Hemorrhoids can be painful and itchy. If you happen to have one it can be either an external hemorrhoid or internal hemorrhoid. The following will discuss the characteristics of each and offer some advice on their treatment. With either one, something has to be done about it.

With the anal itching, swelling and pain of hemorrhoids many over the counter remedies can help to relieve the discomfort. Witch hazel, creams and lotion that contain hydrocortisone will help get rid of itching and pain and give some comfort. Some medicated pads can be used for extra cleaning after wiping the rectum after a bowel movement. Personal hygiene is of the utmost importance as the anal area should be clean and dry.

Regular relaxing soaks in a warm bath tub will not only keep the infected area clean but will help relieve swelling and inflammation. But as with anything, the many over the counter treatments are not a cure, they will only alleviate the painful symptoms of internal or external hemorrhoids. If all your self help does not alleviate the hemorrhoids and give relief after a few days and they are still painful and persistent then an appointment with your doctor is in order.

Hemorrhoids are the result of excessive pressure in the rectum due to recurring constipation. On the other hand frequent diarrhea can also cause hemorrhoids. Fatty foods, excess alcohol and/or caffeine, and some medications have also been known to create stool that is watery. Frequent diarrhea can damage the veins in the rectal area. To promote regular and healthy bowel movements you should drink a minimum of six glasses of water per day.

Regular exercise as well as a healthy diet is an important factor in preventing hemorrhoids. Sitting around all day either at work or watching TV is unnatural and therefore unhealthy resulting in creating the perfect environment for hemorrhoids. Exercise suitable for your health and your age, promotes natural movement in the digestive system, and also encourages a healthy weight, and alleviates anxiety.

Living a healthy lifestyle and caring for yourself is normally enough to cure long term hemorrhoids. It is very rare that surgery is required for the cure. If however, those hemorrhoids despite your best efforts refuse to go away, consult your doctor.

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Hemorrhoids are becoming quite common as by the age 50 at least 50% of people will have had them in one form or another. In some people they come and are gone within days, but with others through their life style they may become more of a nuisance. But in others it may require a more drastic measure either as an outpatient or major surgery.

Today, fast and simple meals are commonplace to those who experience daily life that is often hectic. The result is that these unwholesome choices results in neglecting proper nutrition thus affecting the digestive process. Diets rich in fiber help to strengthen rectal valves and veins both in and around the area of the anus. As well, fiber also helps to make the stool softer, making it easier to pass the stool.

Regular relaxing soaks in a warm bath tub will not only keep the infected area clean but will help relieve swelling and inflammation. But as with anything, the many over the counter treatments are not a cure, they will only alleviate the painful symptoms of internal or external hemorrhoids. If all your self help does not alleviate the hemorrhoids and give relief after a few days and they are still painful and persistent then an appointment with your doctor is in order.

There are a few non evasive procedures which the doctor can perform in his office. These treatments of external hemorrhoids will alleviate the problem and give much relief from the suffering. There is the laser therapy and rubber-band ligation treatment which would cut off the supply of blood to the hemorrhoid making it dry up and be eliminated.

In some drastic cases with very large internal or external hemorrhoids or prolapsed hemorrhoids when all other treatments are not effective, major surgery may be appropriate.

A strangulated hemorrhoid may occur if a blood clot is situated in its blood supply and with the pressure of the blood clot be too enlarged to push gently back into the rectum. In this instance it will be very painful and emergency medical attention should be sought.

Technorati Tags: health, hemorrhoids, illness, men, pain, piles, pregnancy, women

Shingles, also known as Herpes Zoster is a viral infection that afflicts over a million people every year in the United States. The common symptoms of Shingles include a red rash that eventually turns to painful blisters that leak a clear fluid.

Shingles and chickenpox are caused by the same virus. It generally lies dormant in someone who has had the chickenpox as a child and becomes reactivated when an outside source has weakened the immune system later in life.

What weakens the immune system?

Sources such as prolonged exposure to stress, HIV/AIDS, anti-rejection medications for organ transplant recipients and anyone receiving chemotherapy treatments are all things that weaken or compromise the immune system. This weakness then allows the virus to come alive and wreak havoc on the body. This virus will begin as a tingling and burning on the skin that appears to come out of nowhere without warning. The difference between shingles and chickenpox is that shingles will travel along the nerve route or dermatome and appear on only side of the body.

