Hemorrhoids usually resolve independently after adjusting your diet and bathroom habits, and you may not need any medical interventions. However, not everyone gets relief from their hemorrhoids with home remedies.
Suppose you continue to have symptoms after a week of at-home interventions. In that case, our anorectal expert, Dr. Betsy Clemens, at Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center in Town and Country, Missouri, recommends coming in for professional consultation and treatment plans.
We may initially recommend conservative interventions but offer infrared coagulation (IRC) for internal hemorrhoids that cause problems.
Read on to learn more about IRC and the benefits it provides.
Infrared coagulation, or IRC, is a non-surgical procedure we perform to treat small- to medium-sized internal hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that form in the anus and lower rectum. Internal hemorrhoids develop in the lower rectum and usually cause painless bleeding during a bowel movement. These hemorrhoids may prolapse or protrude through the anus, causing pain and more bleeding.
The infrared light heats the swollen vein, scarring the blood vessels and cutting off the blood supply. Without blood circulating through, the hemorrhoid shrinks, clots, and falls off.
Hemorrhoids that fail to get better with conservative interventions may cause unwanted symptoms. Internal hemorrhoids, for example, may continuously bleed and cause health problems like anemia or anal pain if it prolapses.
IRC is a nonsurgical treatment for internal hemorrhoids that cause painful or bothersome symptoms. We offer IRC because of the benefits it provides, including:
The procedure itself takes about a minute. We use a local anesthetic to numb the area before heating the hemorrhoid with infrared light so you don’t feel any discomfort during treatment.
We only treat one hemorrhoid at a time and may schedule additional IRC procedures if you have more than one hemorrhoid.
After infrared coagulation for hemorrhoids, You can return to most of your usual activities. You have had some mild pain for a couple of days and bleeding for a couple of weeks. We recommend soaking your bottom in a tub of water a few times daily to reduce pain and support healing.
We may also recommend stool softeners to prevent straining during a bowel movement. Showering after pooping is also recommended during the healing process.
The clotted hemorrhoid falls off within ten days after the IRC procedure.
Infrared coagulation eliminates bothersome hemorrhoids, but it can’t prevent future problems. Following a high-fiber diet, drinking plenty of fluids, and modifying your bathroom habits to reduce pressure on the rectum and anus may help prevent future hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are a common problem, but not one you need to suffer with all on your own. We specialize in treating hemorrhoids and offer personalized plans to eliminate symptoms and prevent future problems.
If you have bothersome hemorrhoids, call our office at 314-669-2758 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Clemens.
