Dealing with hemorrhoids – any advice?

Hey there. Does anyone have a solid recommendation for a seat cushion to deal with hemorrhoids?
I've been scouring the web and there's a million different options out there. If anyone here has actually used one of these cushions, please, spill the tea and let me know what you thought of them.

Hey everyone. So, I've been dealing with hemorrhoids for about two years now—specifically internal ones. They don't actually hurt, burn, or itch, which is a relief, but in about 70% of cases, I have to manually push them back in, and the other 30% just slide back on their own. Based on what I've read online, I’d say they're somewhere between stage 2 and stage 3. I can feel one slightly larger one—maybe the size of a pea—and one smaller one. To be honest, my diet is pretty subpar; my bowel movements are hit or miss, swinging from being a bit hard to totally normal for a week, and then back again—basically a cycle, though I do go once a day regularly. I haven't noticed any bleeding, and honestly, they aren't a huge deal in my daily life, except for that occasional feeling of fullness—like I haven't quite finished my business in the restroom. Other than that, I'm active, I run, I work out, I sit—everything is fine and there's zero pain. Does anyone have advice on how to ease the symptoms or maybe stop things from progressing? I'm really not looking to jump straight into surgery, and I don't mind living with them (I've gotten used to them and don't even think about it most of the time), it's just that awkward sensation when I'm actually using the bathroom... thanks in advance for any help!

Honestly, I feel like I’ve tried absolutely everything under the sun. I’ve gone through Detralex and used all sorts of ointments—Procten, Hemoprotect, you name it. I’ve even been sipping olive oil like it's water and cutting milk out of my diet entirely. My doctor diagnosed me with stage 2 internal hemorrhoids; they don't bleed, but the constant stabbing pain and that nagging feeling of being unable to fully empty myself is just relentless irritation. It feels like I've hit a dead end. At this point, I think surgery is my only real option, though I have no clue which procedure I actually need. I’m honestly at my wit's end here; if I can't get this sorted, I'm going to lose my mind.

I’ve tried using a specialized seat cushion, but honestly, it hasn't done a thing. For the past year, I haven't been able to get any relief at all. Now, seeing that even after surgery they can come back, I’m feeling pretty lost. Can anyone give me some advice? Does anyone know about the THD method—who performs it, what kind of price range we're looking at, and was the recovery relatively smooth? Most importantly, does anyone know if the results actually last, or will they just pop back up again in two or three years?

Sarah Williams37 said:I bought a seat cushion and honestly, nothing. For the last year, I just haven't been able to get them to clear up at all. And NOW that I see they can even come back after surgery, I'm seriously at a loss. Can someone please give me some advice? Like, which doctor should I look into for the THD method, what's the damage cost-wise, and was the recovery relatively chill? Most importantly, do they stay gone, or do they pop back up in two or three years?

That sucks. I really hope you find a way to deal with this once and for all...
I remember mentioning hemorrhoid surgery to my doctor once, and she straight up told me, "Even that isn't a 100% cure." There's always a chance they'll make a comeback...

Anyway, tell me about that cushion you got—does it actually help even a little bit? It’s supposed to take some of the pressure off the hemorrhoids, right?

Has anyone actually tried ordering this Himalaya Pilex from overseas? It shows up at about $20—is it the exact same product we have here, or am I being played?

Sarah Jones6 said:Hi everyone! Feel free to steer me in the right direction if I've wandered into the wrong thread. 🙂
I gave birth about three months ago—during my pregnancy, I dealt with absolutely brutal pain and issues from hemorrhoids. Honestly, I tried everything under the sun, but hey, at least that part is over now. By the way, for anyone currently struggling with inflammation—try using raw grated potato mixed with olive oil on a gauze pad overnight. It really helped me out.
After all that, I've ended up with this extra bit of skin near my anus (I'm not sure what the medical term is, but in English, it's called a skin tag). It’s quite bothersome, both for hygiene reasons and just aesthetically. It doesn't hurt, and there's no bleeding, it just... hangs there. I was wondering if anyone else has found themselves in this situation? Are there any natural remedies that actually work, or is surgery the only real option? Any info at all would be much appreciated. 😏

