The 5 Most Effective Ways to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids Fast - GoodRx (2024)

When you have hemorrhoid pain, you want relief fast. And many people think there’s nothing you can do on your own to get rid of hemorrhoids. But there are a few things you can do at home to prevent and treat hemorrhoids when they flare.

Hemorrhoids are inflamed blood vessels inside and around the anus and rectum. External hemorrhoids occur on the outside of the anus. Internal hemorrhoids are on the inside of the rectum and sometimes fall out of the anus. But they can usually be pushed back inside.

Depending on their location, hemorrhoids can lead to bleeding, itching, discomfort, or pain. Internal hemorrhoids typically cause painless bleeding, while external hemorrhoids are usually painful.

What causes hemorrhoids?

Everyone is born with blood vessels in and around the anus and rectum. But they don’t cause any problems unless they become swollen and inflamed. The most common cause of hemorrhoids is hard stool from constipation. But there are other circ*mstances that can lead to swollen hemorrhoids, including:

• Excessive straining with bowel movements

• Pregnancy

• Excessive sitting

• Chronic diarrhea

Simple home remedies to get rid of your hemorrhoids

If you’re worried you may have hemorrhoids or rectal bleeding, you should see your healthcare professional. This is so you can have a thorough physical exam, including a digital rectal exam. If it’s confirmed that you have hemorrhoids, there are several changes you can make to get hemorrhoid relief.

Here are five ways you can help to get rid of your hemorrhoids.

1. Increase how much water your drink

Constipation, or hard stool, is the most common cause of hemorrhoids. Low water intake or dehydration can also lead to constipation. Your healthcare professional may suggest that you increase the amount of water you drink daily. This will help to soften your stools.

There’s no rule as to how much water you should drink each day. It will differ for everyone. If you're constipated, check with your healthcare professional for guidance on how much you should be drinking per day.

2. Increase how much fiber you eat

In general, most people can benefit from more fiber. The average person in the U.S. eats about 16 g of fiber daily, which is well below the recommended amount. The daily recommended amounts are 25 g of fiber for women and 38 g of fiber for men. Increasing how much fiber you have will help to treat constipation and improve hemorrhoids symptoms.

Many foods have fiber, such as different types of fruits and vegetables. There’s also fiber in nuts, beans, and whole grains.

3. Improve your toilet habits

Whether you’re reading, playing on your phone, or just having a quiet moment, it's easy to lose track of time while on the toilet. Prolonged sitting and/or straining on the toilet can worsen your hemorrhoids symptoms.

A good rule of thumb is to remove all reading material from the toilet area. And avoid bringing your phone or tablet with you. Instead, it’s important to do your business and get off the toilet quickly, with no distractions.

4. Take sitz baths

A sitz bath is a nice and simple way to help get rid of hemorrhoids and decrease the uncomfortable symptoms. To take a sitz bath, you simply soak your bottom in warm water for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can do this in a bathtub or small, plastic tub that you can get from the pharmacy.

You can take a sitz bath several times a day or as needed to help relieve your symptoms. Warm water alone can help, or you can use additives like Epsom salt.

5. Increase your physical activity

Being physically active has many benefits, including helping your hemorrhoids. One way exercise helps is by making your bowel movements more regular. This will lessen your straining with bowel movements and improve constipation.

Some exercises, such as weight lifting and squats, can worsen hemorrhoids. But most exercises can help with your symptoms. Examples include aerobic activities, such as taking a walk or swimming. And they have the added benefit of improving your overall health.

What can a healthcare professional do for hemorrhoid treatment?

If you think you have hemorrhoids, get medical attention to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. You’ll likely have to share information about your symptoms and your bowel habits. They’ll also do a thorough physical exam to look at the rectum. You may need a colonoscopy to make sure nothing else is causing the rectal bleeding.

Your healthcare professional may also recommend suppositories, enemas, or topical creams. These can all help decrease the inflammation of your hemorrhoids.

If at-home treatments don’t work, or if your hemorrhoids are big, you may get referred to a surgeon. You may need this specialist to discuss other nonsurgical and surgical treatment options.

