One of the features of such a common disease as hemorrhoids is extreme pain in the anal area during periods of exacerbation. Pain significantly reduces the quality of everyday life - it not only makes going to the toilet painful, but also interferes with falling asleep, even walking and sitting can cause suffering. This problem is especially familiar to people who have grade 3-4 hemorrhoids, when the nodes are located outside and create discomfort that cannot be ignored. What body position will help relieve pain of this kind, what is better - lying down or walking with hemorrhoids?
Haemorrhoids
Causes of the disease
Completely different people suffer from hemorrhoids: both very young and elderly. The high prevalence of the disease is associated with a huge number of reasons for its occurrence. These, for example, include the following “provocateurs”:
- "passive lifestyle. Office, metro, sofa - this is what the schedule of an ordinary resident of a large metropolis often looks like. We work a lot, and there is no time left for an active life, especially if there are children in the family. During prolonged sitting, the vessels dilate, stagnation appears in them, which ultimately leads to the development of hemorrhoids;
- the opposite problem is “standing” work, especially associated with heavy lifting. Loaders automatically fall into the risk zone; this also includes teachers, security guards, lecturers, hairdressers, etc.;
- chronic gastrointestinal diseases leading to constipation or diarrhea. Such problems constantly irritate the anus area, and this ultimately becomes the cause of the development of hemorrhoids;
- poor nutrition. Alcohol, hot spices, insufficient amounts of nutrients - all this leads to various injuries to the gastrointestinal tract, which sooner or later provoke the development of this disease;
- pregnancy and childbirth. Unfortunately, the happiest time in any woman’s life is often overshadowed by the symptoms of hemorrhoids. This is due to physical changes in a pregnant woman's body;
- Another important factor is heredity. How good our blood vessels will be is often determined by genes.
The reasons often overlap one another - office workers cannot eat normally, pregnant women cannot move much due to toxicosis. Therefore, at different periods of life, many find themselves at risk.
Exercises after hemorrhoid removal
A patient who has undergone surgery to remove inflamed nodes can begin active training only after 2 months.
Moreover, he is prohibited from engaging in heavy loads. They have a negative effect on the abdominal cavity and provoke prolapse of inflamed nodes, which is especially dangerous during the patient’s recovery period.
He can:
- ride a bicycle with an anatomical saddle;
- do yoga, race walking, fitness;
- swim.
Physical exercises for hemorrhoids for men and women with sudden jerks and braking should be avoided.
Let's summarize: now we know how to play sports if you have hemorrhoids.
Sport helps get rid of complications and stop the further spread of the disease. And only a doctor can answer the question of what exercises a patient should do with hemorrhoids, and whether it is possible to sit with hemorrhoids. Make an appointment with a doctor at the proctology center. Make an appointment
What prevents you from sleeping with hemorrhoids?
Most often, the disease develops very slowly, sometimes over several years. At first it goes away without any symptoms at all, then a slight itching and sometimes pain appears. At these stages, a rare patient goes to the doctor - the painful sensations quickly pass and do not seem dangerous. In this case, nothing prevents you from sleeping.
Most often, patients see a proctologist when the symptoms of hemorrhoids begin to seriously interfere not only with sleep, but also with life in general. It could be:
- pain in the rectal area, regardless of position and activity;
- the appearance of blood after or during bowel movements. In advanced stages of hemorrhoids, blood often appears unexpectedly and often this happens during sleep. The patient may involuntarily touch the lump, which will lead to bleeding;
- the appearance of noticeable lumps or nodes in the anus area - they may be very painful or not felt at all;
- other uncomfortable sensations - itching, burning, foreign body sensation.
In this case, almost any action, not just sleep, brings discomfort. But since in a dream we cannot control our own movements, this process often becomes a real problem. A person falls asleep in a comfortable position, turns over in his sleep, touches a painful spot and wakes up from a sharp pain. Then he cannot fall asleep for a long time, does not get enough sleep, feels tired and overwhelmed, and in this state the pain intensifies.
Exercises to prevent hemorrhoids during sedentary work
A special preventive complex has been developed to prevent blood stagnation during sedentary work. It includes several exercises:
Stand up and cross your legs. Then rhythmically tense the muscles of the buttocks and rectum. Repeat 3-6 times.
