At times, veins near the bottom part of your rectum or anus may witness an inflammation; this is when hemorrhoids occur. This strains your bowel movements and may lead to constipation / difficulties to pass stools. Hemorrhoids may show up either externally or internally. External ones are also called piles. Internal hemorrhoids show up inside the rectal tract. Can you use hydrocortisone cream for hemorrhoids? It is a wise thing to know more.
Hemorrhoids show up when there is a lot of pressure applied on veins near the anal tract. This condition is triggered when you strain a lot during bowel movements, sitting inside your toilet for hours, living with frequent spells of diarrhea or constipation, etc. Those who may need to lift heavy objects and are obese are at added risk.
Signs of internal hemorrhoids include sticking out of skin (from your anus) while you are straining to pass stools, traces of blood soon after movements of bowel, etc. In case of external conditions, you may experience itchiness of surfaces near your anus, painful sensation around your anus – especially while you sit for many hours, inflammation of your skin or formation of lumps around the anal tract, etc.
In general, hemorrhoids may not trigger acute levels of pains. In some cases, hemorrhoids – external form of these – can appear as a blood clot. This is labelled as thrombosed form of hemorrhoid. On the other hand, internal condition is unlikely to trace back inside your anus. The good thing is hemorrhoids are not near-fatal or fatal conditions; these may go away on their own – at times, even without treatment.
What is hydrocortisone?
This is a lab-made / artificial version of a hormone called cortisol. This drug is administered to treat a wide range of health conditions; these include insufficiency of adrenocortical, enhanced blood-calcium levels, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) such as bronchial asthma, bronchitis, asthma, etc.
Hydrocortisone
It is a first-line treatment to manage inadequate availability of hormones like cortisol. Hydrocortisone is sold in a few versions viz., cream, tablets and as an injection. An abrupt end to your medication plan can trigger a few withdrawal signs including insomnia, headache, involuntary shaking of your body, etc. In order to avoid such signs of withdrawal, your physician is likely to taper off last few doses of this hydrocortisone cream.
Hydrocortisone cream for hemorrhoids
Hydrocortisone is administered for treating conditions like ulcerative colitis, inflammation of rectum, etc. Your doctor may prescribe this steroidal med for controlling itchiness as well as inflammation near the anal tract. Key ingredients of hydrocortisone cream are known to stimulate natural chemicals in skin and thus offer relief from reddening of skin, itchiness and inflammation.
Hydrocortisone cream is not an over the counter i.e., OTC medication. This cream needs to be used strictly as per the dosage plan prescribed by a qualified medical professional. This med is likely to cause a few side effects; these are weakness, profuse sweating, turning dizzy, severe spells of headache, mood shifts including a sense of euphoria, etc.
Side effects may also include delayed healing of bruises, nicks and cuts, drying of skin, burning sensation at the affected area, etc. These are notified as not-so-severe side effects. In some one-off cases, hydrocortisone cream can cause a few severe effects. These are formation of hives, respiratory problems like gasping or wheezing, inflammation of organs like limbs, oral parts and a few facial organs. Upon spotting any of these severe side effects, seek clinical assistance on an urgent mode.
If you are a resident of Canada, call Health Canada or a local poison management cell. Those who are living in US must reach out to 911 or visit a local healthcare setting without further delay. In order to have more inputs on using hydrocortisone cream for hemorrhoids, speak with your treating doctor and / or a pharmacist.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.
Education: Bachelor’s in Journalism with a minor in Nutrition from Northwestern University. Experience: 15 years as a health journalist, writing for major publications like The New York Times and TIME, with a focus on diet, exercise, and chronic disease management.