I wonder if Nevenov ointment (or something similar, I can't recall the exact name offhand) might help with general skin issues?
Maybe try asking an herbalist or someone who makes natural salves—they'd probably know best.
Once you find out, let us know here 😉

Hey everyone. I wanted to lay out my situation for you all. I'm 31, and for about the last 6 to 8 months, I’ve occasionally noticed what feels like a little sac or bulge sticking out from my anus after using the restroom and wiping. At first, I just assumed it was a hemorrhoid, but since there was zero pain, itching, or bleeding, I didn't think much of it—especially because it only seems to happen sometimes right after a bowel movement. However, a few days ago, that "sac" felt like it grew significantly, and now even after I'm done in the restroom, I have this weird, uncomfortable sensation down there, almost like a little pebble is rubbing against me. Again, no actual pain, blood, burning, or itching, but the discomfort is definitely noticeable. After that, I started digging into this thread and doing some general research. Looking in the mirror, you can actually see this "sac" near the anal opening. So, based on what I've gathered, am I looking at an external hemorrhoid, or is it an internal one that has prolapsed? I tried pushing it back in myself, but I can't get it to go. How much pressure are we talking about here—should it pop back in on the first try, or does it take five or ten attempts? I've started being way more careful with hygiene by using wet wipes and showering immediately after, and I also picked up some cream. Honestly, I'm not sure how much sense the cream makes since I don't really have other symptoms to treat, aside from just having "something" down there. To be totally honest, since I haven't done a visual check until now, I have no clue how long this thing has been hanging out. Maybe it used to slip back in on its own after a BM, and now it's stuck, or maybe it's been out for a while already. Is this definitely a hemorrhoid or something else? The lump isn't soft, but it isn't hard either, and it doesn't hurt when I touch it. For context, my bowel movements have always been regular; I almost never deal with constipation or anything like that. My diet over the last year has been better than ever—I eat everything, plenty of veggies, cottage cheese, eggs—I've actually lost a few pounds, and I hit the gym regularly for fitness, so I generally feel great and healthy. I'm aware that the hemorrhoids might have been triggered somewhat by working out, but quitting the gym isn't an option because the benefits far outweigh any potential downsides. I don't lift extreme weights, just my own body weight (around 198 lbs) and various bodyweight exercises. I do have a sedentary job where I'm sitting most of the day, though I stay pretty active at home, especially during the summer.

So, what should my next move be, and how long should I wait to see if it recedes on its own? Is this definitely a hemorrhoid, or could it be something else, like a perianal hematoma? That actually makes a bit more sense to me, because how likely is it that a hemorrhoid would prolapse to the point where I can't manually push it back in—which would basically be stage 4—without experiencing any other major issues?

I have an appointment scheduled in a month at the Mayo Clinic to see a proctologist regarding some hemorrhoid issues. This will be my first time visiting their facility.

I’ve been trying to search Google for any information on proctologists or hemorrhoids specifically listed on the official Mayo Clinic website, but I can find almost nothing useful. When I type in "hemorrhoids," I get this, when I search for "anus" I get this, and when I look up "proctologist," I am presented with this.

How am I supposed to learn anything? How can I find out what medical science actually says about these topics, whether I need to fast before the exam, if I should take a stronger laxative the day before, or if they provide one once I arrive? Furthermore, does anyone know which building the clinic is located in? Navigating those endless corridors can be a total nightmare. It often happens that you check in at one window for a specialist you've seen before, only to realize the next window is miles away; you get your paperwork stamped, and then you face a grueling trek through a massive maze of hallways just to reach the doctor's office—and to make matters worse, the specialist might have moved! They could have been in the main white building, but now they've relocated to the white wing attached to the green building.

