Tag Archives: rectal itching

How Many Times can You Have the Rubber Band Ligation Treatments | Minnesota

Rubber band ligation (RBL) is one of the common procedures to treat hemorrhoids. RBL is an office procedure that mainly treat the prolapsed hemorrhoids in the advanced grade 2 and grade 3 hemorrhoids.

RBL is very effective in treating hemorrhoids, but it is not very efficient because RBL treatment is usually limited to one hemorrhoid each office visit and additional areas may be treated at 2 week intervals. Most patients need 2-4 RBL sessions. The patients will have more rectal discomfort, rectal tenesmus (feeling of incomplete defecation), and pain if given the RBL in two locations at the same time.

The hemorrhoid tissue has to be prolapsed enough to be tied off at its base with rubber bands, so it cannot be performed if there is not enough tissue to be pulled into the barrel in the banding device. This procedure is almost never appropriate for grade 1 or mild grade 2 hemorrhoids. The infra-red coagulation (IRC) is the better option for early and mild hemorrhoids.

The RBL process involves a doctor inserting an anoscope into the anus and grasping the prolapsed hemorrhoid with a long clamp to place a rubber band around its base. With the rubber band in place, the hemorrhoid dies off in a few days or a week. The procedure is done in a doctor’s office and only a couple of minutes.

After the procedure, some patients may feel tightness, mild pain or have the feeling of bowel movement. Most patients are able to return to regular activities (but avoid heavy lifting) almost immediately. If you feel some pain after banding, you may use Tylenol or Ibuprofen as needed and do a lot of Sitz bath to relieve discomfort. Some patients may have slight rectal bleeding in a week. If you notice significant rectal bleeding, then you should call your doctor’s office.

Posted in hemorrhoid banding, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Proctalgia Fugax Means “Fleeting” Rectal Pain | Minneapolis & St Paul

8%-18% of people have it. And of those people, only 20-30% seek a professional diagnosis for it. Patients suffer from episodes of severe pain that can make it difficult to function in their daily lives. What is this mysterious ailment?

Proctalgia fugax is the answer. Proctalgia fugax, fugax meaning “fleeting” in Latin, is a condition that causes severe episodic pain in the anorectal area caused by cramps in the levator ani, the main pelvic floor muscle. Attacks typically occur at night and are often mistaken as an urge to defecate. When the levator ani spasms, the result is anorectal pain lasting anywhere from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Men may even get an involuntary erection! This condition typically starts around the age of 45. While it does not cause physical damage to the body, proctalgia fugax can be very painful and debilitating.

Proctalgia fugax cannot be cured, but its symptoms can be managed. Here’s a list of some of the many treatments that can help ease the pain during an attack:
1. Warm baths
2. Warm enemas
3. Cold packs
4. Relaxation techniques
5. Salbutamol inhaler – Usually used for bronchitis, salbutamol inexplicably seems to shorten episodes of pain
6. Botox – Inhibits acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that controls muscle, which reduces contractions
7. Topical calcium channel blockers – Vasodilates blood vessels, reduces muscle contractions
8. Counseling – Stress can be a major trigger of proctalgia fugax. Eliminating stress may reduce the frequency of attacks.
9. Galvanic stimulation – High voltage stimulation has been shown to reduce frequency of attacks
10. Treatments of the underlying diseases, such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Overall, proctalgia fugax can be a real nuisance. The 8%-18% figure above may be even greater in reality because so few people seek treatment. And it’s understandable why people don’t- it’s an uncomfortable and embarrassing thing to talk about. Many will just try to ride it out. Proctalgia fugax can be a struggle. It’s not worth the loss in quality of life. If you feel that proctalgia fugax is making your life worse, it might be time to see your doctor.

Posted in Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoids, rectal pain | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rectal Examination Process in Hemorrhoid Care | Minnesota

Anorectal assessments include visual inspection, palpation, digital rectal examination and anoscopic examination. The patient typically lies sideway on his or her left side with the patient’s knees flexed toward the chest (left lateral decubitus position), which is allows comfort for the patient as well as good visualization and access for the examiner.

The doctor usually inspects the entire perianal area first. It is common that patient apprehension is great before any anal examination, and you may slowly take deep breath and try to relax. The doctor gently spread your buttocks to allow easy visualization of anus.

The doctor often the following signs by simple inpection.
1. Redundant tissue
2. Skin tags, anal polyps, and anal cancer
3. External hemorrhoids
4. Anal warts
5. Fissures and fistulas
6. Signs of infection or abscess formation
7. Rectal or internal hemorrhoidal prolapse.