Time is a factor with the Herpes Zoster virus. In order for medications to work, they must be implemented within 72 hours of the initial outbreak. Unfortunately, this debilitating pain and discomfort can last up to six months and in some cases can become chronic, lasting for several years.

Dealing with the pain:

Excessive pain and discomfort accompany the Herpes Zoster virus. Therefore, pain medications and antivirals must be administered. However, in order for these medications to work, they must be implemented within 72 hours of the initial outbreak of symptoms.

Medication Management:

Corticosteroids for pain: Prednisone taken together with acyclovir can reduce the pain of shingles by reducing the nerve inflammation caused by active infection. It has also been shown to decrease residual nerve damage.

Analgesic: Mild to moderate pain is generally managed with over-the-counter pain medications while severe pain requires a stronger narcotic pain medication prescribed by a doctor.

Skin lotions such as calamine are great for combating pain when applied to the leaking blisters. In addition, capsaicin is effective for blisters that have crusted over. Furthermore, pain patches such as lidocaine or Xylocaine and nerve blocks are highly effective in easing zoster infection pain.

Herpes Zoster Keratitis, also known as Eye Shingles is a severe complication of the shingles infection. It is generally treated with antivirals and can unfortunately cause temporary or permanent blindness. This condition requires the immediate assistance of a medical professional.

An additional serious complication of the zoster infection is Postherpetic Neuralgia. This condition is comprised of severe, debilitating pain that occurs long after the blisters have healed. Unfortunately, it can last for six months or longer and requires medications such as topical skin applications, analgesics, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants in order to manage it.

HZV or Herpes Zoster Virus is most commonly found in those age sixty or older, although many children and young adults contract the illness as well. It is important to note that anyone who has previously had the chickenpox is highly vulnerable to contracting the shingles infection. If you have never had chickenpox and have not yet received the vaccination, it is highly imperative that you avoid anyone displaying active symptoms of the shingles infection. Otherwise, you could find yourself experiencing chickenpox for the very first time.

Barb Hicks is an established writer and licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge. You can find her class about Shingles Contagious Disease and other lessons like Tests for Shingles Virus on Clivir – the Free learning Community Site.

Technorati Tags: burning, cickenpox, disease, fitness, health, illness, itching, pain, rash, Shingles, skin disorders

Shingles, also known as Herpes Zoster is a viral infection that afflicts over a million people every year in the United States. The common symptoms of Shingles include a red rash that eventually turns to painful blisters that leak a clear fluid.

Shingles and chickenpox are caused by the same virus. It generally lies dormant in someone who has had the chickenpox as a child and becomes reactivated when an outside source has weakened the immune system later in life.

How is the immune system compromised?

Sources such as prolonged exposure to stress, HIV/AIDS, anti-rejection medications for organ transplant recipients and anyone receiving chemotherapy treatments are all things that weaken or compromise the immune system. This weakness then allows the virus to come alive and wreak havoc on the body. This virus will begin as a tingling and burning on the skin that appears to come out of nowhere without warning. The difference between shingles and chickenpox is that shingles will travel along the nerve route or dermatome and appear on only side of the body.

Time is a factor with the Herpes Zoster virus. In order for medications to work, they must be implemented within 72 hours of the initial outbreak. Unfortunately, this debilitating pain and discomfort can last up to six months and in some cases can become chronic, lasting for several years.

What you need to deal with the pain:

Herpes Zoster can be painful and uncomfortable resulting in the need for pain medications and antivirals. In order for the antivirals to have the proper affect, they must be administered within 72 hours of the initial onset of symptoms.

Managing with Medication:

Corticosteroids: These would include the drug Prednisone which would then be combined with acyclovir. These will decrease pain while at the same time reduce inflammation of the nerves. In addition, these two medications when put together have also shown to decrease residual nerve damage.

Analgesic: Mild to moderate pain is generally managed with over-the-counter pain medications while severe pain requires a stronger narcotic pain medication prescribed by a doctor.

