One in two people will suffer from hemorrhoids in their lifetime. However, this ailment can present itself at a very different level of severity and only 10% of those affected will need surgery. The problem lies in the fact that “the vast majority of patients do not go for consultation until the pain becomes very acute”, explains Dr. José Perea García, general surgeon and expert in Coloproctology. “At the first symptoms such as itching, burning, bleeding or discomfort when going to the bathroom, it is necessary to go to the specialist because, if treated in time, most cases are resolved with medical treatment and without surgery, but self-medication can only worsen hemorrhoids”, assures the doctor.
Symptoms and treatment
Anyone can suffer from hemorrhoids, but it is more common between the ages of 45 and 65, and there are certain risk factors such as pregnancy, constipation or a family history of vascular problems. “There are different degrees, from the acute and more serious cases that present pain, prolapse and thrombosis, which must be treated promptly, to the chronic cases that present repetitive episodes with itching or stinging, and it is important to treat them so that they do not worsen,” adds Dr. Perea.
Hemorrhoid surgery is the last option chosen by coloproctologists. “First we must resort to treatment with hygienic measures, a diet rich in fiber and baths with lukewarm water, accompanied by medications that strengthen the veins and specific ointments. Ointments with corticoids should be avoided or used for a maximum of 2 days, because they do not resolve the hemorrhoids themselves, or if there is an associated fissure, it will worsen”.
If these measures do not stop the condition, Dr. José Perea recommends medical treatment with an elastic band or sclerosis. “The band is very effective in mild cases, as it strangles the hemorrhoid, emptying it and it is less likely to reappear”.
More severe cases do require surgery. “The latest advances in hemorrhoid surgery are focused on employing techniques that improve postoperative discomfort”. Surgery without stitches, guided by echo-Doppler or laser.
Care after the operation
Depending on the type of hemorrhoids, the postoperative period will be longer or shorter: “It is true that there is discomfort after the operation, but for patients with acute hemorrhoids this is less than the pain caused by the pathology”, concludes the doctor, insisting that not all hemorrhoids should be treated, only those that present symptoms.