery time, less bleeding, reduced risk of complications, etc.

But the only drawback with less invasive procedures compared to surgery is that a hemorrhoidectomy will usually produce more long term results when compared to less invasive procedures.

While surgery and other less invasive procedures may be effective for treating hemorrhoids, it is still important to make important life style changes such as changing your diet otherwise hemorrhoids will return because these procedures do not prevent the development of new hemorrhoids. Only what you do can prevent future hemorrhoids.

Do you need surgery for hemorrhoids? It all depends on your symptoms as well as whether you need invasive or less invasive treatment. Talk to your doctor for your best treatment approach. Do make sure that surgery for hemorrhoids is your last resort after other methods have failed to work for you.