The digital exam is to palpate any suspicious mass lesion in the anorectal canal. Because internal hemorrhoids are soft vascular structures, they are usually not palpable unless thrombosed. The prostate in men is palpated during the rectal exam.

anoscopeAnoscopy is a simple medical procedure that can help your doctor identify an abnormality in your anus and distal rectum.

To perform an anoscopy, your doctor will insert a device called an anoscope into your anus. This scope is typically 3-4 inches long, made of plastic or stainless steel . An anoscope allows your doctor to get a detailed look at the tissue within your anorectal areas.

Anoscopy is to confirm the diagnosis of hemorrhoids, severity of hemorrhoids, anal fissure and other anorectal diseases.

Posted in Anorectal Diseases, Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatment, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Three KEY BENEFITS OF INFRARED COAGULATION THERAPY FOR INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS | Minneapolis & St Paul

Many Americans experience hemorrhoids. The exact prevalence is unknown because most patients are asymptomatic and do not seek care from a physician. It may affect approximately half the population by the age of 50. Hemorrhoids are more prevalent in persons 45 to 65 years of age.

Although the precise cause is not well understood, hemorrhoids are associated with intrinsic weakness in rectal hemorrhoidal tissues with conditions that increase pressure in the hemorrhoidal venous plexus, such as straining during bowel movements secondary to constipation. Other risk factors include obesity, pregnancy, constipation, chronic diarrhea, anal intercourse, and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Hemorrhoidal size, location, and thrombosis, determine the extent of pain or discomfort. Internal hemorrhoids, proximal to the dentate line, are traditionally graded from I to IV based on the extent of prolapse. External hemorrhoids and anal tags, distal to the dentate line, develop secondary to internal hemorrhoids or result of thrombosis.

The ideal treatments for early stages of internal hemorrhoids are always debated. Some are more effective but are more painful, others are less painful but their efficacy is also lower. Thus, comfort or efficacy is a major concern.

Medical management (e.g., stool softeners, topical over-the-counter preparations), dietary modifications (e.g., increased fiber and water intake), and behavioral therapies (good toilet habit, sitz baths) are the mainstays of initial therapy.

If conservative management is unsuccessful, office-based, non-surgical treatments of grades I to III are the preferred next step and the common treatment options include infra-red coagulation and rubber band ligation. The studies showed that band ligation, although more effective in controlling symptoms and obliterating hemorrhoids, is associated with more pain and discomfort to the patient. As infrared coagulation can be conveniently repeated in case of recurrence, it could be considered to be a suitable alternative office procedure for the treatment of early stage hemorrhoids.

Excisional hemorrhoidectomy leads to greater surgical success rates but also incurs more pain and a prolonged recovery than office-based procedures; therefore, hemorrhoidectomy should be reserved for recurrent or higher-grade disease.

3 KEY BENEFITS OF INFRARED COAGULATION THERAPY FOR INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS

Infrared coagulation is quick and near painless
Infrared coagulation can reduce or eliminate the hemorrhoid with a series of a few quick and near painless treatments using short bursts of hot light.

The primary benefits of infrared coagulation are the quick and near painless treatments. While a series of 3 or 4 treatments is normally required over a 2 month period to reduce hemorrhoid, the individual treatments only take a few minutes, and require no recovery time. This is a big perk compared to taking several days off for surgery and recovery, which can be required in the most severe cases.

Infrared coagulation is nonsurgical

While many people associate hemorrhoids with painful surgery, only a small percentage of patients actually require surgery. Hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove most severe hemorrhoids. Instead, infrared coagulation, or other nonsurgical treatments, can reduce or eliminate the source of a hemorrhoi. The treatment is performed right in the office with no anesthesia, incisions, or stitches.

Infrared coagulation is effective
Nonsurgical treatments are simple, quick and convenient, but they must also offer a certain level of effectiveness. To that end, infrared coagulation is up to 95% effective.
If you’d like to see how infrared coagulation can help you, give Procedure Clinic a call today at (952) 922-2151 to schedule a consultation. You can enjoy lasting relief from hemorrhoid pain!

Posted in Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoidectomy, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

The External Hemorrhoidectomy Recovery Process

What happens afterwards? The External Hemorrhoidectomy Recovery Process.

