There is a lot to be shared about the connection between drinking
water, hemorrhoids (piles) and excessive alcohol consumption. The news
media, health blogs and healthy living magazines constantly remind
people to drink more water for better health.
We all know water is
better for us than soda, sugary drinks and all the other liquids most
people prefer to drink than simple water. But we all have cravings. I
used to drink lots of soda thinking I was getting enough water from it.
These
same health sources also warn that excessive alcohol consumption and
hemorrhoids are a painful reality for many heavy drinkers. Piles are
inflamed anal veins that grow into small or large masses inside or
outside of the anus.
They are commonly known as internal or
external hemorrhoids or external piles and internal piles. Hemorrhoid
symptoms are chronic itching in and around the rectal cavity. They also
cause a stinging burning pain that makes walking or even sitting
extremely painful. Severe inflammation of anus veins can cause bleeding
from the anal region that can be scary.
Let's look at drinking water, excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids a little more closely.
Drinking Water and Hemorrhoids
Water
is absolutely essential in digestion, absorption of nutrients and
bodily waste elimination through urination and bowel movements. Health
experts recommend as a general rule of thumb to drink at least eight
8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. If you're exercising or losing bodily
fluids more rapidly you'll need to drink more, but the "8 x 8" rule is a
good to gauge follow.
Drinking water helps prevent chronic
constipation, which can play a big role in developing piles. Straining
when passing bowel movements can lead to blood swollen veins around the
anal region. When a person's body is not properly hydrated from drinking
enough water constipation can happen that causes painful piles to
develop internally or externally.
Dehydration is significant
contributor to hemorrhoids. Drinking plenty of water can greatly reduce
the risk of getting this condition that effects millions of people
yearly. It can be caused by digestive problems due to poor body
hydration. You would be amazed at how many cases could be prevented
using the "8x8" rule.
Chronic diarrhea is another major cause of
piles forming. Diarrhea's spastic motion adds a tremendous amount of
unhealthy pressure to the anus that can cause straining like with
constipation. Strong spastic pressure on the anus that can also cause
anal fissures besides inflamed anal veins.
When people do develop
hemorrhoids their doctors always tell them to drink plenty of water to
help flush out toxins while keeping their digestive system healthy to
prevent a future outbreak.
If you don't like the taste of tap
water or want to live eco-friendly avoiding bottled water invest in an
affordable water purifier for the kitchen faucet.
As a former
hemorrhoid sufferer who went through laser surgery in Los Angeles I make
sure I drink plenty of water daily. Hydrate to beat them!
Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Hemorrhoids
By
no means am I telling people not to drink. I enjoy one glass of red
wine with dinner most nights. My doctor told me it was good for my heart
in moderation. If I'm at a dinner party it's not uncommon for me to
have two or three glasses of red wine while enjoying good company.
When
I go fishing or camping with family and friends I enjoy more than a few
bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. As I've got older in life I've
learned my drinking limits and no when to not push it to excessive
alcohol consumption.
Where excessive alcohol consumption and
hemorrhoids becomes a dangerous mix is when it comes to heavy or binge
drinking. College was my first experience with excessive alcohol
consumption and piles. I wasn't drinking enough water or eating right.
My sophomore year I developed a very small external hemorrhoid.
It
still hurt like an itchy fiery bee sting and I was embarrassed to tell
my friends. My parents took me to a doctor who prescribed me a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to treat it and eliminate
it. The growth was very small and was caught early, so it could be
treated without surgery or banding. There are other many excellent
hemorrhoidal products you can buy online for hemorrhoid relief and
treatment.
Alcohol dehydrates the body badly and robs it of
precious vitamins. Most people when they drink alcohol skip drinking
water in between alcoholic beverages and don't take a vitamin for a day
or night of drinking.
Heavy drinkers have a higher risk of getting
this rectal condition because of alcohol dehydration and lack of
vitamins in their bodies. It's recommended to take a multivitamin 4
hours before drinking alcohol. When you drink alcohol make sure to take
your vitamins.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause severe
constipation and small, dry stools that are tough to pass during bowel
movements. The strain and pressure to pass a bowel movement makes the
veins in and around the anus inflamed. This is a major factor to
internal and external piles developing.
People that consume
alcohol excessively will commonly experience digestive and bowel
movement problems. This is because alcohol in any common form (beer,
wine, whiskey etc.) acts as a diuretic that will dehydrate the alcohol
drinker.
A person who is dehydrated normally experiences
constipation and is forced to severely strain when passing bowel
movements. Binge drinking can also lead to highly elevated blood
pressure, which in turn increases the pressure to delicate veins in and
around the anus.
The important thing is to drink water even when
you're drinking alcohol to stay well hydrated. Dehydration, constipation
and diarrhea contribute heavily to hemorrhoid risk or can make a
current hemorrhoid condition worse. Water is your friend when it comes
to hemorrhoids. Excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids are two
things to avoid if you can.