Millions of people around the world are impacted by internal and external hemorrhoids. And the internal hemorrhoids are harder to treat since they affect a blood vessel network called the corpus cavernosum recti (CCR). In the past, this fact made it much harder to find lasting relief for internal hemorrhoids. However, today, there is a procedure called hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE) that delivers lasting relief from painful and disruptive symptoms such as prolapsing or chronic bleeding.

What is hemorrhoid artery embolization?

HAE is an internal hemorrhoid treatment that provides relief by reducing blood flow to the affected vessels. To do this, doctors make a small incision and insert a catheter to your vessels, guiding it to the ones that feed the hemorrhoids. From there, they can deposit embolic material to reduce blood, shrinking the hemorrhoids without damaging surrounding tissue. In turn, you experience relief from hemorrhoids symptoms. But you can avoid side effects such as anal incontinence and rectal wounds. But how long does hemorrhoid artery embolization last when it comes to relief?

How long does hemorrhoid artery embolization last?

HAE has a 95% technical success rate, offering the best results for people who have grade 2 or 3 internal hemorrhoids. However, if you have grade 4 hemorrhoids, you may need to seek hemorrhoid removal surgery or other, more invasive, procedures.

Of course, HAE is still a newer internal hemorrhoid treatment option. So there isn't a lot of information on its long term results. However, with the data available now, it's clear that as many as 75% of patients report ongoing, significant symptom relief at the 12-month post-procedure follow-up. Furthermore, as a minimally-invasive, non-surgical procedure, you can undergo HAE multiple times, still avoiding general anesthesia and overnight hospital stays. Plus, because it’s the least invasive treatment available for grade three internal hemorrhoids, it offers the promise of lasting relief for those who choose to or must avoid surgical procedures.

HAE Procedure in Georgia

Our Georgia interventional radiologists offer HAE treatment to patients with grade 2 and 3 internal hemorrhoids, allowing for less pain; shorter recovery periods; and minimal post-procedural discomfort. But are you a candidate for hemorrhoid embolization? Click here to request a consultation at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, where you can explore your treatment options.

In order to get rid of hemorrhoids, you'll need to explore your treatment options. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be able to find relief at home. If, however, you're experiencing more severe symptoms, such as itching, pain or bleeding, a medical procedure may be your best hope for relief. But how can you decide on your best treatment option? Here's what you need to know.

Get Rid of Hemorrhoids: 3 Treatment Options

When you have mild to moderate hemorrhoid symptoms, you may be able to treat your condition from the comfort of home. Try following this special diet for hemorrhoids, to see if you can ease constipation, and relieve your symptoms naturally.

Need a bit more help for hemorrhoids? Over-the-counter topical creams can help with swelling and itching, as long as your condition has not progressed too far.

But if you've been diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 hemorrhoids, you are unlikely to find relief at home or in the drugstore. Instead, consider Hemorrhoid Artery Embolization (HAE) in Georgia, a minimally invasive medical procedure that treats internal hemorrhoids without surgery.

Medical Support to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids

Thanks to advances in our practice of interventional radiology, we can now relieve the symptoms of stage 2 and 3 internal hemorrhoids without surgery. Instead, we can perform the HAE procedure, reducing the flow of blood to the hemorrhoids with embolic materials deposited to the arteries via catheter and guided by x-ray imaging. With this procedure, you can get rid of hemorrhoids while avoiding general anesthesia, surgical incisions and overnight stays in the hospital. Even better? When compared to surgery, HAE causes fewer complications and is associated with a faster recovery period. Want to see if you're a candidate for this procedure? Click here to request an appointment at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute. We can help determine if this procedure is your best treatment option.

Are you interested in using cream for hemorrhoids for symptom relief? Well, if you have a mild case of hemorrhoids, you may get what you're looking for from these over-the-counter products. But in some cases, your story could turn out quite differently. In fact, one woman in California recently died after purchasing and using a topical hemorrhoid ointment over the internet.

What was Dangerous about the Cream for Hemorrhoids?

If you have hemorrhoids, you may be seeking relief from creams such as Recticare or Preparation H with lidocaine. However, the woman in California went in a different direction, pursuing 'natural' treatments online. As such, she purchased an herb-based Vietnamese ointment called Cao Boi Tri Cay Thau Dau. Or so she thought,

Tragically, the woman died shortly after using the ointment. After her passing, authorities tested the product and discovered it was laced with toxic lead levels. As such, her decision to seek hemorrhoid symptom relief ultimately led to her death by lead poisoning.