If you’ve only local anesthetic was used, you’ll be able to go home right after surgery. Most external hemorrhoidectomies are performed under local anesthesia without any sedation. If you have large external hemorrhoids or mixed hemorrhoids, you may be given oral or intravenous sedation, and you leave once the sedative wears off, you need to arrange a driver . General anesthesia is typically unnecessary for external hemorrhoidectomy.

Following an external hemorrhoidectomy, the recovery should involve a little time off work (a couple of days), and avoiding intense physical strain; that said, it is important to try to remain active while you recuperate.

Pain management after an external hemorrhoidectomy is important part of recovery. Your bowels still need to keep work while recovering, except now it has a wound in it. It is almost certainly going to be quite sore at first.

Most patients go through bowel preparation before surgery, and as a result usually don’t have any bowel movements in the first day or even 2nd day. You should reduce the amount of food you eat in the first 2 days in order to reduce the bowel movements. You’ll also get some fiber and medication to soften your stool, allowing you to pass it more easily and with less disturbance to the operative wounds. For similar reasons, you should make sure you drink plenty of water, at least 6 to 8 glasses every day. This also helps keep your stools soft and easy to move.

Tylenol or Ibuprofen is usually sufficient for pain control. If the pain is severe, stronger painkillers such as narcotics may help keep it in check. That said, you are discouraged from using them since narcotics may cause constipation, which affects the wound healing.

It is also important to give yourself a Sitz bath three times a day, 15 minutes each time to help the wound healing and prevent infection. Wash or soak after each bowel movement, and Keep the anus clean and dry.

The pain ought to lessen as the wound heals over, which is a fairly fast process – everything should be back to normal, and pain-free, within two to three weeks.

Posted in External Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoidectomy, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The Management of Anal Tags | Minneapolis & St Paul

Anal tagHave you been using too much toilet paper because of pesky anal tags? Hemorrhoidal skin tags are flaps of skin or flesh found around the anus. They often form as a result of an existing hemorrhoid.

Anal tags are the shapeless lumps and flaps of skin and tissue found at the anal verge. They’re quite common and usually come with other anorectal problems, such as hemorrhoids.

Anal skin tags often occur if an individual heals the thrombosed external hemorrhoids at home without surgery, the thrombosed hemorrhoids may leave behind skin tags. Anal sentinel tags may also form because of non-hemorrhoid causes, such as anal fissure, surgery, or infection, etc.

Despite the fact that people often confuse them with cancerous growths, skin tags are benign and present no serious health concerns.

Hemorrhoidal skin tags often don’t cause significant rectal symptoms, but they often affect the cleansing after bowel movement. If feces become trapped beneath the skin tags, it can cause irritation and lead to itching and further inflammation. Skin tags can also cause pain when it flairs up or if there’s another underlying rectal problem.

Patients suffering discomfort or itching due to hemorrhoidal skin tags can treat the condition with the following:

  • Thorough cleaning of the affected area after bowel movement. May use gentle cleansers, such as witch hazel or aloe vera extract.
  • Do a Sitz bath with warm water.
  • May use OTC hemorrhoid cream to reduce irritation and swelling.
  • If the skin tags frequently cause symptoms, individuals may consider having them removed surgically.
  • Most patients who have anal tags often have hemorrhoids, too, they should consider complete care by treating internal hemorrhoids before removal of anal tags or at the same time.

Excision of anal tags:
Anal tags can easily be removed in the office using local anesthetic. A radiofrequency device is used to get rid of skin tabs and resurface the anal area to acquire a good cosmetic result. The procedure takes less than 10 minutes and patients are safe to drive immediately afterwards. There may be mild postoperative pain and discomfort with bowel movement in the first week. The patients are typically able to go back to work next day although the whole healing process may take a few weeks. If the patient needs a hemorrhoidectomy, anal tags can be removed together as part of hemorrhoidectomy. If the anal tag is extensive, two stages of surgery may be necessary to avoid anal stenosis.

Posted in Anal lump, anal tags, Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatment, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoidectomy, Hemorrhoids, rectal lump | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Find a Qualified Hemorrhoid Doctor | Minnesota

A hemorrhoid is a common illness that numerous Minnesotans suffer from. If you suffer from hemorrhoids, the good news is that the symptoms of mild hemorrhoids usually improve on their own with at-home treatments. But what if they get to the point where you need to see a doctor for an evaluation or treat them? How do you choose where to go and what doctor is right for you?
Here’s what you should know about finding the right hemorrhoid doctor for you:

The hemorrhoid procedures are usually conducted by colorectal surgeons, general surgeons, and family physicians. Here are some tips to help find a qualified doctor who can provide hemorrhoid care.

