Risk groups

Every year we spend hundreds, even thousands of hours at work and for resting. This habit of the modern world also has an adverse effect on our anus. Long-time sitting is one of the reasons why hemorrhoids get worst.

Lifestyle in this time forces us to sit more than it is healthy. Eight hours at work, driving home by car, watching TV in the evening. The worst thing is that we teach this habit our children, too. After long sitting in school, they do not go out with friends or do sports, instead of that they sit at the computer until they go to bed. Of course, in real life, it's almost impossible to avoid a couple of hours of sitting, but we should think that our body needs movement every single day. People try to convince themselves that they are healthy when they do some kind of exercise thirty minutes a day. But we should think about the twenty-three remaining hours and thirty minutes! According to European statistics, up to a third of Slovaks do not sport at all. Despite that fact that enough movement can keep our health much longer.

"If the movement is a natural part of the diet, especially in middle and senior age, the risk of premature death or serious illness is reduced by half“, said Katarína Babinská, a medical doctor from the Association of Health and Nutrition.

Do not sit, move!

In order to avoid health complications despite sedentary work, try to adapt your lifestyle that you can compensate sitting as much as it is possible by movement.

Constipation

Irregular rigid feces, problematic and often painful emptying, pain, bleeding from the rectum, sometimes cramps, unpleasant blushing and flatulence. Tendency to constipation increases with age. Typical is for people with sedentary occupation and people who are attached to the bed. Some medications or dietary supplements may cause constipation, for example, calcium (dose 1000 to 1500 mg per day).

Other factors include:

• low-fiber diet, decreased thyroid function (hypothyroidism), neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease), slaughter or spinal cord injury

Excessive use of the laxatives disrupts the function of the intestines and after discontinuation of laxatives, constipation deteriorates. Stress, lack of movement, depression, obesity or advanced pregnancy also aggravate emptying. Many people think that constipation is when they do not have feces every day. However, a normal function of the intestines is different for each individual. Someone is emptied 2-3 times a day, someone else only a few times a week. Therefore, we define constipation as a problematic, often painful, solid emptying of feces. It usually occurs in obese or elderly people, in people attached to bed and people who use laxatives excessively. Rotation of constipation and diarrhea often indicates irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. The constipation is if you have feces less than three times a week. It is important that the emptying is regular and painless.

Up to 10% of Europeans suffer from so-called " irritable bowel syndrome. The irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the natural function of the intestine, which, according to the gastroenterologist MUDr. Jarolím Šutka of the Gastroenterological Center of Thalion in Bratislava triggers primarily negative mental processes in the body. Constipation is typical for irritable bowel syndrome. After several days of constipation, diarrhea occurs and the vicious circle is constantly repeated. Constipation, diarrhea, constipation, diarrhea ... In this disease, there is extreme slowing and acceleration of mobility of the intestines.

What to do

Do not try to force the press if you are trying to empty because it increases the risk of painful haemorrhoids and rectal cracks. If you have a problem when trying to empty, you should bend forward or put your feet on a low chair.

Some simple steps that can help you to remove bad habits:

Prevention

Most of the problems with emptying of intestines, are caused by inappropriate diet - insufficient intake of fiber and fluids associated with lack of movement. Ordinary constipation usually stops if you drink 8-10 cups of water daily, do exercise 4-5 times per week for 20-30 minutes and increase the number of whole grain foods, vegetables and fruits in the diet to ensure that you get at least 25 grams of fiber per day. Try to increase the amount of fiber gradually. Suddenly increased intake of fiber can cause unpleasant bloating and flatulence.

Very important is soft feces and regular emptying of the intestines. This can be ensured with a sufficient intake of fiber (besides enough fruit, vegetables, and whole grains it is advisable to consume so-called Psyllium, Plantain or whole or ground flaxseeds). You need to drink plenty of fluids - you should drink one liter of water in the morning! If you use Psyllium you should drink plenty of water. See our Reccomendation in haemorrhoids.

It is very important to have a habit to use the toilet because of emptying every day. You should start your day with a cup of lukewarm or warm water if you have constipation. The morning coffee can help someone to go to the toilet, but do not forget that constipation also arises with caffeine dependence. If you skip your morning coffee, the regular rhythm of the emptying is broken. Many people think that if they do not use the toilet every day, they suffer from constipation. But that's a myth.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is the most common disease in children, but it also occurs in adults. We can say without a doubt that almost everyone has experiences with diarrhea. It does not matter if it is caused by infection or is caused poisoning by food. It can also be caused by stress, food or bowel disease, e.g. diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammation of the intestine, colon cancer, etc. We can be at risk of diarrhea if we travel to exotic, where we can consume unknown or infected food or water. That is a way how new unknown bacteria can get into our intestines. During treatment with antibiotics, the balance of intestinal bacteria is disturbed, which can cause diarrhea. These cases usually cause a short and easy illness. An exception is a diarrhea in the elderly and children, where is a risk of dehydration due to the loss of more fluid. Chronic diarrhea is associated with hemorrhoids, especially if there is constant irritation of the rectum and inflammation caused by diarrhea, and later it will lead to the creation of hemorrhoids (inflammation of the veins in the rectum).