Nonsurgical procedures

There are several nonsurgical procedures that can help you manage hemorrhoids. These are not very invasive and include:

• Rubber band ligation: Healthcare professionals usually perform this procedure in their office. They place a rubber band at the base of the hemorrhoids to cut their blood supply. It’s only for internal hemorrhoids.

• Sclerotherapy: For this procedure, a healthcare professional injects a chemical solution into the area around the hemorrhoids. This solution damages the blood vessels, causing them to shrink and scar down.

• Electrocoagulation: This procedure uses an electric current to damage the hemorrhoids.

• Infrared coagulation: This procedure uses an infrared light to quickly heat the blood vessels. This causes the hemorrhoids to clot and scar.

Surgical procedures

• Hemorrhoidectomy: This procedure requires a trip to the operating room to cut out and remove the hemorrhoids. It’s the most effective method of treating hemorrhoids.

• Hemorrhoid stapling: In this procedure, a healthcare professional staples and removes the hemorrhoidal tissue. This is also performed in the operating room.

In general, you can do the nonsurgical procedures in your doctor’s office for small, internal hemorrhoids. Surgical procedures are typically performed in the operating room with some form of anesthesia. Surgical procedures can work for both internal and external hemorrhoids.

What hemorrhoid medication works the fastest?

Hemorrhoid medications that work the fastest shrink swelling and target the burning, itch, and pain symptoms. These fast-acting medications don’t cure the hemorrhoid, but they can offer symptom relief.

Here are some OTC medications that work fast to relieve hemorrhoid symptoms:

• Benzocaine (Americaine ointment) to numb hemorrhoid pain

• Witch hazel (Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads) to reduce hemorrhoid swelling and pain

• Witch hazel and phenylephrine combination (Preparation H Cooling Gel) to decrease irritation, relieve itch, burning and pain

• Mineral oil, petrolatum and phenylephrine combination (Preparation H) to decrease irritation, shrink swelling and ease pain

• Hydrocortisone (Preparation H Soothing Relief Anti-itch cream) to reduce inflammation and swelling

If OTC medications aren’t improving your symptoms, your healthcare professional might prescribe stronger medications. The medicines they might commonly prescribe include:

• Hydrocortisone medications (Anucort, Proctocort-HC, Proctocream) to decrease inflammation

• Hydrocortisone plus lidocaine (Ana-Lex) to reduce inflammation and numb the area

• Nitroglycerin ointment (Rectiv) to relax the muscles in the vessels that cause the hemorrhoids and treat pain in thrombosed hemorrhoids

• Nifedipine ointment to relax the vessels in the hemorrhoids and reduce pain

Internal hemorrhoid treatment vs. external hemorrhoid treatment

Hemorrhoid treatment will differ based on the type you have and how severe your symptoms are. External hemorrhoids usually don’t need to be treated unless they become thrombosed (filled with a blood clot) or cause bleeding or pain. OTC medications and lifestyle modifications can help external hemorrhoids in many cases.

Minor internal hemorrhoids can usually be treated with medications and minimally invasive procedures like injection sclerotherapy or rubber band ligation. But you may need surgical treatment if your internal hemorrhoids are severe or other treatments don’t work.

Do hemorrhoids go away on their own?

Yes, hemorrhoids can go away on their own. As a matter of fact, you may have had hemorrhoids and not even known about them because they formed and then healed on their own.

If you do notice mild symptoms with hemorrhoids, they’ll probably go away on their own, even if you don’t use any type of treatment. Eating a healthy diet with lots of fiber, drinking more water, and getting some exercise may help you avoid them altogether.

How long does it take for hemorrhoids to go away?

How long it takes for hemorrhoids to go away depends on how severe they are. Minor hemorrhoids may go away on their own in just a few days. More severe hemorrhoids may take months to improve.

Complicated hemorrhoids may not go away, even if you follow all the recommendations and use home remedies or prescriptions. You may need surgical hemorrhoid removal if they don’t resolve and continue to cause problems.