1. Check doctors’ credentials; besides basic medical credentials, the most important questions you need to ask are:

  • How many hemorrhoid procedures does the doctor performs every week?
  • How many years has the doctor been providing hemorrhoid care?
  • Does the doctor provide complete hemorrhoid care by offering all available hemorrhoid procedures such as IRC, banding and surgeries?
  • What is the complication rate?
  • Does the doctor offer the convenient and alternative hemorrhoid care delivery system?

    • Experience matters.

    2. You may ask if the doctor uses any newer non-surgical technologies or surgical techniques. It makes a big difference in many aspects between the combined non-surgical and surgical approach and traditional hemorrhoidectomy only approach since not every patient needs hemorrhoidectomy. Some family doctors offer hemorrhoid cream only and other surgeons offer hemorrhoidectomy only. In fact, hemorrhoid care should be based on the severity of hemorrhoids, and the treatment plan should be customized based on each patient’s needs.

    3. There are a multitude of sources that offer information on hemorrhoid doctors in a patient’s area. These include Google searches, insurance companies, and primary-care doctors. If the patient knows any friends, family members and colleagues who have had hemorrhoid treatment, ask them about their personal experience with that particular hemorrhoid doctor and clinic. This information may be more in-depth, and can also provide the patient with a better understanding of the whole process of hemorrhoid care and what to expect.

    4. Once a number of hemorrhoid doctors have been identified, try to find out more about them. While credentials and clinical experience are important to consider, there are also practical considerations to take into account. These factors indirectly indicate how much the doctors are committed to hemorrhoid care and quality of hemorrhoid care.

    a. You should review their website to see if:

  • It is an informative and well-designed website
  • The contents are frequently updated
  • There is a user friendly online registration.
  • It is a dynamic website with ongoing blog posting
  • There are positive testimonials. There is a big difference in the evaluation of patient satisfaction between a few outdated testimonials and hundreds of recent testimonials.

    • b. If the price is affordable, ask about the total cost.

    c. You should find the whole hemorrhoid care system to be a friendly and patient-oriented service. For example, One Stop Medical Center offers the Easy Hemorrhoid Care with one trip care system.

    d. Consider the office location and convenience.

    e. Evaluate the quality of customer service: how the patient is treated on the phone during inquires, the cleanliness of the office, the attitudes of the staff during initial contacting, the level of the procedure room (simple office room or higher level of Surgicenter), and other less-tangible measurements should also influence your decision.

    Posted in Easy Hemorrhoid Care, External Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatment, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoidectomy, Hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

    When Should I Call a Doctor in the Hemorrhoid Clinic to Treat My Hemorrhoids? | Minneapolis & St Paul

    Hemorrhoid disease is not a cancer, and it usually doesn’t kill you. However, it often affects the quality of life. Letting a hemorrhoid go untreated can lead to serious complications
    If you suffer from hemorrhoids, you’re not alone. A hemorrhoid is a common illness that numerous Minnesotans suffer from. It is estimated that more than 10 million people in the United States suffer from hemorrhoids on a daily basis. Approximately three out of four people will develop hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. And while sometimes the symptoms are minor enough to be managed by yourself with home remedies. It’s important to know when you need to call a doctor.

    For the majority of hemorrhoid cases, using home remedies will only temporarily help to relieve the symptoms for a short period of time while prolonging the problem since it typically only addresses the symptoms rather than the root cause of hemorrhoids, Talking to a doctor can put you on track toward correct diagnosis and the treatment that will relieve you of your painful, inflamed hemorrhoids for good. Plus, hemorrhoids can be a sign of more serious medical issues, such as colon cancer or rectal cancer – so it’s important to get them checked out by a physician.
    Contact a doctor to treat hemorrhoids if:

    • Experiencing any rectal bleeding.
    • Having black stool
    • Noticing an anal lump
    • Experiencing changing and worsening rectal symptoms
    • Have abdominal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea or constipation
    • Having very thin and small size of stool

    What About Non-surgical Hemorrhoid Treatments?
    The non-surgical hemorrhoid treatments like the infrared coagulation and the rubber band ligation are quick, simple, and virtually pain-free, and they are safe and effective office procedures. One Stop Medical Center offers the Easy Hemorrhoid Care with convenient, minimally invasive hemorrhoid treatments.

