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How to Shrink External Hemorrhoids and End the Pain and Discomfort

Hemorrhoids are essentially varicose veins in the anal canal or on the anus. If you have ever had varicose veins you will know that they are blood vessels that have swollen up, causing the surrounding tissue to swell up too. This means that the surrounding tissue is tender to the touch and can be extremely painful at times. The same applies to hemorrhoids. They can be particularly painful when passing a bowel movement or, in the case of external hemorrhoids, if you were to sit on them. For anyone in this situation, how to shrink external hemorrhoids becomes a matter of utmost priority.

External hemorrhoids generally differ from the internal variety in that the nerve endings around the swollen tissue sense and send pain signals to the brain. So the individual will experience pain whenever the swelling is aggravated in some way. This could be wearing tight clothing or as already mentioned, passing a bowel movement or sitting down. As the name suggests, they are also found on the anus or are visible. So to this extent they are easier to treat because you can actually confirm that any ointment or salve that you are using is hitting the spot so to speak.

One way to shrink an external hemorrhoid quickly is to apply crushed ice to the problem area. This can be done quite easily by putting a little bit of crushed ice in a zip lock bag and placing it on the delicate area. It can be held in place by tight fitting underwear. However it will melt fairly quickly and you will probably need replacement underwear afterward.