Preparation H®, Recticare, and lidocaine creams are all considered effective medications for relieving hemorrhoid symptoms, however, they differ in how they work and how they are used.
Over-the-counter products are available for hemorrhoids, such as pads infused with witch hazel (Tucks), as well as soothing creams that contain lidocaine, hydrocortisone, or other ingredients like phenylephrine (Preparation H). These substances help shrink the inflamed tissue and provide relief from itching.
For people who do not respond to over-the-counter products like Preparation H, doctors sometimes prescribe topical nitroglycerine ointment and nifedipine ointment. More potent hydrocortisone products are also available with a doctor's prescription; these products are available as topical creams or suppositories.
Both Preparation H Soothing Relief Cleansing & Cooling Wipes and Preparation H Medicated Wipes are great for everyday use.
Haemorrhoid creams can be effective in reducing inflammation and pain caused by haemorrhoids. However, they may not be effective for everyone, and they may not provide a long-term solution. Haemorrhoid creams may provide only temporary relief from symptoms and are not a cure for haemorrhoids.
Grade 4: Hemorrhoids that are always outside the anus and can no longer be pushed back inside. Usually, a small bit of the anal lining comes out of the anus too. This is also known as rectal prolapse.
Curist Lidocaine 5% cream is the strongest lidocaine formulation available without a doctor's prescription, which treats the pain, itching, and burning caused by hemorrhoids or other rectal/anal inflammatory conditions.
How Do I Apply Hemorrhoid Ointment? First, make sure your hands are clean and that the affected area is also clean and dry. When using externally, take a dime-size amount of ointment on the tip of your finger and apply it externally or to the lower portion of the anal canal.
If you use hydrocortisone for a long time, it can make the skin around your anus thinner. It's best not to use these treatments for more than 7 days and not to repeat these treatments too often.
If your hemorrhoid protrudes from the anal canal, try gently pushing it back inside. A hemorrhoid left hanging out of the anus is at a greater risk of developing clots or strangulating.
Product Information
These wipes combine soothing aloe and cleansing witch hazel for gentle daily hemorrhoid care. These itch relief wipes also help relieve itching. Apply Preparation H wipes 3-4 times daily for fast acting hemorrhoid care.
Hemorrhoid removal, also called a hemorrhoidectomy.
Spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia also may be used. Hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective and complete way to treat severe or recurring hemorrhoids. Complications can include temporarily having a hard time urinating, which can lead to urinary tract infections.
Don't worry: when you experience a flare-up, you can turn to Preparation H and some simple, at-home treatments to ease your symptoms. Most hemorrhoid flare-ups will go away after 7 days of home treatment.
Benefits of Vaseline in Treating Hemorrhoids
Vaseline, if applied over the anal area, treats dryness, greatly reduces excessive itching, and reduces inflammation and irritation of hemorrhoids. In addition, applying Vaseline on the anal area helps relieve stress on the anal area.
Grade four hemorrhoids are large enough that you cannot easily manually push them back into your anus without a significant amount of pain and discomfort. In these cases, it is highly advisable that you consult with your physician to explore treatment options.
The dispensing cap should be gently inserted partway into the anus to apply the medicine. You can use Preparation H up to 4 times a day. It is especially helpful to use the product in the morning, at night, and after each bowel movement.
Put on disposable gloves, and put lubricating jelly on your finger. Gently push back any tissue that has come out of the anus. Apply an ice pack to help decrease swelling. Be sure to keep a damp cloth between your skin and the ice pack so that the cold doesn't damage the skin.
Hemorrhoids inside the rectum are usually painless but tend to bleed. Hemorrhoids outside the rectum may cause pain. Hemorrhoids (HEM-uh-roids), also called piles, are swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum. Hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins.
The main issue with creams is they don't treat the source of hemorrhoids. As explained by Dr. Stone Mitchell, Premier Hemorrhoid Treatment Center's treatment specialist, hemorrhoids are simply swollen veins around the rectal area, which are often the result of excess pressure in the pelvic or rectal area.
Hydrocortisone topical has an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from a total of 63 ratings on Drugs.com. 60% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 22% reported a negative effect. Preparation H Maximum Strength has an average rating of 5.0 out of 10 from a total of 8 ratings on Drugs.com.
Preparation H for eye bags
This popular hemorrhoid cream has also become popular for under-eye puffiness. The active ingredient is phenylephrine, which shrinks blood vessels. This effect could temporarily reduce the visibility of prominent eyelid veins, but it won't do much for the puffiness.
Rectal prolapse is when part of the rectum bulges out of the anus. It is most often caused by the muscles that support the rectum getting weak. It can happen from constipation, damage from giving birth, or defects in the pelvis or lower gastrointestinal tract. At first, it may happen only after a bowel movement.
This occurs when a hemorrhoid blood vessel is injured and develops one or more blood clots. The thrombosis can often have the appearance of a purple lump the size of a peanut or grape immediately at the anal opening. Overstraining with bowel movements or vigorous physical activity can cause thrombosed hemorrhoids.
Grade 3 hemorrhoids require manual manipulation to go back inside the anal canal. Grade 4: Internal hemorrhoids that are irreducible and permanently prolapsed. Grade 4 can't be manually pushed back inside and require medical attention as they may strangulate.