If you’re pregnant, first and foremost, congratulations! Pregnancy is a time filled with many exciting emotions, physical woes, hormonal changes, and mood swings. You may also be familiar with pregnancy hemorrhoids, a pesky condition that causes itching and burning around the anus and pain during bowel movements. In this post, we’ll take a look at what causes pregnancy hemorrhoids, and answer a couple of questions we hear frequently at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay: how do pregnancy hemorrhoids go away and how long do pregnancy hemorrhoids last?
What Are Hemorrhoids?
Most pregnant women who develop hemorrhoids have never had them before, leading them to ask this question. Essentially, hemorrhoids are swollen clumps of anal tissue that surround a vein. The muscle and connective tissue around the anal open are very loosely held in place and are sensitive to pressure. When the anal opening is under pressure, these veins tend to get damaged and get pushed around. This causes the blood supply to get cut off, leading to swelling and all of the other symptoms of hemorrhoids.
What Causes Pregnancy Hemorrhoids?
Much like regular hemorrhoids, pregnancy hemorrhoids are caused by intense straining and pressure on the pelvic floor. This can happen in a number of different ways, such as lifting heavy objects improperly, straining during bowel movements, sitting for too long without stretching, sitting on the toilet for too long, and even giving birth. Sometimes, the simple pressure of your growing baby on your pelvic floor can cause hemorrhoids.
How Long Do Pregnancy Hemorrhoids Last?
The answer to this question is going to depend on why your hemorrhoids cropped up in the first place and what you do to eliminate further aggravation. Generally speaking, a hemorrhoid flare-up won’t last longer than a week – if you can eliminate the source of the problem and treat your hemorrhoid properly.
How Do Pregnancy Hemorrhoids Go Away?
In order to set yourself up for success, the team at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay recommends the following strategies. Keep in mind that the main goal is to reduce straining and remove the cause of your hemorrhoids while reducing inflammation to aid the healing process.
Increase your dietary fiber intake with more fruits and vegetables
Take a stool softener
Do not strain or push during bowel movements at all
Do not lift anything heavy
Drink plenty of water
Do not sit on the toilet longer than you need to
Use anti-inflammatory creams, witch hazel, and sitz baths to mitigate symptoms
If Your Pregnancy Hemorrhoids Won’t Go Away…
Contact your OB/GYN for a referral to the colorectal specialists in our clinic. Sometimes, other conditions can look like hemorrhoids. There’s no need to stress about that right now, though. Focus on the above tips and give your hemorrhoids a week or two to heal. If you haven’t seen any improvement in a couple of weeks, get in touch with your doctor.