According to various estimates, more than 11 million people work in offices.To a greater or lesser extent, they lead a very sedentary lifestyle, the dangers of which doctors never tire of reminding.And the more time a person spends at his desk, the higher the risk to his health.At the same time, his career may be in trouble.But what does career success mean if work consumes not only time and energy but also health?Doctors have talked about real office syndrome - a set of painful conditions that most “office dwellers” have to endure.And one of the main places in this list is occupied by the most dangerous office disease - hemorrhoids.
1. Hemorrhoids: causes
One of the most "common" rectal diseases is hemorrhoids, the causes of which can be divided into two main groups:
- The person's tendency to develop this disease: family history of hemorrhoids;connective tissue weakening due to other diseases;bowel movements due to illness or certain conditions (eg, pregnancy);obesity.
- So-called extrinsic risk factors: sedentary or mainly standing lifestyle;certain sexual practices;acute lack of physical activity or, conversely, excessive stress for which the body is not physically ready.
2. Hemorrhoids in men - "the boss's disease"
You can complain to colleagues about back pain, gastritis or a "fun" heart, you can dream of going to the gym, complain about being overweight, but few people are ready to discuss the problem of hemorrhoids in the smoking room.
Most often, men suffer from this disease (4 times more often than the fairer sex!) Between the ages of 30 and 50 years.
The proximity of the affected area often contrasts sharply with the dominant state.It's no surprise that hemorrhoids in men are often called "the boss's disease."
The causes of hemorrhoids in men include not only the behavior of management staff.In our era of increasingly popular healthy lifestyles, middle-aged men often go to the gym to get in shape, but they start working out at their own peril and risk.Most beginners who want to get beautiful muscles are in no hurry to contact a trainer - they are confident that they themselves will be able to understand the nuances of the exercise.In practice, this leads to incorrect implementation.And due to excessive stress, an unprepared person can develop hemorrhoids, especially if he has a predisposition to this disease.
It is necessary to add another "male" risk factor: alcohol.Drinking alcohol regularly can dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow to hemorrhoids.Additionally, drinking alcohol leads to dehydration, which can lead to constipation.Intoxication with alcohol breakdown products in the body, fatty, salty and fried snacks provoke inflammatory processes in mucous membranes.All this together increases the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids in men.
Finally, prostate diseases (prostatitis, prostate adenoma) also increase the risk of developing hemorrhoids in men.
3. Causes of disease in women: hemorrhoids during pregnancy and other diseases
Women have higher risk factors for developing hemorrhoids and they are related to certain natural conditions of their body.Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are one of the most common complications during childbirth.Doctors say that about 80% of pregnant women are diagnosed with hemorrhoids during prenatal checkups.This is facilitated by the woman's physiology.
Women have other causes of hemorrhoids, which are more common in them than in the stronger sex:
- Constipation due to unhealthy diet and related diseases of the digestive tract.
- Diseases of “female” organs, such as hemorrhoids, can be complications of inflammation of the adnexa.
- Anal sex often leads to damage to the mucous membrane and the formation of hemorrhoids.
- Excessive menstruation can cause excessive blood flow to the pelvic organs and thus cause hemorrhoids even in young girls.
4. Types of disease: external hemorrhoids and internal hemorrhoids
Doctors distinguish two types of diseases: external hemorrhoids and internal hemorrhoids, and the treatment will have certain differences:
- In the first case, hemorrhoids grow larger, forming directly in the anus from the lower plexus of rectal veins.At the same time, there is pain in the anus and rarely bleeding.In essence, hemorrhoids are located outside the rectum so they come into contact with underwear, which can lead to infection and even develop into malignant tumors.External hemorrhoids only occur in 10% of cases.
- In the second case, the enlarged lymph nodes remain in the submucosal layer of the intestine.In the early stages of the disease, they are not visible.As the disease progresses, the nodes begin to fall out of the way.To a certain extent they can still be corrected, but at a later stage this requires surgery.This condition is often associated with blood in the stool.Treating internal hemorrhoids is more difficult than external hemorrhoids.
Although everyone gets hemorrhoids, there are gender-related characteristics in the development of the disease, its treatment, and its prevention.Let's take a look at the signs of hemorrhoids in women.
5. Hemorrhoids: symptoms in men and women
You should see your doctor at the first suspicious symptoms (stage I of the disease), including:
- itching, feeling of fullness, discomfort in the anus;
- feeling of wetness around the anus, appearance of secretions on underwear;
- pain when going to the toilet and bleeding immediately after defecation (blood stains on toilet paper or drops of blood).
If prolapsed hemorrhoids appear and spontaneously "return", this is stage II of the disease.Phase III is said to be when the buttons no longer disappear on their own but they can still be set “manually”.Finally, stage IV may require surgery.
Symptoms of hemorrhoids in men can have certain characteristics.In people of the stronger sex, the disease often develops in an acute form based on various pathologies of the digestive tract.Most often, the acute form of the disease is the result of thrombosis of the hemorrhoidal node.Often, a person suffers from acute pain, which increases with exertion, coughing, laughing and even with movement.In the stool you can see red, that is, unchanged blood.Signs of hemorrhoids in women strengthen before the onset of menstruation, and after menopause they weaken.This is often a reason to delay seeing a doctor. Although the problem does not go away, women's symptoms persist and the disease continues to progress.