Sit on a chair with a hard seat, tilt your back slightly forward. Squeeze your rectal muscles 3 to 10 times.
Half bridge Lying on your back, arms along your body, lift your pelvis up. The upper back and feet remain pressed to the floor.
Lying on your back, lift your straight legs up one at a time up to 10 times each.
Lying on your back, spread your legs raised and extended forward to the sides and bring them back for 30-60 seconds.
Imitate riding a bicycle with your legs while lying down for 30 to 60 seconds.
Lying on your back, press your legs bent at the knees to your chest 10-12 times.
Get into a position that rests on your knees, elbows and palms. Lower your pelvis sideways to the left and then to the right, trying to touch the floor with your buttocks. Repeat 6-8 times on each side.3
The first two exercises can be performed in the workplace without anyone noticing.
What poses are best to avoid?
In general, recommendations for choosing a sleeping position are quite general. Everything greatly depends on the individual patient, the characteristics of the course of the disease, body shape and other diseases. There are several positions that doctors do not recommend for any stage of hemorrhoids.
One of the worst positions for almost any form of hemorrhoids is sleeping in the so-called fetal position. This is when a person lies on his side and curls up into a ball, like a baby in his mother's stomach. In this position, the load on the muscles of the pelvis and back increases greatly, blood circulation in this area becomes more active, and this negatively affects the disease.- Surprisingly, sleeping on your stomach is also not recommended. Despite the fact that with this position the “sore” area does not come into contact with the bed in any way, due to increased blood pressure the disease may worsen.
- Doctors also do not recommend sleeping on your back. Everything here is quite obvious: in advanced stages of hemorrhoids, when the internal hemorrhoidal veins fall out and hemorrhoidal lumps form, they can simply be physically damaged by the bed. This may cause bleeding and severe pain.
- Never fall asleep sitting or half-sitting. It’s already uncomfortable to sleep in this position, and in the case of hemorrhoids, it’s simply dangerous.
How to walk correctly during an exacerbation?
Among the popular reasons for the development of hemorrhoids is physical inactivity - lack of movement, which leads to stagnant processes in the pelvic area. This problem is relevant for men and women of different age groups. An important recommendation for the treatment and prevention of the disease is the advice to move more, walk, improving blood circulation in the problem area. The benefits of physical activity for hemorrhoids are obvious:
- The condition of the walls of venous vessels improves, their elasticity and permeability increases,
- Intestinal motility is activated, which helps to avoid constipation, which is dangerous for hemorrhoids,
- Metabolism accelerates, excess calories are burned, which allows you to maintain normal body weight.
- Blood circulation improves, including in the problem area,
- Walking is one of the most gentle and safe forms of physical education. In addition, the load when walking is easy to regulate - if necessary, you can always slow down, stop or sit down while walking.
Of course, many types of activity will have to be eliminated until recovery - if hemorrhoids worsen, cycling, running, weightlifting and horse riding are prohibited. The safest exercise during this period is walking.
Walking
But what if even normal walking is accompanied by pain? Under no circumstances should you completely give up physical activity. It is necessary to walk if you have hemorrhoids, but at the same time following a number of simple rules that will help avoid injuries and reduce discomfort when moving:
- You should not strain your buttocks and abdominal muscles when walking. It is important to monitor your posture - keep your back straight and your shoulders straight. This body position will rationally distribute the load and avoid unnecessary pressure on the problem area,
- Move slowly, do not make sudden movements,
- It is useful to raise your legs higher when walking, cross them when taking steps,
- Dose the duration of walking, focusing on your feelings,
- To reduce discomfort, you can use special ointments that will reduce itching, pain and burning, and also help reduce the likelihood of injury to nodes when walking,
- You need to walk lightly. You should not carry heavy bags, packages or a backpack. Such a load can only worsen the condition of hemorrhoids.
Read also: What to do with hemorrhoids after childbirth, how to get rid of pain and bleeding at home?
Of course, there are situations when it is better and more useful to refuse even such activity. If there is bleeding from the anus, intestinal prolapse or the acute phase of hemorrhoids, accompanied by acute pain, is diagnosed, it is wiser to be at rest so as not to aggravate the condition.