As luck would have it, my primary care physician referred me today, and I managed to secure an appointment much faster than I originally anticipated.

Where can I actually find more reliable information? Am I really forced to dig through every single post from the very beginning of this thread?

Hey there. So, I've got this one hemorrhoid that isn't even inflamed, but this anal fissure is absolutely wrecking my life. I know this board is mostly about hemorrhoids, but from what I've been reading, some of you deal with fissures too, right? Honestly, any advice is welcome because today has been a total nightmare. I've had diarrhea all day long—I’ve basically just been crying my way from the restroom to my bed, which is pretty much my entire world lately. 😭 Since the fissure is still acute, there’s still a chance it might heal, or so I'm hoping. Please, if you have any tips, let me know.

Hey guys 😭😭. I've got this one hemorrhoid that isn't even inflamed, but this anal fissure is absolutely wrecking my life. I know this board is mostly about hemorrhoids, but from what I've read, some people deal with fissures too, and honestly, any advice would be huge because today has been a total nightmare. I've had diarrhea all day long, and I've basically just been crying my way from the restroom to my bed—that's pretty much my entire world lately. 😭😭 Since the fissure is still acute, there's a chance it might actually heal, or so I'm hoping. Seriously, please let me know if you have any tips.

I think I heard someone mention they were using castor oil ointment or maybe some calendula ointment.
Give it a shot and let me know which one actually does the trick.

I have discovered some educational videos regarding rectal and anal examinations, covering topics that I find quite fascinating.

Anoscopy (an examination of the anal canal and any growths located on or within it)

High-resolution anoscopy (anoscopy featuring high-definition imagery) utilizing an anoscope linked directly to a monitor that magnifies the view.

A comprehensive look at rectal and anal examinations via anoscopy. This includes the specialized equipment used, the patient's positioning during the procedure, the pre-exam consultation, clinical indications, contraindications, and a thorough explanation of the intergluteal cleft, the anal region, and—as I perceive it—the area extending from the anus toward the pelvic bone.

The most captivating segments of this video occur from 6:11 to 7:40, followed by the portion from 8:49 to 9:46.

Greetings,
Does anyone happen to have any information, or better yet, firsthand experience regarding the laser method for hemorrhoid removal—specifically laser hemorrhoidoplasty?
I noticed that two clinics in Washington, D.C. offer this procedure, with the cost sitting at approximately $4000, but if it truly is half as painless and efficient as the advertisements claim, then it would be worth every single cent...
Would anyone be willing to share their experiences?

If anyone would be willing to share their personal experience regarding an anoscopy, I would be truly grateful. I have spent considerable time pouring over thirty or forty pages of this thread, yet it seems everyone is preoccupied with discussing private clinics—where the rates are low, where the procedure is painless, or where the staff is reliable. But no one is actually addressing the reality of the sensation itself. According to Inpharma and Zivim.hr, the examination is supposedly painless, merely uncomfortable. But can we really call discomfort "painless"?

So, I stumbled upon this interesting article from Gracia Medika (just a quick heads-up, I have absolutely no connection to them or any private clinic treating hemorrhoids). I’m going to paste a section of that article here.

Description of the DG HAL procedure:
1. The patient is placed in either a lithotomy or a left lateral position.

2. A gel containing an anesthetic is applied to the HAL proctoscope, which is then gently inserted into the anus to examine the placement of arterial branches along the internal circumference of the rectum. A typical arterial murmur indicates that the artery has been located, after which the blood flow velocity can be read on the device.

3. Once identified, the artery is ligated through the appropriate window in the proctoscope using 2-0 Vicryl on a heavy 5/8 needle. This ligation is performed 3-4 cm proximal to the dentate line, in a zone where there are no nerve endings.

This identical process is repeated until the Doppler identifies all the arterial branches supplying blood to the hemorrhoidal node.

