One of the most annoying symptoms of having a problem like hemorrhoids can be the itching and burning, especially in the rectal area. It can take your mind off of what you need to be doing, and be a constant thorn in your side. It can leave you with a single-minded focus of looking for hemorrhoid relief.

For most people that have mild to moderate hemorrhoids, doctors will recommend over the counter treatments, such as creams, ointments, suppositories or pads. The main ingredient in all of these products is generally witch hazel or hydrocortisone. The main goal of these treatments is to reduce the pain or itching, and for the most part they are effective.

But some people require a more targeted and focused form of hemorrhoid relief. In these cases, the usual over-the-counter(OTC) treatments do not suffice. In these cases, they require something more. As we move up the spectrum of procedures, we begin to move into the region of minimally invasive actions.

As mentioned before, if OTC products have proved unsatisfactory, a doctor can perform a simple incision on the hemorrhoid. This can sometimes prove to be enough to bring much-needed hemorrhoid relief to an ailing sufferer. The incision removes the hemorrhoid and that takes care of the problem.

However, if this has not alleviated the problem, your doctor can perform one of several other minimally invasive medical procedures.

One of the recommended actions if rubber band ligation. This involves the physician wrapping a rubber band around the offending hemorrhoid, depriving it of the blood it so desperately needs to continue its squalid existence. In many cases, this can prove to solve the problem.

Another course of action can be injection. The physician injects the hemorrhoid with a chemical solution, causing it to shrivel and shrink in size. While this route is also fairly effective, ligation has proven to have slightly more positive results.

One other possible option is coagulation. In this instance, laser or heat lights are used to harden bleeding hemorrhoids. There are little to no side effects with this treatment, however it has been found that hemorrhoids tend to reoccur more often with this procedure than with ligation.

If you still have not solved your anal problems with these procedures and are still looking for hemorrhoid relief, we move farther up the ladder of solutions. We now move into the realm of surgical procedures.

If your hemorrhoids have still not gotten better, or if you are plagued by severe and large ones, there are two surgeries you can have at the hospital. You can stay overnight, or stay on an outpatient basis.

One possible option is a hemorrhoidectomy. Here, the surgeon gives you a sedative or local anesthetic and removes excessive tissue from your anus. Although this type of surgery is by far the most effective, it can also have the most complications arising afterward. These complications can include contracting a UTI(urinary tract infection) or difficulty going to the bathroom.

The second option is stapling. This option generally allows the patient to return to work as soon as possible. This is also known as a stapling hemorrhoidectomy or stapled hemorrhoidopexy. Possible complications arising from this procedure can be prolapse or recurring hemorrhoids. Only a discussion with a physician can determine which is the correct way to go.