Longer Lasting Symptom Relief

Clearly, such a tragic story is rare. Typically, patients who purchase brand name cream for hemorrhoids, from reputable drug stores will remain unharmed. But if you have a moderate to severe condition, you are unlikely to find relief from topical treatment options.

Are you suffering from symptoms such as itching, bleeding when passing bowel movements, and discomfort? Would you like to find symptom relief but prefer to avoid surgery? Well, you can, if you choose to undergo Hemorrhoid Artery Embolization (HAE). This medical procedure effectively treats stage 2 and 3 internal hemorrhoids without the need for invasive surgery or an overnight hospital stay. Want to learn more? Click here to request an appointmentat the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute.

If you have painful hemorrhoid and want to naturally relieve your symptoms this read is for you. Of course, not every case of hemorrhoids can be managed at home. But, if your condition is less severe, you can try managing hemorrhoids with these four simple moves.

4 Keys to Managing Hemorrhoids At Home

Do you want to naturally relieve your pesky hemorrhoid symptoms? Try incorporating these simple lifestyle moves!

Get more fiber

Following a diet for hemorrhoids, with fiber at its center, can help soften your bowel movements. In turn, you're less likely to strain when you're in the bathroom. And that can relieve existing hemorrhoids while preventing new ones from forming.

Take a soak

If you want to relieve hemorrhoids, hop in the tub and take a warm soak! To add soothing properties, pour some Epsom salt into the water and stay put for a minimum of 15 minutes. And once you're out of the water? Use a patting, not a rubbing, motion, to completely dry the skin of your perineum.

Don't sit for too long

Whether you're sitting too long on the toilet, at your desk, or behind the wheel, spending lots of time on your butt can aggravate your hemorrhoids. So, to relieve existing hemorrhoids and avoid forming new swollen vessels in or around your anus, make sure to get up every hour or so instead of sitting too long at the party.

And workout more often

By exercising regularly, you will sit less. Also, you may relieve mild constipation, and lose some weight, which could also help relieve some of your hemorrhoid symptoms.

Managing Hemorrhoids with Medical Procedures

At home care for hemorrhoids can relieve symptoms for patients with mild conditions. However, if you have been diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 internal hemorrhoids, you will likely need medical support to treat your condition. Want hemorrhoid relief, but want to avoid invasive surgery? Click here to request an appointment with our hemorrhoid specialists in Georgia, to see if you're a candidate for hemorrhoid artery embolization!

Patients with hemorrhoids may be told to change their diets. Why is that the case? Dietary changes can reduce constipation. And that could eliminate hemorrhoid risk factors such as straining and sitting for too long on the toilet. But what's the best diet to help hemorrhoids? Here's what you need to know.

Diet to Help Hemorrhoids: Embrace Fiber

A high-fiber diet can help manage hemorrhoid symptoms by giving you softer stools. But what foods should you include in that diet? Try adding:

• Pears, prunes, apples and berries
• Squash, peas and collard greens
• Navy, pinto and/or kidney beans
• Whole grains such as shredded wheat and bran

Make sure to also drink lots of water every day, and get plenty of regular exercise. For some patients, these lifestyle changes will be sufficient to prevent or treat mild hemorrhoids. But others will need more help to find relief.

When to Ask for Help

Lifestyle changes work well when you're dealing with mild hemorrhoids. But if your condition is more severe, and you experience bleeding when you pass bowel movements, it's time to seek medical intervention.

So, if you don't find relief with a diet to help hemorrhoids, it's time to visit the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute! Our experts perform hemorrhoid artery embolization, a minimally-invasive procedure that relieves hemorrhoids by reducing their blood supply. And, in the process, you can avoid overnight hospital stays, surgery, and many medical complications.Are you ready to discover if you are a candidate for hemorrhoid artery embolization? Click here to request an appointment.

Sitting on the toilet for too long can wreak havoc on your lower body. But how can something so basic cause so many concerns? Let's dive in, together.

The Problem With Sitting on the Toilet Too Long

Extended toilet sitting compresses nerves in the perineum. (Located between a man's anus and scrotum or a woman's anus and vulva.) Immediately, that can lead to perineal numbness, or foot and leg tingling once you get up off the toilet.