4. Following the described procedure, the regression of the enlarged hemorrhoidal node begins (improvement is most often observed immediately following the intervention), returning to its normal size within 4-6 weeks, while the patient can return to their normal daily activities within just a few days.

To me, this feels like perhaps the best possible description of how hemorrhoids are examined, especially regarding the examinations performed via the DG HAL method.

However, I am somewhat perplexed as to why a patient would sometimes be chosen to be placed in a lithotomy position. Does a lithotomy position not mean the patient is lying on their back with their legs raised high, spread apart, and secured with straps? But if that is the case, wouldn't the doctor be presented with the patient's genitals, providing the best view of those rather than the buttocks, the anus, or the rectum?

In most cases, I read that the preferred position is either on the left side—as in the Etus position—or on the stomach.

I've been dealing with this lump internally for about a year and a half now. I can feel it when I touch it, and I get this stinging sensation quite often, plus there's blood on the toilet paper. In the beginning, the bleeding was actually heavy enough that it would drip right onto the toilet bowl, though it’s calmed down a bit—now it's mostly just a fair amount of blood on the paper when I wipe. I haven't really done much about it yet; I tried using some Hemomax for a bit and only recently started changing my diet. How dangerous is it to just ignore something like this for this long? I have to admit, I'm pretty embarrassed to even talk about it, let alone actually go see a doctor.

On the official Mayo Clinic website regarding visits to the proctology clinic, there is detailed information concerning examinations, treatment methods, operating hours, and the specific physician scheduled for each day of the week
.

The clinic is located within the Mayo Clinic (Rebro) building—specifically in the white building on the 1st floor.

Within this clinic, they perform examinations of the lower colon, digital rectal exams, and anorectoscopies. Conditions that can be identified through these screenings include internal and external hemorrhoids, perianal fistulas and abscesses, fissures, anal pruritus, and polyps.
For treatment, they utilize the Baron method for ligating internal hemorrhoids. This technique involves using a rubber band to tie off internal hemorrhoids, causing them to undergo necrosis due to lack of blood flow until they eventually fall off. The procedure may be performed over several sessions, depending on the number of internal hemorrhoids present, spaced out by a few weeks. Patients are permitted to eat normally before the rubber band ligation is applied. However, it is vital that patients refrain from applying any local topical treatments to the anus or using suppositories to stimulate bowel movements on the evening and morning prior to the procedure.

Additionally, the clinic provides preoperative evaluations and postoperative follow-ups for patients dealing with surgical issues of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, as well as anyone whose conditions fall under the scope of abdominal surgery.

Upon arriving at the clinic, patients should ensure they bring all relevant medical documentation along with their referral for the examination.

The clinic's operating hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM every weekday.

Day | Physician | Hours
Monday | Ana Majsec Budak, MD, General Surgery Specialist | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Tuesday | Hrvoje Silovski, MD, PhD, General Surgery Specialist, Subspecialist in Abdominal and Oncological Surgery | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Wednesday | Peter Matosevic, MD, PhD, General Surgery Specialist, Subspecialist in Abdominal Surgery | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Thursday | Branko Bogdanic, MD, PhD, General Surgery Specialist | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Friday | Tomislav Bruketa, MD, General Surgery Specialist | 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

To access these specific instructions, you must click on the item labeled PROCTOLOGY CLINIC on the right side of the screen, which will then expand to show the details.

The issue is, when I called their office, they told me that Dr. Trpimir Moric sees outside patients on Thursdays. I also mentioned that this would be my first time coming in for an exam. Now, I am left feeling quite uncertain about which doctor is actually working this Thursday, and I really need to know since I have an appointment scheduled very soon.

If it turns out that Dr. Bogdanic is the one working, that might be an excellent outcome, as he received nearly a perfect five-star rating on topdoctor. As for Dr. Moric, he hasn't received any ratings at all—neither positive nor negative.