    Posted in Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

    Do I have Internal or External Hemorrhoids? | Minnesota

    You’re might be reading this because you saw blood on your toilet paper. Or maybe it was because it’s so itchy down there and it makes your life a living hell in public, or even worse- it hurts when you have a bowel movement. Well, you and 75% of the population are or will be wondering the same thing. Most likely, you have hemorrhoids.

    Now, you probably want to know more about them. It’s your body, after all. Essentially, there are three types of hemorrhoids – internal, external, and mixed, which are usually the result of intrinsic weakness of local hemorrhoid tissue with other factors, including excessive or prolonged straining, pregnancy, constipation, heavy lifting, or just unfortunate genetics.
    Internal hemorrhoids form above the dentate line, while external hemorrhoids form below the dentate line. Mixed hemorrhoids can either refer to lesions formed at the dentate line, or to the presence of both internal and external hemorrhoids. Luckily, all of them can be treated fairly easily in a clinical setting.

    External Hemorrhoids
    External hemorrhoids are pretty easy to figure out when you feel bulges or bumps around the anus. It usually affects the cleansing after the bowel movement and cause the skin irritation and itching. The thrombosed external hemorrhoids occur if the varicose veins rupture and the blood clots develop, it is often accompanied by severe pain and swelling. Lots of people can self-diagnose external hemorrhoids, but a doctor’s visit is required to make sure since there are several other medical conditions look similar to external hemorrhoids, such as anal warts, sentinel pile of anal fissure, anal polyp and anal cancer.

    Internal Hemorrhoids
    Internal hemorrhoids, while not as apparent as external hemorrhoids, are far more common. It is the root cause of hemorrhoid disease. In fact, they are so common that 100% of the population has them. Normal hemorrhoidal tissue is actually a physical part of your body, not an affliction. They only become a problem once the connective tissue around it weakens and the veins become swollen.

    For many, the only sign of internal hemorrhoids might be bleeding. As the hemorrhoid grows, it may become prolapsed, which is certainly not a pretty sight. This means the hemorrhoid is bulging out of the anus. Prolapsed hemorrhoids will be pretty obvious and can be painful and itchy. They can often be pushed back in manually if they aren’t too big. Note that external hemorrhoids and internal prolapsed hemorrhoids are not the same thing, but many patients with external hemorrhoids also have internal hemorrhoids, and your doctor will be able to tell you which it is if you aren’t sure.

    Posted in External Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

    Ten Ways to Temporarily Alleviate Symptoms of Hemorrhoids | Minneapolis & St Paul

    You come home one day and in the bathroom you notice blood on the toilet paper after you wipe. It might hurt, and it might be itchy, and, like most adults, you probably haven’t been meeting your daily requirement for fiber lately. If you tick all these boxes, well, congratulations! You probably have hemorrhoids! and you should call your doctor’s office to make an appointment for the evaluation and treatment, especially when you have rectal bleeding. While you wait for your doctor’s appointment, you can start treating the rectal symptoms by yourself to temporarily alleviate the hemorrhoidal symptoms.

    1. Keep the area clean and dry. Do not wipe or rub vigorously.
    2. Take sitz bath in warm water for 15-20 min, 2-3 times a day and after every bowel movement. Sitz baths will help relieve discomfort and clean the area.
    3. Good toilet habits: move your bowels as soon as you feel the urge; Do not strain and bear down; Do not sit on the toilet for long periods of time.
    4. Avoid constipation by eating plenty of high-fiber foods, drink plenty of fluids, and exercise. If your diet is lack of fiber, y can also take two tablespoons of fiber supplement. If you develop constipation with hard stool, you may use a stool softener with or without laxative.
    5. Do not stay seated for more than two hours.
    6. Avoid heavy lifting for a few weeks.
    7. Do not drink alcohol or reduce alcohol intake.
    8. Apply hemorrhoid creams.
    9. Witch Hazel is found in many OTC hemorrhoid creams, you may use it since Witch hazel is an astringent that reduces swollen hemorrhoids.
    10. Put cold on the hemorrhoids every 5 minutes for a few times if you have the flair-up with swollen prolapsed hemorrhoids.

    Posted in Hemorrhoid, Hemorrhoid Care, hemorrhoid clinic, hemorrhoid doctor, Hemorrhoid prevention, Hemorrhoid treatment, Hemorrhoid treatments, Hemorrhoids | Tagged Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
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