Lotions such as calamine are effective when applied to the seeping blisters to combat pain, and capsaicin cream when the blisters have crusted over. Topical pain patches of lidocaine (Xylocaine) and nerve blocks have also been beneficial in easing the pain related to zoster outbreaks.

Herpes Zoster Keratitis (eye shingles) is a complication of herpes zoster, and is treated with antiviral medications. This serious complication can cause temporary or permanent vision loss, and needs medical treatment right away.

Postherpetic Neuralgia is another serious complication of the zoster virus. In this case, the victim experiences severe pain long after the blisters have healed. This pain can last six months or longer and requires the aid of topical skin applications, analgesics, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants in order to manage it.

Herpes zoster is mostly seen in people 60 years of age and older, although children and young adults get it as well. Having had a prior chickenpox infection makes you vulnerable for developing shingles. However, if you have never had chickenpox before and have never been vaccinated against it, avoid people who have an active shingles infection, or you could find yourself with your first case of chickenpox!

Barb Hicks is an established writer and licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge. You can find her class about Shingles Contagious Disease and other lessons like Tests for Shingles Virus on Clivir – the Free learning Community Site.

Technorati Tags: burning, cickenpox, disease, fitness, health, illness, itching, pain, rash, Shingles, skin disorders

There are over a million cases of Herpes Zoster or Shingles every year in the United States. This virus is the result of previously having chickenpox. Its symptoms include a red rash that appears out of nowhere, eventually turning into painful blisters that leak a clear fluid.

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. However, the difference is that this virus remains dormant in the body for many years until something weakens the immune system. Once the immune system is compromised, the virus becomes reactivated.

How is the immune system compromised?

Prolonged stress, anti rejection medications, as well as HIV/AIDS and chemotherapy all can be an assault on the immune system causing the virus to come alive with a vengeance. The result is extreme pain and discomfort to the victim. It can start as a burning and tingling on the skin that appears to come out of nowhere for no reason. VZV travels along the nerve route or dermatome and shows up on one side of the body. This is one way that shingles is distinguished from Varicella (chickenpox).

The pain and discomfort from Herpes Zoster can be debilitating and must be managed with pain medications. In order for the pain medications to work, they must be taken within 72 hours of the first onset of symptoms. Unfortunately, the pain and discomfort can last up to six months and in some case become chronic, lasting for many years.

How to deal with the pain:

Discomfort due to herpes zoster can be debilitating, requiring pain medication and antivirals to manage the symptoms. In order for antivirals to have an effect, the drug should be taken within 72 hours of onset of the rash.

Medication Management:

Corticosteroids for pain: Prednisone taken together with acyclovir can reduce the pain of shingles by reducing the nerve inflammation caused by active infection. It has also been shown to decrease residual nerve damage.

Analgesics: For many with mild to moderate pain, over-the-counter medications for pain can relieve this symptom. However, if the pain is severe, a doctor may need to prescribe a narcotic in order to manage the pain.

Skin lotions such as calamine are great for combating pain when applied to the leaking blisters. In addition, capsaicin is effective for blisters that have crusted over. Furthermore, pain patches such as lidocaine or Xylocaine and nerve blocks are highly effective in easing zoster infection pain.

Herpes Zoster Keratitis, also known as Eye Shingles is a severe complication of the shingles infection. It is generally treated with antivirals and can unfortunately cause temporary or permanent blindness. This condition requires the immediate assistance of a medical professional.

Another complication of zoster is Postherpetic Neuralgia, a painful condition known to occur after the blisters have healed. This pain is extreme nerve pain and can exist for up to and more than six months. Medications that are helpful for this condition include topical skin applications, analgesics, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants.

The Herpes Zoster Virus is most common in people age sixty or older, however children and young adults contract this virus as well. Anyone who has not had the chickenpox should be vaccinated, if not, and you come in to contact with someone who has an active shingles infection, you could find yourself with the first case of chickenpox. In addition, it is important to remember that those having previously had the chickenpox are most vulnerable to the shingles infection.

Barb Hicks is an established writer and licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge. You can find her class about Is Shingles a Contagious Disease and other lessons like Tests for Shingles Virus on Clivir – the Free learning Community Site.

Technorati Tags: burning, cickenpox, disease, fitness, health, illness, itching, pain, rash, Shingles, skin disorders