Hi there. I’ve been battling hemorrhoids for about six months now—it's been a rough half-year—and I've been diagnosed with stage 2, including a few thrombosed ones. Honestly, I feel like I've tried everything under the sun: Detralex, Flebavena, Pilex, every conceivable ointment and cream you can find... I even overhauled my entire diet, but nothing seems to work; they just won't recede. The only thing providing any relief is some chamomile ointment, which helps dull the pain slightly. I have an appointment scheduled in eight days at the Lega Artis clinic in Osijek, where I might—and I emphasize *might*—discuss undergoing LHP surgery. To be perfectly blunt, the thought of a traditional surgery scares the life out of me.
Has anyone here actually gone through hemorrhoid surgery in Osijek? Please, if you could share your experiences or point me toward someone else you’d recommend—even if it's outside of Osijek—I would be incredibly grateful. I'm reaching a point of genuine desperation with this situation.
Thanks!!

Hi everyone. I’ve been scrolling through several pages of this thread, skipping around a bit, and I have to say—I’m feeling pretty anxious. Mostly because I’m only 20 years old and I’m already dealing with this. First off, I really hope we can all find a way to get rid of this stuff...

So, here’s my situation: I’m 20, about 176 lbs, and roughly 5'11" (I guess that’s fine, though I am planning to drop maybe 10–15 lbs, which might be part of the issue, perhaps?). I used to hit the gym regularly until about three months ago, and everything seemed okay back then—even though I’d occasionally feel a little "bump" down there, it didn't really worry me since it would disappear after a day or two and there was no pain or bleeding, etc. I did lifting for three years; sometimes I’d take a month off, but I’d get back into it. I wasn't lifting massive weights, mostly just up to 110–130 lbs, though I did some deadlifts around 240–260 lbs once in a while, but not very often. Since I stopped training three months ago, I've become quite lazy, I guess. Plus, I’ve dealt with a few stressful situations lately, and I spend a lot of time sitting at my computer since I'm studying IT. I’m not moving much, aside from the occasional run or soccer game...

The trouble started about a month ago when I noticed a streak of fresh blood on the toilet paper. I panicked immediately because I’d never seen anything like that before (though, admittedly, I hadn't been paying that much attention). I remember that after using the restroom that night around 8 PM (that's my routine), there was a slight stinging sensation down there—not exactly painful, just a sting. It happened again the next day with a little more blood and that same stinging, but after two or three days, both the stinging and the bleeding stopped. I suspect this might all be tied to those recent stressful periods... Moving on, now whenever I finish using the restroom, I can feel that "bump" again—sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller—and I realized after a while that I can just push it back inside right after I'm done. Of course, I'm very careful about hygiene; I always clean up thoroughly. I should mention that nothing hurts while I'm going, nor afterward... it’s just frustrating because it only happens during bowel movements; otherwise, everything seems normal down there. Then, about 3 or 4 days ago, I decided to head back to the gym after a long break because I missed it. I was enjoying myself—did some running on the treadmill, a few pushups, and some light arm and back exercises without pushing too hard. But when I got home two hours later and went to the restroom, I saw it again: blood in my stool—specifically, fresh blood right at the beginning, literally on top. I figured it’s hemorrhoids, obviously, but I assume they are internal? Because I felt that "bump" again afterward, the one I can push back in. Again, I'll emphasize, there was no pain. After that, things went back to being somewhat normal—no blood—but that "bump" is still there, popping out during bowel movements and needing to be pushed back in. I’m trying to eat plenty of fiber and make sure my movements are regular; I go every single day. I drink lots of water. My only real weakness is that I don't eat enough vegetables, but I’m trying. I don't drink alcohol—never have, really—and I don't eat spicy food either.

Should I try using some Fact ointment or maybe the Fact suppositories?

I’m trying to be more active, starting with running and cardio, but the gym thing worries me. How am I supposed to start lifting heavier weights again when just one session—where I wasn't even overdoing it—caused bleeding?

Can you get the Fact suppositories over the counter? Or is there some other cream or something else that might help... Thanks for any help you can give...