But that's just a temporary concern; sitting too long on the toilet can lead to more lasting damage. Why is that the case? Staying in this position puts pressure on the rectum, especially since the hole in the toilet allows your rectum to drop below the height of the buttocks. Add in straining or constipation (common reasons for extending your toilet time) and you've got the perfect recipe for hemorrhoid formation.

What are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are enlarged rectal veins. They form under pressure, like the kind that comes from sitting too long on the toilet. And that's because the combination of pressure and gravity lets blood collect in the veins in your rectum. That makes it harder for blood to flow naturally, causing bulging hemorrhoids to form. In turn, you may develop symptoms such as itching, discomfort or bleeding with bowel movements. And that should suggest that it's time to explore treatment options.

Internal Hemorrhoid Relief in Georgia

If sitting on the toilet too long has left you with symptoms of internal hemorrhoids, we're ready to provide relief! Click here to request an appointment at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute. When you come in, we'll review your minimally invasive treatment options!

Here at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, we offer stage 2 and 3 internal hemorrhoid treatment with minimally invasive Hemorrhoid Artery Embolization (HAE). But how can you decide when to seek treatment for hemorrhoids? Why do hemorrhoids form in the first place? And what are your treatment options? This post will answer these questions and more!

Understanding hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins. They can form inside the rectum or around the anal opening. Your grade of hemorrhoid will be based on the severity of your symptoms, from mild to severe. And those symptoms may include itching, bleeding pain and prolapsing veins, among others.

Why do I have hemorrhoids?

You may develop hemorrhoids if:

• You have a diet low in fiber
• You must strain to pass a bowel movement
• You sit for long periods of the day, particularly when using the bathroom
• You're pregnant or just had a baby
• Obesity is a concern
• You're lifting heavy objects

Once hemorrhoids form, you may find them inside the rectum) or under the skin surrounding the anus. While external hemorrhoids may be more painful, internal hemorrhoids can cause more concerning symptoms such as bleeding with bowel movements.

When to seek treatment for hemorrhoids

Mildly symptomatic hemorrhoids can be managed with simple lifestyle changes. Try drinking more water and eating more fiber to reduce straining. You may also find relief by taking an over-the-counter stool softeners or by applying hemorrhoid cream to external veins.

Sometimes, these methods will quickly resolve your problem. But if you're bleeding when you pass bowel movements, it's time to start considering when to seek treatment for hemorrhoids. And you should certainly seek medical intervention if symptoms persist or worsen, or if you've noticed a prolapsed hemorrhoid. (A bulge that comes out of the anus. Sometimes it can be manually returned into the rectum, but in more severe cases, it remains prolapsed, even with manual replacement.)

Finally, if your symptoms are disrupting your life or causing undue distress, Click here to request an appointment with our hemorrhoid experts in Georgia. When we see you at your appointment, we can help you decide when to seek treatment for hemorrhoids, and determine if you’re a good candidate for hemorrhoid artery embolization.

Internal hemorrhoids can cause symptoms like bleeding when you pass stool. For most patients, that symptom is scary, but not a serious medical concern. Sometimes, however, bleeding hemorrhoids could require immediate medical attention. So, how can you identify the dangers of bleeding hemorrhoids? And can treatment prevent complications? Here's what you need to know.

Types of Hemorrhoids

Your hemorrhoids may form internally, inside the rectum, or externally, surrounding the anal opening. Both internal and external hemorrhoids may bleed, but this symptom is most frequently associated with internal hemorrhoids, especially if you notice bright red blood with bowel movements. Usually, the bleeding isn't dangerous. However, internal hemorrhoids can also cause itchiness and discomfort, causing many patients to seek relief through treatment.

When do Hemorrhoids Bleed?

Hemorrhoids may bleed for a number of reasons. Most often, you'll notice bleeding when you strain to pass stool; the pressure may damage the hemorrhoid surface, causing bleeding.

Less commonly, bleeding is a sign that a hemorrhoid has burst, and that can be a more serious concern. Rarely, hemorrhoid formation damages your delicate surrounding skin, causing bleeding due to ulceration. However, most patients can avoid these complications by seeking timely hemorrhoid treatment.

Are There Dangers of Bleeding Hemorrhoids?

Can bleeding hemorrhoids be dangerous? In fact, they can, if your hemorrhoids become thrombosed (an internal blood clot forms). Thrombosed hemorrhoids may rupture and lead to heavy bleeding, requiring immediate medical attention. Yet you can usually avoid this complication by treating your hemorrhoids when their symptoms are still less severe.

