Hemorrhoids are a common reason for doctor visits. More than 3.5 million outpatient visits occur every year due to hemorrhoids.
Gastrointestinal symptoms like hemorrhoids affect many people every day. Unfortunately, they don’t always go away on their own. But the good news is that hemorrhoids are treatable.
This article will help you learn more about hemorrhoids and what types of doctors can best treat them. We’ll outline standard hemorrhoid treatment options, including minimally invasive procedures and surgery. Read on to see if you may benefit from visiting your doctor for hemorrhoid treatment.
Understanding Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are columns of tissue that line the lower rectum and anus. They swell during bowel movements to protect the anal canal and shrink to their normal size afterwards to maintain continence. There are two types of hemorrhoids: internal and external.
Internal hemorrhoids are inside the anal canal. In some cases, they can prolapse outside the anus. External hemorrhoids occur around the outside of the anus. When hemorrhoids stay swollen and enlarged, they can cause uncomfortable symptoms.
When to See a Doctor for Hemorrhoids
While hemorrhoids can be embarrassing, knowing when to seek treatment is important. You should make an appointment with your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms:
- Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool
- Severe rectal pain or discomfort, especially when sitting down
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bowel changes such as diarrhea, constipation, or thin stools
You may still benefit from treatment even if your symptoms are mild. If hemorrhoids make you feel self-conscious or at-home remedies aren’t working, you should talk to your doctor about your hemorrhoid treatment options.
Types of Hemorrhoid Doctors
Many doctors can provide hemorrhoid treatment. But you may need to see a specialist for more severe hemorrhoids. Keep reading to learn more about what types of doctors can help with hemorrhoids.
Primary Care Doctors
Primary care doctors are doctors that you see for regular medical check-ups. They can treat a variety of common medical problems. Primary care doctors have four years of medical school education and at least three years of medical residency.
These types of doctors can provide conservative treatment for hemorrhoids. They may provide education on lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of hemorrhoids. This includes getting regular exercise, eating more fiber, staying hydrated, and avoiding prolonged sitting. Primary care doctors may also prescribe stool softeners to reduce straining.
Gastroenterologists
Gastroenterologists are doctors that specialize in the treatment of the gastrointestinal system. They attend four years of medical school, three years of internal medicine residency, and three years of gastroenterology fellowship.
Gastroenterologists can treat more severe hemorrhoids that don’t respond to conservative measures. They can perform minimally invasive procedures such as hemorrhoid banding and sclerotherapy.
Hemorrhoids often cause painless rectal bleeding, which is also a sign of colon cancer. A gastroenterologist can confirm a diagnosis of hemorrhoids and rule out other causes of your symptoms.
To learn more about a gastroenterologist near you, visit Dr. Islam’s bio page to view his credentials and patient care philosophy.
Colorectal Surgeons
Colorectal surgeons are doctors that specialize in surgery of the gastrointestinal tract. They complete five years of general surgical residency after medical school. Colorectal surgeons then receive additional surgical training for conditions that affect the colon, rectum, and anus.
Preparing for Your Appointment
If you want to get the most out of your doctor appointment, you can prepare ahead of time by:
- Making a list of your symptoms. This list should include how long you’ve dealt with specific symptoms and what makes them better or worse.
- Recording your bowel habits and diet in a journal. You can include how much water you drink daily, what foods you eat, and when you use the bathroom.
- Listing out all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you take.
These types of doctors can perform surgery to remove hemorrhoids. Your gastroenterologist may refer you to a colorectal surgeon if less invasive treatments aren’t adequate. Colorectal surgeons regularly perform hemorrhoidectomy and stapled hemorrhoidopexy procedures.
Hemorrhoid Treatment Options
There are many hemorrhoid treatment options to choose from. Picking the best treatment for you depends on factors such as the type and severity of the hemorrhoid, its impact on your daily life, and your pain level.
The most common treatments that can provide permanent relief include:
- Hemorrhoid banding. This minimally invasive procedure is also called rubber band ligation. It removes internal hemorrhoids by placing a band around the base of the hemorrhoid, which cuts off its blood supply. The loss of blood flow to the anal area may also shrink external hemorrhoids. You may feel some pressure during the placement of the band. But this procedure is painless and takes less than ten minutes to perform. Hemorrhoid banding has no recovery time. It also has the lowest rate of recurrence for hemorrhoids. To learn more, please visit our hemorrhoid banding webpage.
- Sclerotherapy. This outpatient procedure treats internal hemorrhoids by injecting them with a sclerotic agent. The injection stops blood flow to the hemorrhoid and causes it to shrink. This procedure is generally painless and works best on small internal hemorrhoids. It’s not as effective for prolapsed hemorrhoids.
- Hemorrhoidectomy. This surgical procedure cuts out the hemorrhoidal tissue and ties off the vein inside it. A hemorrhoidectomy can remove external hemorrhoids and prolapsed internal hemorrhoids. For this procedure, you need more downtime to allow the surgical incision to heal. You will most likely experience higher pain levels during recovery.
- Stapled hemorrhoidopexy. This surgical procedure treats prolapsed hemorrhoids by stapling them to the rectum. A staple holds the hemorrhoid in place so that it remains inside the rectum. It also reduces the blood supply to the hemorrhoid, which makes it shrink. The recovery is quicker and less painful than a hemorrhoidectomy. But it has a higher chance of hemorrhoid recurrence. This procedure can’t treat thrombosed internal hemorrhoids or external hemorrhoids.
When Do Hemorrhoids Need Surgery?
Most hemorrhoids don’t need surgery. But surgical treatment may be necessary for severe cases. Grades 3 and 4 internal hemorrhoids and painful external hemorrhoids meet the criteria for surgery.
Internal hemorrhoids range from grades 1 through 4. In grades 3 and 4 hemorrhoids prolapse outside the anal canal. You can push grade 3 hemorrhoids back into the anus. But grade 4 hemorrhoids remain prolapsed at all times. These types of hemorrhoids may cause more discomfort. They also have a greater risk of complications such as strangulation and blood clots.
Surgery is an effective treatment for advanced hemorrhoids. But recovery is more prolonged and more painful compared to less invasive treatments. Surgery poses risks such as infection, bleeding, anal strictures, incontinence, and urinary retention.
For internal hemorrhoids that haven’t advanced to grade 4, hemorrhoid banding may be a better treatment option. Hemorrhoid banding is a non-surgical alternative that offers permanent hemorrhoid removal. Because this procedure is minimally invasive, it has fewer risks. Moreover, hemorrhoid banding is quick, painless, and needs no downtime. Medicare and most insurance plans cover this procedure.
Hemorrhoid Doctor in Lubbock, TX
Primary care doctors can treat mild cases of hemorrhoids with conservative treatments. Over-the-counter treatments such as hemorrhoid creams only provide temporary symptom relief. They aren’t a permanent solution.
If you have recurrent hemorrhoids or simply want long-term relief, your primary doctor can refer you to a specialist. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons have extensive medical training to treat gastrointestinal conditions. They can perform a variety of procedures to remove hemorrhoids.
When selecting your hemorrhoid doctor in Lubbock, TX, it’s important to do your research. You should read online reviews to see the quality of care you can expect. It would be best to ask your doctor questions about the condition and treatment of your hemorrhoids.
Surgical hemorrhoid treatments have more risks. They also take longer to recover from than non-surgical treatments. Discussing your treatment options with your doctor can help you decide what treatment is best for you. Making lifestyle changes after your treatment is critical to prevent your hemorrhoids from recurring.
If you want to get rid of hemorrhoids for good, you can schedule an appointment online or call our office at (806) 696-4440.
