Hemorrhoids aren’t uncommon, affecting 1 in every 20 Americans. If you thought it was a woman’s disease, you were mistaken. It may affect both genders, but women are known to report hemorrhoids more to doctors than men. But don’t receive treatment that effectively.
The mean age at which both men and women suffer from hemorrhoids is when they reach 50. When mentioning women, it is essential to state that many of them are prone to this condition during pregnancy and even during childbirth.
In recent times, many women with hemorrhoids have asked how their condition would be in Menopause. Would it aggravate, or will their hemorrhoids go away? Some have even wanted to know how Menopause causes hemorrhoids. A woman told us, “After 40s, I seem to experience constipation quite often. Will it put me at the risk of hemorrhoids?”
Our esteemed guest, Dr. Karen Pike, will answer your questions in depth. Dr. Pike has contributed significantly to the medical field and achieved a remarkable feat through her website Simply Menopause to spread awareness among women. Here, we present excerpts of the interesting interview.
Dr. Karen Pike
Table of Contents
Interview with Dr. Karen Pike
Hello! Dr. Pike. We welcome you onboard and thank you heartily for answering some of the most vital questions our viewers would like to know about hemorrhoids and their impact on Menopause. Kudos to you for your intense program to spread awareness of Menopause. That’s the need of the hour. So, let’s get started for a fulfilling session without further delay.
Question: Does Menopause result in hemorrhoids?
Dr. Pike: Thank you for having me over to speak on such an important topic. Most of us know that hemorrhoids are common in women during pregnancy, more specifically in the third trimester. Moreover, women who have had a prolonged pregnancy or had to strain for over 20 minutes during childbirth are also at an increased risk of hemorrhoids.
Now, if you ask me if Menopause causes hemorrhoids or not, I would say NO, it isn’t directly responsible. However, there is an indirect connection. The low estrogen levels in Menopause slow the gut movement. This may result in constipation. When you constantly strain a lot while eliminating, it may manifest into hemorrhoids eventually.
Reduced estrogen levels also increase cortisol, which stimulates the stress hormones. Increased anxiety can lead to bloating and diarrhea. When you pass watery stools for a prolonged period, the gastric acid or bile present in it irritates your rectum, often resulting in hemorrhoids. If you already have hemorrhoids from before, then unstable bowel movements could increase its severity.
Question: What is the difference between external and internal hemorrhoids?
Dr. Pike: This is a common question that I have been asked quite often. Some women say that they bleed while straining, but that isn’t painful. Some, however, mention about painful rectal bleeding. That depends on the kind of hemorrhoids you have.
Internal hemorrhoids are the ones where you bleed but do not experience any pain. The swollen veins mainly develop within the rectum.
In the case of external hemorrhoids, the swollen veins develop beneath the skin around the anal region. They look like hard, tiny lumps that could be blood-filled and clotted. They could sometimes bleed but are mostly itchy, swollen, and painful.
You may not have heard of prolapsed hemorrhoids. Right? Well, both types of hemorrhoids – internal and external may prolapse when they stretch and bulge or hang out of the anus. The outcome may be intense pain and bleeding.
Question: How can you manage or control hemorrhoids?
Dr. Pike: When you follow proper management measures, you can control hemorrhoids to a greater extent. That’s common advice I give to my patients, and I would like to say the same for my readers as well.
- The first thing to keep in mind is your diet. If constipation has led to the condition, you must add sufficient fiber to your food. Women need approximately 25g of fiber each day. Ensure that you adhere to this number.
Dietary fiber helps to increase your stool’s size and weight, softening it and making it easy to pass. Similarly, if you have watery stools, adding sufficient fiber to your diet helps solidify them. This is because fiber makes your stool bulky by absorbing water. By absorbing water. Here are some fiber-rich foods:
- Pear
- Avocado
- Strawberry
- Apple
- Raspberry
- Oats
- Blackberry
- Banana
- Beet
- Carrot
- Blueberry
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprout
- Spinach
- Kale
- Lentil
- Quinoa
- Almonds
- Potato
- Turnip Green
- Chia Seeds
- Sweet Potatoes
However, when adding fiber to your diet, ensure you do not overdo it. Increasing your fiber intake too quickly could adversely affect your digestion. That’s why it is always safe to consult a doctor when altering your diet plan to manage constipation or diarrhea.
- Staying hydrated is another essential aspect to take care of. Drinking at least eight to ten cups of water daily is helpful for constipation. Having sufficient fluids helps soften your stool, making it pass quickly. For women transitioning into Menopause or those who have already entered Menopause, staying hydrated also helps to boost their overall health.
- If your rectum is inflamed or painful, a warm sitz bath for around 20 minutes when taken at least twice or thrice a day, may help. Your doctor may even suggest ointments or creams to lessen anal pain and discomfort. For hardened stools, the healthcare provider could also prescribe laxatives.
Pain-relieving medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin also help with temporary pain relief. However, before applying any ointment or taking any medicine to treat hemorrhoids, always seek a doctor’s consultation. I never advise or encourage self-treatment. You could be doing more harm than good in that way.
- A vital thing to keep in mind is to avoid straining when eliminating. When you do the same, it puts a lot of pressure on your veins of the lower rectum, making you more susceptible to hemorrhoids. If you are already experiencing this condition, straining could worsen things.
Question: What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?
Dr. Pike: The symptoms vary as per the type of hemorrhoids you may have. When you have internal hemorrhoids, one of the primary symptoms is bleeding when you pass stool. Since this kind of hemorrhoid develops inside your rectum, there isn’t usually any pain unless it has prolapsed.
In the case of external hemorrhoids, some of the common symptoms include:
- Anal irritation or itching
- Discomfort and pain
- Swelling near the anal area
- Bleeding
- A hardened discolored lump in the area surrounding the anus (especially if there has been any blood clot)
Question: What happens to hemorrhoids after Menopause?
Dr. Pike: The time taken to treat hemorrhoids depends on its severity and even how fast you’ve addressed the concern. In some individuals, hemorrhoids go away in a few days. In some, it could take time or even increase in size. However, the condition could recur in certain people, especially if proper care isn’t taken.
A patient once said that with warm baths and oral medications, her hemorrhoids were managed. However, after a month, it came back, and she had a tough time managing it. Medical intervention was needed.
Women who have had constipation or diarrhea due to hormonal imbalances may experience an improvement in their condition with lifestyle changes. When you have better bowel movements, you will be at a lesser risk of hemorrhoids. However, if you already have hemorrhoids, they will not go away after Menopause. Instead, the prognosis depends on how effectively you manage it.
Question: How do you treat hemorrhoids?
Dr. Pike: The treatment depends on the severity of your hemorrhoids. In mild cases, hemorrhoids get better with OTCs and home treatment. However, if the hemorrhoids have resulted in intense bleeding and appear hard and swollen, surgery may be needed for their removal.
Rubber band ligation is considered a non-surgical procedure, mainly for treating internal hemorrhoids. There are other procedures as well.
Having said this, I would like to mention that studies show around 80% of hemorrhoids don’t need surgical intervention.
Final Thoughts
We hope this informative interview helps you clear your doubts about hemorrhoids and their severity in Menopause. As an ending note, Dr. Pike requested her readers never to ignore their symptoms. She said. ” If you have persistent pain, itching, or bleeding in your anal area for over a week, always contact your doctor. Early intervention is always a boon.”
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