Seeking Treatment Can Prevent Dangers of Bleeding Hemorrhoids

As soon as you notice bleeding hemorrhoids, it's time to start exploring treatment options. At the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, we perform minimally invasive hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE) to treat stage two and three internal hemorrhoids. This option provides relief from bleeding, while allowing you to avoid surgery and overnight hospital stays.

Ready to relieve your bleeding hemorrhoids? Our specialists are prepared to help! Click here to request an appointment with our hemorrhoid specialists in Georgia.

Hemorrhoids cause many disruptive symptoms. These include itching, bleeding and discomfort in and around your anus. But can you have intercourse with hemorrhoids? Here's the low down on getting busy with this condition.

Undertsanding Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids (or piles) are enlarged veins that develop in your rectum or anus. We can diagnose this condition using a scale of severity, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 4.

• Grade 1 hemorrhoids are small, usually invisible and not palpable. They may bleed when you pass bowel movements, but are unlikely to hurt.
• Grade 2 hemorrhoids are larger, and may protrude from your anus during bowel movements. They can also cause pain, itching and bleeding.
• Grade 3 hemorrhoids bulge out of the anal canal, only returning inside with manual repositioning. They also cause disruptive symptoms.
• Grade 4 hemorrhoids bulge out of your anal canal, even after manual repositioning. They cause severe symptoms.

Having intercourse with hemorrhoids

Your sex life may be unaffected by less severe hemorrhoids. But with grade two, three or four hemorrhoids, it may be too painful to engage in anal or vaginal penetration. Of course, you can find other ways to connect intimately while you explore your hemorrhoid treatment options. But seeking medical intervention is likely the only way you'll be able to fully re-engage in a unimpeded sex life.

Hemorrhoid Treatment in Georgia

Here at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, we perform Hemorrhoid artery embolization (HAE), a non-surgical procedure that relieves grade two and three hemorrhoids symptoms. Unlike surgical hemorrhoid removal, it comes with a faster recovery period, along with fewer side effects and minimal discomfort.

Are you having difficulty engaging in intercourse with hemorrhoids? Are you ready to find lasting symptom relief? Click here to request an appointment with our hemorrhoid experts in Georgia.

Since piles are often the result of lifestyle changes, many people are discovering a new post-holiday bummer: new or worsening hemorrhoid symptoms. Also referred to as piles, hemorrhoids are lumps (caused by bulging blood vessels) that form in or outside your anus. And, because our holiday behavior can increase your risk for developing hemorrhoids, many spend the first few weeks of the New Year suffering. Here’s what to watch for.

What Causes Hemorrhoids?

Several lifestyle factors increase your risk for piles. These include constipation, straining when trying to pass a bowel movement, sitting for too long on the toilet, lifting heavy objects, and pregnancy. Now, these risk factors are present all year round. But some get much worse over the holidays.

Why is that the case? You see, during the festive months between Thanksgiving and New Years, we tend to overeat, filling up on foods such as meat, cheese, sweets and alcohol that take a toll on our bowels. At the same time, we tend to eat less fruits and veggies, magnifying the digestive turmoil.

In turn, many suffer from dehydration, constipation and straining, leading to new or recurring cases of hemorrhoids. In fact, the number of patients seeking relief from hemorrhoid symptoms rises by as much as 30 percent in the first weeks of the New Year. Concerned you might be among the new sufferers? Look out for the following symptoms.

Hemorrhoid Symptoms That Indicate a Problem

Some of the first signs of hemorrhoids include an itchy anus, pain around the anus, or lumps in the area. If your hemorrhoids are internal, meaning they’ve formed inside the anus, you may notice bright red blood on the toilet paper when you wipe after a bowel movement.  Even after passing a bowel movement, it may still feel like you need to go. And, even if you don’t notice bleeding, you may see mucus on the toilet paper or in your underwear after using the bathroom.

Treating Hemorrhoid Symptoms for Lasting Relief

For some people, hemorrhoids can be a temporary problem. You may find relief with topical creams and with lifestyle changes, such as increasing fluid intake, consuming more fiber, and avoiding straining when you need to use the restroom.

For other patients, however, treatment will be the only way to find relief from persistent hemorrhoid symptoms. So, if you need help for itching, bleeding and other painful symptoms of internal hemorrhoids, click here to request an appointment[/ga-app-link]at the Georgia Hemorrhoid Institute, offering minimally invasive treatment options.