There are a large number of medical and folk remedies and ways to cope with such an unpleasant disease as hemorrhoids. Home treatment methods sometimes run counter to conservative therapy, and controversial issues arise regarding certain procedures. One of these contradictions is the question of whether hemorrhoids can be heated, and whether this method will complicate the course of the disease. After all, traditional medicine has in its arsenal several procedures related to heat therapy.
Hemorrhoids and its features
The pathology of hemorrhoidal veins in men and women is formed when the vascular walls in the pelvic area are thinned and stretched. For this reason, nodes appear in which blood accumulates and stagnates, and deformation of the cavernous tissue begins. This happens due to a combination of the following factors:
- hereditary predisposition to vascular insufficiency;
- constant physical inactivity, lack of sufficient physical activity;
- non-compliance with proper nutrition, abuse of fatty, fried, spicy foods, alcohol and smoking;
- severe pressure drop in the pelvic area due to heavy lifting, pregnancy and childbirth, obesity.
The accumulation of blood in hemorrhoids leads to their enlargement, even greater stretching of the walls, and the formation of clots and blood clots. Such disturbances in vascular circulation are the main cause of the disease, accompanying pain syndrome and injury to the veins. As a result, the patient begins to bleed, anal fissures and other damage to the mucous membranes and tissues may form.
Briefly about hemorrhoids causes, development mechanism
In fact, hemorrhoids are the same varicose veins, only of hemorrhoidal vessels. The veins of the distal body of the rectal canal and the saphenous veins of the anal area dilate and twist, forming hemorrhoids, in which blood flow is slow and blood clots can form.
Varicose hemorrhoidal veins occur under the influence of a sedentary lifestyle, prolonged stay in one position, heavy physical labor, unhealthy diet, chronic constipation, genetic predisposition, as well as conditions in which the pressure inside the abdominal cavity increases, for example, pregnancy, ascites, etc. d.
Hemorrhoids are the same varicose veins, only of hemorrhoidal vessels. In the pathogenesis of hemorrhoids, the main factor is the failure of arteriovenous anastomoses (mechanisms for the redistribution of blood flows between vessels) of the rectal choroid plexus.
As a result, blood flow to the rectum increases, but the veins cannot cope with their functions, that is, draining blood. Therefore, hemorrhoidal vessels become overfilled and lose their tone.
Official medicine about warming up
In conservative drug therapy, heating hemorrhoids is strictly prohibited. When exposed to heat, veins and vessels begin to expand, their lumen increases. The already stretched walls of the hemorrhoids are further weakened, which can cause bleeding or even perforation. And the constant use of thermal procedures can cause significant damage and stretch the vascular walls.
About whether it is possible to heat hemorrhoids, you should only ask your doctor and follow his recommendations. Otherwise, there is a risk of harm, causing bleeding and complications of the disease. The main therapy should be medication, and folk remedies are exclusively complementary and are used only with the permission of the doctor.
Warming hemorrhoids can increase blood flow to the nodes and stagnation, leading to the occurrence of thrombosis.
Is it possible to visit saunas or steam baths?
Unfortunately, when symptoms of hemorrhoids appear, many people put off visiting a doctor and begin to use traditional medicine methods. However, before using this or that product, you should consult your doctor, as self-medication can lead to serious complications. Neither a bath nor a sauna is indicated for patients with hemorrhoidal formations in the anus. Such prohibitions are explained by the following reasons:
- Heat and hot air dilate blood vessels. Varicose veins throughout the body, near the anus, expand. This leads to blood stagnation and exacerbation of the disease.
- Heat increases blood flow. In advanced stages of hemorrhoids, severe bleeding can lead to cardiac arrest.
- Hemorrhoids and sauna are incompatible. High temperatures thicken the blood, which can lead to blood clots.
Vaping hemorrhoids is unsafe, regardless of the stage and form of the disease. The dangers of this procedure are obvious.
Traditional medicine opinion
Proponents of home treatment with folk remedies believe that hemorrhoids can be heated. In their opinion, the use of thermal procedures improves blood circulation and, conversely, reduces congestion in the nodes and pelvic area. In addition, it is claimed that heating helps the absorption of medications and helps speed up recovery.
To treat hemorrhoids, the arsenal of traditional medicine includes the application of hot water heating pads and various steam baths using herbal ingredients. But these are far from the best methods, since blood circulation cannot be improved by stretching the already dilated and weakened vessel walls. Warming will not cause them to contract, and the venous drainage necessary in the treatment of hemorrhoids will not occur properly.
At the earliest stages of the disease, methods involving heating are usually useless, and at later stages they can only do harm. It is possible to use warm or cool baths, but in no case hot ones.
For hemorrhoids, cooling procedures are recommended to narrow the lumen of blood vessels and reduce pain. They help stop or significantly reduce bleeding and alleviate the condition.
General contraindications
Whatever medicine the patient chooses - traditional or folk, hemorrhoids cannot be heated if:
- the stage of exacerbation occurs;
- benign neoplasms are present;
- there are malignant tumors;
- history of hypertension.
Hemorrhoids should not be heated in men if there is an acute phase of prostatitis. The procedure promotes the spread of the inflammatory process.
If symptoms of hemorrhoids appear, you should not self-medicate. Only a doctor can answer whether heat can be used to treat a disease.
Pain, itching and burning in the anal area indicate the presence of hemorrhoids. This disease not only interferes with everyday life, but also aggravates the condition of the body. There are difficulties with bowel movements. In the initial stages of hemorrhoids, few people go to the doctor, trying to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms on their own. Traditional medicine actively promotes heating hemorrhoids. Is it possible to heat hemorrhoids?
