If you have hemorrhoids, you know how irritating and disruptive they can be. The pain and itching can make everyday activities uncomfortable and embarrassing.
Hemorrhoids are itchy, bumpy, swollen veins in the anus or rectal area, either inside or out. They can cause pain and itching around the anus, anal leaking, and painful, bleeding bowel movements.
Sometimes hemorrhoids go away on their own in a few days, but other times they take much longer to heal. Over the counter treatments can relieve the swelling, pain, and itching, but the relief can be temporary. If at-home treatments aren’t working for you or you just want a more effective solution than creams and witch hazel pads, hemorrhoid banding may be an option.
Three reasons hemorrhoid banding might be the right option for you:
Your doctor will use a special scope to see the hemorrhoids and a special tool to put a tiny rubber band on the base of the hemorrhoid. There are no nerves at the base of a hemorrhoid, so banding does not cause you any pain. The rubber band will cut off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrink and fall off within one to two weeks. You probably won’t even notice it happening.
Home treatments like creams, medicated pads, and warm baths are temporary. They only relieve the symptoms; they don’t fix the cause. For small hemorrhoids, that may be enough. Some clear up on their own. Other hemorrhoids are persistent, painful, and require more than at-home remedies to provide relief. Banding removes the problem and the pain permanently.
Hemorrhoid banding is a non-surgical procedure. It gives you a permanent solution without the pain or the potential complications of surgery. Surgery may be painful and it can take as long as six weeks to fully recover. Banding, however, causes minimal discomfort, only takes minutes, and you can go home immediately afterward.
You may want to take it easy after hemorrhoid banding in case of bleeding or swelling around the banded areas. You may also feel “full,” gassy, or constipated for a few days after the procedure. Complications are rare, and relief is almost immediate.
If your hemorrhoids aren’t clearing up on their own, keep coming back, or have just become too painful and disruptive, talk to your doctor about hemorrhoid banding. It’s a quick procedure with few side effects, minimal discomfort, and permanent relief.
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