6. How to treat hemorrhoids: general principles
Hemorrhoids are a disease in which half of the success in treatment is due to the patient changing their lifestyle.This disease can only be treated comprehensively.You can't get by with just pills, ointments or just going to the gym.What key points should you pay attention to?
Food
Alcohol, spicy and salty foods, and fried foods contribute to increased bleeding from hemorrhoids.Therefore, all of the above must be completely excluded from the menu.A diet lacking fiber will cause constipation, making the disease worse.That is, the choice of patients with hemorrhoids is salad, fruit and other fiber-rich dishes.
movement
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the main risk factors for the disease.This means that the cure for hemorrhoids will be regular walking or jogging, going to the gym, swimming pool (except strength training and cycling).During the day, you should get up every hour and a half and walk 5-10 minutes - around the office, along the hallway, along the office stairs.
toilet
If we are talking about an acute form of hemorrhoids, you need to take cool showers at least 2-3 times a day.After defecation, wash thoroughly.If for some reason this is not possible, then you need to use wet wipes.
7. How to choose a highly effective hemorrhoid treatment?
The question "How to treat hemorrhoids in women?"This question is especially often asked by expectant mothers who face this problem during pregnancy, as well as women who lead a sedentary lifestyle, are overweight and avoid physical activity.However, if such a question is asked, it means that the situation is beyond the patient's own control and she needs the help of a doctor.
First of all, you should not self-medicate.How to treat hemorrhoids in women will be advised by a specialist who is well versed in the nuances of treating this pathology in the fair sex with many risk factors.The treatment of internal hemorrhoids as well as external hemorrhoids is often "complicated" in men.In their minds, signs of hemorrhoids in men are not a disease that you can easily confide in strangers.As a result, a person's life becomes torture and the disease becomes chronic.Nowadays, in most cases there is no need to go to the hospital to treat hemorrhoids.The doctor will give detailed instructions on how to treat hemorrhoids at home in women and men.
Medicines to treat hemorrhoids must meet several key parameters:
- Easy to use.Patients who go to work or go to public places must comply with the medication regimen.If in one case (medication for hemorrhoids) a glass of water is enough, then in the other case (suppositories and ointments) you need to go to the toilet and time.
- Optimal safety profile for use.The stronger the active ingredient, the higher the risk of side effects.When choosing therapy, doctors try to maintain a balance between effectiveness and safety of treatment.
- Helps reduce symptoms in a short time.Hemorrhoids are a painful disease.Patients often go to doctors when they are no longer able to solve the problem on their own and no longer have the strength to endure suffering.Therefore, drugs that help relieve symptoms in the short term are especially suitable.
8. Medicines to treat hemorrhoids have local and systemic effects
Among the many types of drugs for treating hemorrhoids, topical and systemic drugs are distinguished.
Systemic drugs include venotonic drugs;For hemorrhoids, laxatives, pain relievers, hemostatic injections (to stop bleeding), and anticoagulants that reduce the risk of blood clots in hemorrhoids may also be used.
Topical (topical) remedies include a variety of ointments or suppositories.The list of local measures for the treatment of hemorrhoids includes ointments that can relieve vascular spasms, relieve pain and inflammation, for example, preparations with sodium heparin, ointments with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids and others.Suppositories for hemorrhoids are also commonly used.
Typically, combination drug therapy is prescribed, combining topical and systemic medications.
9. Medicine to treat hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoid treatment is one of the most convenient dosage forms.It is easier for the patient to control the treatment process, does not feel pain and inconvenience when taking the drug, does not need to stop for treatment and, finally, the pill has a systemic effect on the body.
They can be used in the early stages of the disease and at stages 3-4 - before surgical removal of lymph nodes and in the postoperative period.Most often, taking the drug is combined with the use of local ointments or suppositories.
10. Prevent hemorrhoids
When we talk about preventing hemorrhoids, we mainly mean an active lifestyle.Swimming pool, jogging, exercise - any type of physical activity is useful to reduce the risk of relapse.Even if you have a sedentary job, you should get up and walk 5-10 minutes once every hour.
Diet is as important as physical activity in preventing hemorrhoids.The intestines must work - vigorously and actively.To do this, it needs fiber - fiber of plant origin, that is, fruits and vegetables.It is important to understand that we are not talking about juice but about whole fruits and vegetables.But it's better to control dairy products and flour and avoid using too much in the menu.It is also necessary to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed and spicy foods in the diet.Probiotics have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive tract.
It is also recommended to observe the so-called defecation hygiene.This term refers to compliance with the defecation regimen.To clean your skin after completing the process, it is better to use a bidet, shower or wet towel.Dry toilet paper is not always of good quality and can cause skin irritation.
So, talking about the prevention of hemorrhoids, we come to the trinity "movement - hygiene - nutrition", which we talked about in the context of comprehensive effective treatment of hemorrhoids.And it is not surprising, because the health of our body depends on these "three pillars".And the best remedy for hemorrhoids in this context is a healthy lifestyle, scheduled visits to the doctor and compliance with all the doctor's recommendations.