Brief description of hemorrhoids
The cause of hemorrhoids is stagnation of blood in the veins of the rectum.
At risk, first of all:
- people who lead a sedentary lifestyle or are forced to spend most of their time in a sitting position due to their professional duties (office workers, drivers and others);
- those who suffer from frequent constipation. This group also includes women who are pregnant or have recently given birth and who have problems with regular bowel movements;
- obese;
- people whose responsibilities include regular lifting of weights (loaders, athletes and others).
The first symptoms of hemorrhoids are:
- discomfort in the rectum. At first it can occur only during bowel movements, then it becomes a constant companion;
- itching in the anal area;
- bleeding.
Depending on the severity of symptoms, experts distinguish several stages of the disease.
- Stage 1. It is characterized by itching and burning in the anus, the appearance of small hemorrhoidal formations, and the release of a small amount of blood during bowel movements. Symptoms are irregular and may appear and disappear.
- Stage 2. The symptoms of this stage are similar to the previous one, only during bowel movements or after lifting heavy objects, hemorrhoidal cones may fall out, and moderate bleeding occurs.
- Stage 3. At this stage of the disease, lumps may fall out even at the slightest strain, bleeding becomes more intense, swelling and constant heaviness appear in the anus.
- Stage 4. The bumps can fall out at any time, and it becomes impossible to put them back in place; acute pain appears more and more often.
Additionally, hemorrhoids are classified into 3 main types.
- Interior. Inflamed nodes are located inside the anal canal, cause discomfort during bowel movements and can fall out with strong strain.
- Outer. Hemorrhoidal bumps are located outside, around the anus.
- Combined. Both types of hemorrhoids can be combined.
Currently, there are many known ways to get rid of the disease, including traditional methods. A simple and effective method of therapy, recognized by both folk and traditional medicine, is to treat hemorrhoids with cold, including cold water or ice.
Treatment of hemorrhoids with ice - how to apply ice correctly and possible consequences
Despite the advice to consult a doctor promptly at the first symptoms of such an unpleasant disease as hemorrhoids, few rush to see a proctologist. This kind of disease is considered “shameful”; many, especially young people and women, are embarrassed to go to the doctor.
But over time, pain and itching intensify, external and internal hemorrhoids appear, they become inflamed, and rectal bleeding may occur. Most often, hemorrhoids are treated with traditional methods. One of them is treatment with cold or ice.
Ice for hemorrhoids helps relieve pain, reduce itching, and relieve the condition for a while.
How to use ice
Cryotherapy, or freezing treatment, is one of the common methods of treating hemorrhoids, both in traditional and folk medicine. Low temperatures affect the veins that supply hemorrhoids with blood, causing them to narrow.
As a result, blood stops flowing to them. Gradually the nodes become empty and die. In addition, cold, acting on numerous nerve endings in the anal area, dulls or relieves severe pain, itching, and burning that often accompany this disease.
Cryodestruction is a minimally invasive method for removing hemorrhoids in the early and middle stages of the disease. It is performed under local anesthesia. Liquid nitrogen is applied to the hemorrhoidal node, and it is quickly frozen. After some time, as a result of tissue necrosis, the node disappears, and the remaining wound is treated in the usual ways.
Rehabilitation usually takes about 10 days. This effective treatment method does not require hospitalization and is indicated for those who cannot tolerate general anesthesia. It is unacceptable in cases where the patient is diagnosed with paraproctitis, has venous thrombosis or inflammation of the anal canal.
Ice against hemorrhoids at home
At home, to alleviate the patient’s condition, especially in the initial stages of hemorrhoids, you can use ice in the following ways:
- cold sitz baths;
- lotions, ice compresses;
- rectal suppositories, which are made of ice.
Cold sitz baths
Cold baths are made as follows: clean, very cold water is filled into a wide container, the patient sits in it so that the nodes are immersed in the water. The procedure should take no more than 5 minutes.
If you stay in ice water for a long time, hypothermia, severe vasoconstriction and, as a result, inflammation of the pelvic organs and exacerbation of chronic diseases are possible. It is recommended to carry out the procedure at night.
It soothes itching and burning, relieves pain, and therefore promotes restful sleep.
Lotions and compresses with ice
Lotions or compresses with ice consist of applying it to the hemorrhoids for 2-3 minutes in a special heating pad or wrapped in cloth.
The pain subsides quite quickly, but in order to influence the “bumps” that appear and reduce them, such ice treatment must be long-term, at least 1.5-2 months. Gradually, the time of the lotion can be increased by several minutes, doing it several times a day.
These ice compresses heal small anal fissures and wounds, helping to stop minor bleeding.
Rectal suppositories
Ice rectal suppositories can be made independently at home. To do this, you need to freeze clean water or a well-strained decoction of medicinal herbs in small paper cones. You can use plastic containers in which candles are sold in pharmacies to make them.
The resulting ice suppository, freed from paper, without burrs and sharp edges, is very carefully inserted into the rectum so as not to injure its walls. This relieves pain, relieves inflammation of internal hemorrhoids and swelling of the rectum. As a result, its lumen increases, making the process of defecation easier.
You need to keep the ice inside for about 30 seconds.
You can freeze vegetable puree, such as cucumber, potatoes and carrots, in the form of a candle. Such suppositories are kept in the rectum for 2 to 8 minutes (the time increases gradually as the body adapts to the cold), then carefully removed.
They help to moisturize, relieve pain and relieve swelling, which greatly alleviates the patient’s condition. It is better to place ice suppositories after bowel movements or a cleansing enema.
After removing the suppository, the area around the anus should be lubricated with medicinal ointment or emollient cream.
Before using any of the options for traditional recipes with ice, you need to consult a doctor, preferably a coloproctologist. A professional will tell you whether it is worth using such treatment methods in each particular case, and will warn about contraindications and side effects.
