# REALLY itchy hemorrhoids (or something)



## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

Dp has external hemorrhoids, and has had them for a long time. In the last 2 weeks, they have gotten incredibly itchy. He's been taking at least 3 baths a day, just to keep it sort of tolerable. He's waking up in the middle of the night, needing to take a bath just to deal with the itching.

The medicine he was prescribed a year ago isn't helping anymore. He went to the doc yesterday, and was prescribed different medicine. He tried it and it burned and hurt sooo bad that he had to immediately get in the bath and wash it all off. I think a big problem is that he scratches at night, and the skin is damaged so putting anything on it makes it burn.

I've been reading on here a bit, and it seems that pinworms and yeast can cause a lot of anal itching. Is there any chance that it could be either of those things, on top of his hemorrhoids, seeing as how he went to the doctor yesterday? He said she was very fast and didn't spend any time other than to check the hemorrhoids (and say they weren't bad) and prescribe medicine.

He's tried cocoa butter, witch hazel, prescription medicine (used to work, then stopped working), natural hemorrhoid medicine, oatmeal baths, ice (he said that made it worse), switched soap,...hmmm, can't think of anything else.

Please please give me some ideas to help his itching!! Any anti-itching ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!!


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## supakitty (Mar 6, 2002)

(Just posted this in the other hemorrhoid thread)

I know what it is like to sit up in bed at night miserable from the itching/pain of hemorrhoids. The best solution (for me) is to literally hold ice cubes/bag of ice directly ON (and I mean directly on, not around, but ON) the hemorrhoids. *At first it feels terrible. It starts to burn and itch more.* *BUT, after about 30 -45 seconds it starts to numb and if you can continue for about another minute (it's uncomfortable) it will finally numb from the ice and reduce the swelling.* This usually helps so much that I can get to sleep and it doesn't wake me up. This was after night and nights of taking baths at 3AM and being miserable. Give it a try. I hope it helps.

-Laura


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## sophiesgrandma (Jun 22, 2006)

7th generation baby wipes help here.


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## wanderinggypsy (Jul 26, 2005)

I have more experience than I care to admit where these nasty critters are concerned. All three pregnancies they reared their ugly heads. And honestly what I have concluded is that the ONLY way to alleviate the discomfort and get rid of them is a combination of the following two criteria:

1)Keep the area very very clean. As in get into the tub or use a hand held shower head to spray 'em down SEVERAL times a day. Especially after a BM. Warm water, a bit of gentle soap, and pat it dry and leave it in the open air until completely dry. The relief should come within a couple of baths, sometimes almost immediately.

2) Ramp up fiber intake. Once you get it healing from the outside in with the insane attention to cleanliness, you need to prevent a re-occurrence, and the affected tissues remain VERY prone to relapse for some time. Increasing consumption of water, fruit, vegetables, and a good source of fiber like a bran cereal or something is crucial in kicking them long term.

Sadly, I have this down to a science. Luckily, I'm not planning any more pregnancies, so with any luck my days of needing this science are probably over. Good luck to your DP.


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## isaoma (Dec 6, 2006)

I don't know about the yeast or pinworm connection to anal itching, hopefully someone will come around and address this issue.

As for the swelling -- my midwife (who is also an excellent herbalist) told me about this trick. Potatoes.









Just shred them put them on the effected area for 20 minutes or so at a time (best to sit and read a book or watch tv). You can do this all day long if you can stand it. The affected tissue shrinks about within a week (or at least mine did) -- it probably depends on the amount of tissue damage. There's something in the potato that helps shrink hemmoroids. HTH.


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

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