If you have any doubts about whether you need bed rest or whether you should walk more if you have hemorrhoids, you should consult your doctor. A specialist proctologist, based on clinical data, will be able to individually recommend the optimal level of activity and the desired body position at a specific stage of the disease.
Successful poses
From the above, the conclusion suggests itself that the best sleeping position for a patient with hemorrhoids is on the side.
It is in this position that the average person feels the least amount of discomfort. The muscles relax, blood flows freely through the vessels, there is no pressure on the inflamed areas. It is very important to try to periodically change sides so that the load is even.
However, everything here can be quite individual. To summarize, when choosing a sleeping position, the main rule is not to squeeze the blood vessels.
When the patient is relaxed and blood circulation is uniform, the muscles relax and the pain becomes much less. Most often, the patient can choose this position himself - if you lie comfortably and there is no pain anywhere, then most likely this will be the best position for sleeping.
If you usually sleep with a loved one or child, then while you are treating your illness, it would be good to temporarily move to an individual sleeping place. Firstly, another person may touch or hit a sore spot in a dream, and secondly, complex cases of hemorrhoids are often accompanied by unpleasant symptoms: gases, bleeding, and the like.
What sports are prohibited?
A patient with this disease can play sports, but not any kind.
For example, the following sports are prohibited if you have hemorrhoids, i.e. The patient should not do:
- weightlifting;
- bodybuilding;
- powerlifting.
The exercises described above put a very strong load on the entire body, and during an exacerbation of the disease this can be extremely dangerous.
Also, the patient is not recommended to do abdominal exercises, so doctors, when answering the question of whether it is possible to pump up the abdominal muscles with hemorrhoids, give a negative answer. Abdominal exercises increase intra-abdominal pressure and have a negative effect on blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
Increased pressure leads to disruption of the outflow of blood from the venous plexuses of the rectum. This provokes the appearance of nodes that enlarge and fall out of the rectum during exercise.
And increased pressure and impaired muscle tone in the anus often lead to an exacerbation of the disease, the emergence of dangerous complications and consequences.
In addition, a patient with this disease should not ride a bicycle or engage in horseback riding. While driving, a thermal compress is formed between the human body and the seat, causing congestion in the pelvic organs, increasing the pressure on the problem area. Therefore, the patient will have to give up such sports for a while.
What else should you consider?
- The best choice for such a disease is a moderately hard mattress, always orthopedic. A sleeping place that is too soft negatively affects the course of the disease. For the filler, it is recommended to choose natural materials that will ensure free air circulation. Regardless of the mattress, you need to periodically change sides so that the load is even.
- As for underwear or pajamas, they should also be made from natural materials, preferably cotton. Choose loose models that will not put pressure anywhere, especially for the lower part of the body - pants, shorts or briefs should be loose.
- The bedroom should not be hot, the optimal temperature is approximately 18 degrees.
How to sleep correctly for a pregnant woman with hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids very often occur in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Unfortunately, it is during this period that the body is very “capricious”, and the disease must be treated with gentle means that are safe for mother and baby. Because of this, it is not possible to quickly overcome the symptoms, and doctors recommend trying to reduce pain yourself, through relaxation and the most comfortable poses.
As in any other case, it is best for a woman to sleep on her side. A great way to relieve pain is to place a pillow between your legs near your knees. Pharmacies offer special rollers for this, but most often it is easy to make yourself from scrap materials.
How to lie down correctly?
As a rule, movement is indicated during the treatment of hemorrhoids. Maintaining the required level of physical activity allows you to eliminate congestion, improve blood circulation and muscle condition, and maintain normal body weight. Even when walking is painful and unpleasant, it is undesirable to neglect walks; they speed up recovery. Typically, the supine position for hemorrhoids is indicated only during night sleep.
But if the doctor persistently recommends rest and bed rest, then there are good reasons for this. Sometimes only strict restriction of mobility can bring relief. What is the best way to sleep and lie properly with hemorrhoids in order to relieve the problem area as much as possible and not aggravate the disease?
Bed rest
The position “on the side” is considered the least traumatic for severe hemorrhoids. You should turn over from time to time to relieve congestion in the pelvis. Sleeping on your back with hemorrhoids is contraindicated; this position of the body increases pressure on the problem area and leads to the accumulation of blood in the hemorrhoids.