Sauna and steam bath for hemorrhoids
Sometimes, as a general vascular strengthening therapy, patients are recommended to visit baths or saunas. But this can only be done by those who have the disease in the early stages. Your stay in the steam room should be very short, followed by diving into a cool pool. You should not sit in the heat for a long time - this can provoke pathological dilation of blood vessels not only in the pelvic area, but also in the brain, and this is much more dangerous.
Even in a steam room, it is advisable for a patient with hemorrhoids to sit in a container with cool water to avoid temperature influences and strong changes. The contrast of heat and cold actually makes the walls of the veins contract better and stimulates their activity. But it must be remembered that when visiting a bathhouse or sauna, the patient always risks the health of his blood vessels and increases the risk of prolapse of nodes. The steam room can easily provoke bleeding and increased pain.
What are hemorrhoids
To correctly answer the question posed, you need to understand what the disease is, what are the causes of this intimate disease, and how it manifests itself. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins in which the walls of the veins in the rectum change. The consequence of this process is stagnation of blood in the pelvis.
The disease is easy to identify by its symptoms. The manifestations are as follows: a person begins to experience discomfort in the anal area, which over time develops into pain. A red, inflamed nodule called an external hemorrhoid can be observed near the anus. Going to the toilet turns into a real ordeal for the patient. At an advanced stage of the disease, anal bleeding is often observed.
The causes of this unpleasant problem are many factors. Proctologists distinguish the following:
- heredity;
- disease of the circulatory system;
- poor diet leading to frequent constipation or diarrhea;
- heavy physical activity;
- passive lifestyle;
- pregnancy, childbirth.
Contraindications and prevention
Thermal procedures, like any other, have a number of contraindications:
- late stages of disease development;
- period of exacerbation of chronic hemorrhoids;
- the presence of benign or malignant tumors in the rectum and anus.
Treatment of hemorrhoids at home.
If any of these signs are present, heating hemorrhoids is strictly prohibited. It will be much more productive to use cooling procedures against the background of drug treatment. All methods of therapy must be agreed with a doctor.
What can be used to warm hemorrhoids?
To increase blood circulation and increase body temperature, traditional medicine suggests warming hemorrhoids with various thermal procedures:
- using a heating pad or warm stones;
- bath;
- steaming legs;
- soaking in a hot bath or taking herbal sitz baths.
Warm with a heating pad
In folk medicine, using a heating pad for hemorrhoids is a simple method of treatment. A warm heating pad is applied over the inflamed area of the anus. The heating pad can be used at home without outside help. You should not rely only on this method of treatment. It is more effective to combine heating of the hemorrhoid with medications and the recommendations of the attending physician.
The resulting nodes can be heated with bricks.
The use of hot bricks is allowed as a local effect. There is a method with warm compresses, when several layers of gauze soaked in a decoction of medicinal herbs (St. John's wort, celandine, or mullein) are applied to the external node. After 15 minutes, remove and replace with a cold compress.
Bath and sauna
An effective way to treat the inflammatory process is a bath. Bath procedures relieve pain, increase blood flow, tone, and add strength. Steaming hemorrhoids in a bathhouse is strictly contraindicated by doctors. High temperature can aggravate the disease, cause bleeding, and prolapse of hemorrhoids. This method does not cure, but develops the disease.
Supporters of traditional medicine adhere to the opposite theory, recommending heating and bathing procedures. To complete the treatment, it is necessary to complete the procedure with a cold bath. A contrast shower after exposure to high temperatures has a positive effect on the condition of the entire body of a sick person. Such procedures are combined with compresses and masks made of clay, yogurt, and sour cream.
Soak your feet with hot water
Steaming your feet with hot water or warm baths for hemorrhoids is not recommended by doctors. Any heat exposure increases the risk of prolapse of hemorrhoids. In alternative medicine, basking in hot water can be an alternative to a bath. By immersing your feet in warm water, blood circulation increases and the blood recedes from the inflamed nodes. After steaming the legs, take sitz baths, adding soda or herbal infusion to the water.
Warming hemorrhoids constantly in any way and as monotherapy is not recommended. The approach must be comprehensive and approved by a doctor.
other methods
Sitz steam baths are used for medicinal purposes.
For local thermal effects, traditional healers recommend proven methods that do not cause side effects when used correctly. We are talking about steam baths taken while sitting. For this, decoctions are prepared:
- chamomile, milk with onion skins or yarrow.
- valerian, knotweed, dandelion rhizome or yarrow.
Is it possible to warm hemorrhoids in hot water baths?
If we talk about warming hemorrhoids using hot water, you need to take into account that this is a method of conservative treatment, which is aimed at restoring normal bowel movements, as well as relieving inflammation and dulling pain.
But can hot water really correct all these shortcomings? In fact, modern medicine is against heating hemorrhoids. The essence of this position lies in the negative impact of high temperature, due to which vasodilation is provoked and an increase in blood flow to the damaged or irritated area. As a result, blood stagnation results, which sooner or later will provoke bleeding through the anus during defecation or the previously mentioned dangerous thrombus formation.
All methods should be aimed specifically at reducing pain and excessive blood flow. Logically, damaged vessels should be narrowed or in their normal state. Therefore, all therapeutic procedures of the conservative method of treatment should be carried out with warm water or even cool water.
Note! When performing such procedures at home, independently, the patient should be in a sitting position.