How does diarrhea develop?

Diarrhea occurs if:

• disturbs the movement of the intestines, whether it is slowing the intestinal motion (contributing to the growth of pathogenic bacteria) or accelerating it (there is no time for sufficient digestion and absorption of nutrients and water)
• if there is an accumulation of water-binding substances in the intestine, causing fluid to leak from the body through the intestinal wall. As a result, the feces cannot be thickened in the colon because the water is bound to water-binding substances
• over-secrete salt and water through the intestinal mucosal cells or failure of these cells to absorb water from the intestinal contents
• there is inflammation of the intestinal mucosa that is secondary to many diseases

Bacterial or viral infections or protozoan infections can trigger any of the above mechanisms. The cause may also be some medications, for example, antibiotics, antacids (anti-inflammatory drugs), diuretics (drainage medicines) and some anti-day medicines. Other triggers include:

• excessive alcohol intake
• food allergies
• diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
• hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid activity)
• certain types of cancer

Diarrhea can also be useful!

The most effective defensive mechanisms of the organism are strong diarrhea. In this way, the body releases harmful substances that cause inflammation of the stomach and intestinal mucosa. Diarrhea in this case actually has a cleansing role. Therefore, it is not recommended to take tablets immediately to stop diarrhea. It is better to resist unpleasant but usually short-term difficulties. But do not forget to drink lots of fluids to prevent water loss and to replenish water and minerals.

Haemorrhoids occur during pregnancy almost in half of the pregnant women - especially at the end of pregnancy. It is caused by the slow action of the intestines. The baby grows and "absorbs" the space in the abdomen, so the intestines have less space and less "movement."

Several causes of haemorrhoids:

• The first and probably the most common cause of haemorrhoids in pregnancy, especially in the last trimester, is the very high pressure of the enlarged uterus on the vascular system of the pelvic floor.
• Another cause that causes a problem with a haemorrhoids is a severe pressure at constipation .
• Haemorrhoids can also appear just after childbirth as a result of severe pushing at the "secondborn" and also at the birth of a bigger baby.
• Long-term standing or sitting can also lead to the formation of haemorrhoids, and therefore we should avoid long-term standing and sitting as much as possible.

What can you try?

Obesity

Obesity is seen as another cause of haemorrhoids. Overweight is generally associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately, without exercise, your body will be more prone to haemorrhoids. In addition, excess fat in the abdominal area affects the rectal artery due to increased pressure in this area. If you live in a sedentary lifestyle, sitting in the same seat for several hours a day, at job, at car, there is a greater risk of haemorrhoids or a worsening of the current haemorrhoids. Fatty foods, lack of fiber, sweet drinks, alcohol, coffee and all these inadequate combined with lack of movement and genetic predisposition can cause a problem with haemorrhoids. The optimal is a diet modification, put movement into daily activities, weight reduction to the optimal level.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a condition that arises as a result of insufficient supply of the body with essential nutrients (the state of nutrient intake is not enough to cover their need). Malnutrition is usually associated with another disease. This disease should not be underestimated. It is very important and recommended to visit a doctor. As a result of malnutrition, there is an overall weakening of the organism and a weakening of the ligaments, which may be more prone to the development of haemorrhoidal or other diseases.

What to do

The inherited chronic venous insufficiency alias venous insufficiency that causes "varicose veins" may or may not even manifest in the veins of the rectum. Tending to overweight, bad eating and movement habits, digestive tract disease, and problems with excretion - if we inherited this all from our parents , it is most likely that haemorrhoids suffer us as well as our ancestors. Prevention is necessary , such as eating, movement and good habits.

Regular and high abdominal pressure creates an increase blood pressure in the area of the anal canal (the anal canal is the terminal part of the large intestine. It is situated between the rectum and anus, below the level of the pelvic diaphragm. It lies in the anal triangle of perineum in between the right and left ischioanal fossa the end portion of the rectum). Lifting of heavy loads, breath holding with pressure or sedentary sports with back - sitting on a bicycle, horse, motorcycle ... inappropriate materials, unbreathable clothing, sweating, increased pressure on the rectum, long sitting - all contribute to increased pressure on the veins in the anal canal, which can increase to inflammation and cause unpleasant pain, itching, burning, wetting or bleeding.

Both professional and recreational athletes often admit problems with haemorrhoids that can be discarded from their normal lives not only in sports, but also in common activities such as sitting or emptying your bowels. Frequent and difficult diets can also disrupt proper peristalsis of intestines and cause diarrhea or constipation, which are one of the factors causing haemorrhoidal disease.