Patients on bed rest are usually advised to perform a number of special exercises with caution:
You can do this kind of gymnastics even while in bed. Performing simple exercises will improve blood circulation in the lower body, strengthen muscles and increase the elasticity of blood vessels. In the acute stage of the disease, it is important to observe the measure even with the recommended load and carefully monitor the body’s reaction.
Exercises
What are the benefits of lying down? Several important points can be highlighted:
- The risk of injuring external components is minimized,
- It is easier to stop bleeding at rest,
- In a lying position, it is convenient to use local medications (suppositories), they remain in the affected area longer and have a full effect - they relieve inflammation and pain, stop bleeding, eliminate swelling,
- In a lying position, you can find a comfortable position for yourself in which discomfort and pain will be minimal.
Read also: Can inflammation of hemorrhoids go away on its own, ways to speed up the recovery process, methods of treatment, prevention and prognosis of the disease
That is why in severe forms of the disease, severe exacerbations, as well as in the postoperative period, it is usually recommended to spend more time lying down.
Summing up
With any form of hemorrhoids, you cannot lie or sit all the time - you need to move, get the blood moving, change positions. At the same time, it is important not to touch the inflamed areas and take care of yourself - under no circumstances lift heavy objects or perform exercises involving abdominal tension.
Hemorrhoids are a very multifaceted disease; they can be asymptomatic for a long time. A tooth and pain in the rectum can be signs of many other, much more serious diseases, so if something bothers you, be sure to consult a proctologist. Remember that with this disease, in any case, you cannot do without his consultation - just the correct sleeping position or a little gymnastics is not enough, most often you cannot do without the help of medications.
Properly selected treatment usually helps to quickly remove all unpleasant symptoms and restore your previous standard of living. With timely treatment, the painful sensations disappear quickly enough, and then you can sleep peacefully in any position. If, after completing the course, you follow the doctor’s recommendations, the symptoms are unlikely to return soon.
What is better - walking or lying down?
The answer to this question is ambiguous and depends on the characteristics of the disease in each individual person. We can say with confidence that an active lifestyle and walking are preferable during remission or with uncomplicated forms of hemorrhoids. In this case, hemorrhoidal cones are usually small and the risk of injury is low. And the benefits of walking in the fight against disease are beyond doubt.
When hemorrhoids are advanced or are in a phase of severe exacerbation, the choice of the correct regimen and level of activity should be entrusted to a doctor. Only a specialist can reliably assess the patient’s condition and determine what is healthier and safer for him at this particular moment.
If the doctor says that physical activity does not pose any danger, you should choose an active pastime. Short walks at a calm pace will help cope with the disease. If you have to sit a lot at work, you need to take frequent breaks, get up, and, if possible, walk (slowly, without sudden movements). In addition, simple exercises (for example, alternately squeezing and relaxing the sphincter) can be done right at the workplace without attracting attention. This approach will help you cope with the disease faster and prevent relapses.
If the proctologist strongly recommends moving as little as possible and staying in bed if possible, then it is in the patient’s interests to adhere to these tips. The doctor will tell you how to lie with hemorrhoids, which position will be the most correct, whether it is possible to perform exercises or whether it is better to abstain from them.
In order not to harm the body and not to prolong the acute period of the disease, it is important to choose the right furniture and sitting position. Doctors recommend choosing a hard surface for sitting, avoiding soft sofas and armchairs - they can additionally provoke prolapse of hemorrhoids. It’s good if the chair has a comfortable back - this helps relieve the load on the spine and reduce pressure on the pelvic organs.
How to sit
It is important that the foot rests completely on the floor in a sitting position - thanks to this, the load on the body is distributed more evenly. If you experience severe pain in the anal area when sitting, you can place something cold or a heating pad with ice under the problem area (but it is better not to get carried away with this method, as you can provoke vasospasm or a cold). In addition, for patients with severe forms of hemorrhoids, a special pad has been developed with a hole or concave area in the center, which minimizes pressure on the affected area and reduces the likelihood of injury.
Read also: Causes of acute hemorrhoids, symptoms, treatment methods, diagnostics, possible complications and prognosis of the disease
