If only I hadn't sat on the toilet and read all those magazines!

Is surgery the best way to treat hemorrhoids? The best way to treat them is to prevent them and that involves very little in the way of diet and lifestyle changes. The hemorrhoids above have become prolapsed and gangrenous and must be treated surgically. If this person had only followed some of the following rules, then this painful condition could have probably been avoided.

Rules

1. Never read on the toilet. Await the call to stool and go have a bowel movement. Western civilization has toilets that suggest that we should go and sit until something happens. This is wrong. Thomas Crapper (the inventor of the toilet) did us a disservice. A full squat if a more natural position for elimination. Sitting on a toilet seat encourages the protrusion of anal tissue and the aggravation of hemorrhoids.

2. Eat a high fiber diet. Eat prunes and high fiber cereals every morning for breakfast and chase that with at least 8 glasses of water during the day.

3. If you develop hemorrhoids, buy some gloves and K-Y jelly to have on hand for the episodes when you feel swollen and may have mild prolapse. Lie down on the bed and with your gloved and lubricated finger, gently push back in the protruding tissue. Tucks (which contain witchhazel) are good for hygiene. Over the counter rectal creams and suppositories may help. The best way to prevent problems however is to follow suggestions 1 & 2 above.

4. Surgical banding of hemorrhoids can cut back on early hemorrhoidal protrusion. Hemorrhoids such as those seen above are best managed with surgical excision. This is a painful procedure to control your suffering. However, if you don't manage yourself, hemorrhoids can return to bother you.

Here is what happens when you strain too hard!