Causes and treatment of postpartum hemorrhoids

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Ngo Viet Thang - Gastroenterologist, Department of General Surgery, Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Women are very susceptible to postpartum hemorrhoids due to many reasons. This is a disease that has a significant impact on the health and psychology of the mother. At this time, conservative medical treatment is the preferred method because it is more suitable and safer for women who are breastfeeding. However, if the severity of postpartum hemorrhoids is too severe, surgical intervention is required.

1. Causes of postpartum hemorrhoids

The reason that women are very susceptible to postpartum hemorrhoids is from the following main reasons:
Had hemorrhoids before or during pregnancy, after giving birth, did not pay attention to take care of their own health, This has made hemorrhoids tend to become more severe and cause complications such as bleeding, hemorrhoid embolism. During pregnancy and labor, pushing is not done properly, which puts extra pressure on the abdomen, especially the pelvic region (lower part of the pelvis), making hemorrhoids prone to prolapse. go out. After women give birth, women start to apply different diets, some diets are not suitable, such as eating less green vegetables, or drinking less water... hemorrhoids worsen. In the last months of pregnancy, the fetus for many months is also capable of compressing and obstructing the return of the veins, causing the hemorrhoid plexus to swell, which is the cause of postpartum hemorrhoids. Being constipated after giving birth on a regular basis is at risk of hemorrhoids. When hemorrhoids grow a lot, they will prolapse outside the anus, often called internal hemorrhoids. Sitting or standing too much or not moving and moving are also causes of hemorrhoids. Women with chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis or hard labor... will increase intra-abdominal pressure, which increases the risk of hemorrhoids. Improper diet after giving birth can easily lead to hemorrhoids.
In women during pregnancy and after giving birth, there is a chance of increased blood clotting. Therefore, in pregnant and postpartum women, complications of hemorrhoid embolism often occur.

2. Easy-to-recognize signs of postpartum hemorrhoids

Signs of hemorrhoids include:
Blood in bowel movements At the beginning, blood usually appears in relatively small amounts and the frequency of bleeding is sparse. We can only detect anal bleeding when we look at the used toilet paper or see the presence of blood in the stool.
In the later stage, the condition of bleeding in the anus takes place in the direction of worsening. The bleeding began to tend to increase and with the amount of blood increasing day by day. Moreover, when having to defecate every time, patients with hemorrhoids can feel the blood flow very clearly.
Occasionally, blood from the hemorrhoid will bleed and may lead to a clot in the lumen of the rectum, which will result in blood clots in the stool.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids Depending on the degree of hemorrhoids, patients will also have different clinical manifestations. When hemorrhoids are at a mild level (about 1st or 2nd degree), they won't cause much difficulty or interfere with daily activities. But for hemorrhoids when they have begun to prolapse, grade 3 or higher, the patient will feel extremely uncomfortable and restless when defecating or when they need to move a lot, do heavy work.

Itchy anus When there are signs of hemorrhoids, the anus will become extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Making us lack confidence when going out to communicate.
Painful anal swelling This is a common manifestation in patients with postpartum hemorrhoids. This symptom occurs when there is an embolism of the external hemorrhoids or the prolapsed internal hemorrhoid is blocked causing embolism. Manifested as one or more swelling around the anus like a flower, so painful that the patient cannot sit, walk or do activities. The patient described the pain of an embolized hemorrhoid or an internal prolapsed hemorrhoid as greater than that of labor. This condition makes the patient very uncomfortable. Hemorrhoid embolism is common in pregnant and postpartum women because of favorable factors for hemorrhoid aggravation and hypercoagulability.
Symptoms of hemorrhoids or other diseases accompanied by anal pain with constipation and bloody stools or on toilet paper in the case of patients with anal fissures. In addition, the patient Hemorrhoids will have more minor manifestations such as mucus discharge at the anus and other accompanying pathological symptoms such as proctitis or possibly perianal dermatitis ...

3. Treatment of disease and how to take care of postpartum hemorrhoids

As soon as you receive your sister, she notices that blood shows the above symptoms, she should go to a specialist doctor for examination, advice and appropriate treatment measures.
Treatment of postpartum hemorrhoids at Vinmec The first priority of postpartum hemorrhoid treatment is conservative medical treatment, the drugs used will be considered to be appropriate and safe for women for their children. breastfeeding and ensure the effectiveness of treatment. However, in some cases, the disease is too severe, causing complications such as acute bleeding not effective with conservative treatment, embolization or necrosis of hemorrhoids requiring surgical intervention.
Commonly used drugs such as vasoconstrictor drugs and increase the strength of the vessel wall, help reduce the size of hemorrhoids as well as reduce bleeding, anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain, reduce swelling of hemorrhoids, antispasmodic drugs anal ring, stool softener to help defecate easier, avoid constipation and aggravate hemorrhoids.
Various surgical methods of treating hemorrhoids. The choice of method depends on the examination and clinical assessment, the choice of the patient is also a consideration factor before appointing the surgical method. The classic method of hemorrhoidectomy (Milligan Morgan, Ferguson, White Head) is indicated for cases of mixed hemorrhoids, hemorrhoids with embolism, internal prolapsed hemorrhoids with strangulation complications. In cases of simple internal hemorrhoids, grade III, IV, Longo surgery with the advantages of less postoperative pain, no open scar in the anal area after surgery, short hospital stay, few complications of anal stenosis, recovery time Fast is often the patient's choice.

When you go home, for the treatment to be more effective, you should regularly soak your anus with warm salt water for about 15 minutes a day, wash it with clean water after each bowel movement, you should eat a lot of green vegetables, fresh fruit and pay attention to drink enough water per day at least 1.5 liters of water; minimize the intake of hot spicy foods or stimulants; should rub the abdomen every time you have a bowel movement; exercise regularly every day. At the same time, women should avoid doing heavy work or standing or sitting for too long ...
Postpartum hemorrhoids are not difficult to detect, because its signs are easy to recognize. When you discover hemorrhoids after giving birth, you should go to the most secure medical facility for examination and treatment, so that the treatment can be most effective.
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