Hemorrhoids - Treatment Overview

Treatment Overview

Most hemorrhoids can be treated with simple changes to diet and bowel habits. Most do not require surgery or other treatment unless the hemorrhoids are very large and painful. For home care and prevention tips, see the Home Treatment and Prevention sections of this topic.

The goal of nonsurgical procedures used to treat hemorrhoids, called fixative procedures, is to reduce the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so it shrinks or goes away. The scar tissue left in its place helps support the anal tissue and helps prevent more hemorrhoids from developing.

Fixative procedures include tying off the hemorrhoids with a rubber band (rubber band ligation) or injecting chemicals to shrink the tissue (injection sclerotherapy). One other fixative procedure uses heat, laser, or electric current to create scar tissue (coagulation therapy).

Surgical removal of hemorrhoids (hemorrhoidectomy) can be used for large internal hemorrhoids, when several small hemorrhoids are present, or when other treatments have not controlled bleeding. Sometimes a combination of treatments (for example, a fixative procedure and a hemorrhoidectomy) is the most effective way to treat hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoidectomy versus fixative procedures for internal hemorrhoids

• Fixative procedures are usually tried before surgery if hemorrhoids are small and stick out of the anus during a bowel movement but return to their normal position afterward (second-degree hemorrhoid). For more information about fixative procedures, see the Other Treatment section of this topic.
• Hemorrhoidectomy may provide better long-term results than fixative procedures. However, surgery is more expensive, requires longer recovery times, is usually more painful, and has a greater risk of complications.
• Fixative procedures are the preferred treatment for people older than age 70 and those in poor health.

Which treatment for hemorrhoids is right for me?