The benefits of ice and cold for hemorrhoids
How is cold useful for the inflammatory process in the rectum? The healing effect of cold in the occurrence of various ailments and the elimination of some pain symptoms has been known to man for a long time. As for hemorrhoids, here the cold acts as:
- anesthetic. By blocking nerve endings, cold has an analgesic effect;
- hemostatic agent. Exposure to cold causes the vessels with veins to contract. Therefore, if bleeding is not severe, cold can completely stop it. If it is abundant, reduce significantly.
In addition, treating hemorrhoids with ice allows not only to relieve pain symptoms and slow down bleeding, but also to somewhat improve the tone of blood vessels by creating a temperature difference.
Indications for treating the disease with ice
Treatment of venous dilatation in the rectum with cold is recommended for use in the early stages of the disease. During this period, ice, together with medications prescribed by the doctor, can slow down the progression of hemorrhoids and relieve the patient from unpleasant symptoms for some time. At stages 3-4 of the disease, cold will also have a certain effect, but it is, of course, impossible to get rid of hemorrhoids only with the help of ice. Ice will not have the desired effect even if you have persistent intestinal problems. In this case, treatment should be comprehensive.
Starting from stage 2 of the disease, before using ice as a means to treat and relieve pain symptoms, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation. Preparation will help avoid spasms of the vascular walls of the colon and even greater health problems.
You can learn how to cure hemorrhoids with traditional medicines by reading the article by our specialist proctologist.
Compresses
They are effective for external hemorrhoids. Rules for applying a compress:
- Wrap one or more ice cubes in gauze or bandage;
- Apply a cold compress to the anus. During the first procedure, the compress exposure time should not exceed 30 seconds. With each subsequent time, you can increase the duration by 30 seconds, bringing it to a maximum of 2 minutes;
- The procedure must be carried out 2 times a day for one month.
Treatment methods
You can use ice for hemorrhoids in various ways. These methods are the most common.
Ice candles
Ice suppositories can be a fairly effective way to treat internal hemorrhoids. They help get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of varicose veins in the initial stages.
The optimal sizes of such candles are 5 cm in length and 1-1.5 cm in width.
To make suppositories, cardboard or thick paper is used, from which cones of specified parameters are formed. The end of the cone is cut off, and the shapes themselves are fixed with rubber bands. After this, homemade candles filled with water are placed in the freezer in a vertical position. When the liquid freezes, the shell is removed. To do this, the candle is dipped in hot water, after which the paper or cardboard is easily removed. Instead of cardboard, you can use rubber gloves, the tips of which are tied with threads to prevent water from leaking out.
Before using the suppository, you must carefully inspect it and, if necessary, smooth out sharp corners.
When inserting the suppository, you must lie down with your knees bent. The first sessions should last no more than 30 seconds, over time the duration increases to 1 minute. The procedure is carried out twice a day (morning and evening). The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
Ice compresses
You can also make ice compresses or lotions yourself. They are used after defecation. To prepare a cold compress, pieces of ice can be wrapped in gauze, folded in several layers, or a cotton napkin. The compress is applied to the site of inflammation. At first, the contact time with the ice compress should be only a few seconds, gradually it can be increased to 1 minute. After use, napkins and gauze must be washed and ironed. The course of such treatment can last from 1 to 1.5 months. Alternatively, you can use ice cubes to wipe the anus after each bowel movement.
For the procedure, not only plain water is used, but also decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, yarrow, string, burnet and others).
For example, 25 g of dry herb is poured into 220 ml of boiling water and allowed to brew for an hour.
After this, the finished broth is strained, poured into molds and placed in the freezer for a day.
After 24 hours, the medicinal ice remedy is ready for use.
Ice prepared in this way can quickly stop the inflammatory process, speed up tissue restoration and reduce irritation.
Baths
Another effective way to combat the manifestations of hemorrhoids and prevent further deterioration of the condition is cold water baths. The same principle of gradualism applies here. Initially, water at room temperature is used and only after getting used to it, it can be reduced by about 1 °C per day. The time for taking such baths is from a few seconds to a minute.
How useful is the treatment of hemorrhoids with cold water and how to carry it out correctly, says an article by our expert.
Cold water against hemorrhoids
To eliminate characteristic symptoms, it is not necessary to use ice candles; cold water is quite suitable. This method is most often used for external hemorrhoids. Cold baths will help get rid of burning and swelling in the anus.
Cold baths help relieve burning and itching
To carry out the procedure, fill the basin with cold water, sit in it, and slightly spread the buttocks. In this case, the anorectal area should be covered with water. Doctors recommend lowering the temperature gradually, that is, at first it is 35°, and with each procedure it is reduced by 0.5–1 degree.
The duration of the procedure is also gradually increased, that is, the first session lasts 5 minutes, the next 6 minutes, etc. After the procedure, the anus is blotted with a clean towel or napkin. Take such baths in the morning and before going to bed. To improve the result, instead of plain water, you can use herbal decoctions (chamomile, calendula, sage) or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Contraindications
Despite all the advantages, this method of treating hemorrhoidal cones, such as cold, has a number of contraindications.
The use of ice is prohibited when:
- oncological diseases of any stage. The stress that the body experiences during sudden exposure to cold can provoke further accelerated development of a cancerous tumor;
- lesions of the central nervous system and epilepsy. Sudden changes in temperature have a negative effect on a patient with such diseases;
- disturbances in the functioning of the heart;
- infectious diseases;
- colds and various inflammations of the genitourinary system;
- skin rashes.
This method should not be used by those who have increased sensitivity to cold. In addition, hemorrhoids and ice are absolutely incompatible for thrombosis of hemorrhoids.
