Guess what? Chicken butt!
If you’ve ever had a four-year-old in your life, this is an oldie but goodie, time tested way of getting little ones collapsing in giggles. Butts are funny to kids, and hey, sometimes they’re funny to grown-ups, too. But maybe the adults in the room could stand to have a real conversation about our “back end parts,” and all the plumbing included.
You Have a Butt. You Need it, So Keep it Healthy.
Everyone has a bum, but almost no one talks about the health of them. We really want to change that. If you think of all the ways your bottom helps you in a day, you’d have a list long enough for two sides of paper. You use it to sit, to walk, to eliminate waste, and to relieve yourself from gas. It’s pretty helpful and it’s time we started treating it better, and that includes paying close attention when it tells us something isn’t working as smoothly as it could be. One of the ways to treat your body properly is by paying close attention to signs and signals that something isn’t running at top condition, like soreness around your anus, itching, blood when you wipe, and swelling. (Go back and read the word anus again. Laugh for a second and then get over it, because we have important butt talk ahead.) These can all be signs of a hemorrhoidal flare-up.
Hemorrhoids: Not Just for Grandpa
The fact is, we all have hemorrhoids, these cushions of tissue filled with blood vessels near the end of the rectum are a normal part of the anatomy. But when these veins swell, the walls of the blood vessels can stretch thin, causing internal or external bumps. Sometimes these bumps are small and painless, but when swollen, it can be a source of discomfort, leading to anal bleeding, itching, and other challenges. This is called a hemorrhoidal flare-up.
Listen, I know of which I speak. Worrying about the next bathroom pitstop and planning your cross-country road trip around indoor plumbing is not going to get you voted “most cheerful” in the minivan. And in case you think that you’re the kind of person who isn’t prone to hemorrhoids, we have some straight up hard-hitting news for you: YOU ARE. Up to 70 percent of Canadians will experience a hemorrhoidal flare-up at some point in their life, – and listen closely here – it can be at any age. You are not alone if you suffer, and we really want you to remember that hemorrhoidal flare-ups are not just your Grandpa’s issue. It’s just that he’s old enough and all out of ^&%$s to give that he was the one who ever openly talked about them.
Hemorrhoidal flare-ups can be caused by several factors like weight, family history, and age. If you do pull the old “hemorrhoid card” in life’s lotto, the great news is that there are a lot of ways you can alleviate and mitigate the symptoms. If you haven’t experienced them, here’s hoping you never do, but keep reading. (We refer you to that “up to 70 percent of Canadians will…”stat above. Plus, maybe you could help someone out with this knowledge.)
I Don’t Like This! What Can I Do? (Spoiler: There IS Relief!)
Hemorrhoidal flare-up relief can be had. Make sure you use gentle cleansing products and for goodness sake, be kind to yourself down there when cleaning. On top of this golden rule, taking an oral medication is also an option which can provide relief. Venixxa is an easy to take over-the-counter oral treatment (YES! O-R-A-L) and can help reduce the symptoms of hemorrhoidal flare-ups. It can also help reduce the reoccurrence, intensity, and duration of flare-ups. In two days, 42% of patients experienced overall symptom reduction with Venixxa, and at seven days, 84% of patients’ pain stopped.
Butt Wait! There’s More!
There are two kinds of hemorrhoids: External (formed outside the anus) and internal (which develop inside the anus. For the very curious – and you should be! – have a peek here to see how the two develop over time, and scroll down to Progression of Hemorrhoids for an illustrated look.
Unfortunately, hemorrhoidal flare-ups are common, but there are a few things you can do to prevent them. Diet and exercise both work to help manage and prevent hemorrhoidal flare-ups and remember to drink water and include fibre-rich foods in your diet. Plus, exercise is good for your body and your butt! It can help stimulate bowel function and prevent straining. The earlier you deal with issues, the earlier you can go back to not having to worry about all the symptoms of hemorrhoidal flare-ups getting in your way. (I don’t care how laid back and relaxed your lifestyle is; literally no one has time for bleeding and inflammation in their, ahem, back porch area.)
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you’ve never been diagnosed with hemorrhoidal flare-ups and think you may be experiencing them. And if you’re not having issues now, after reading this you’ll know better what to do if they occur, so you can feel better faster. In fact, ask your doctor all your butt questions when they arise because a healthy body includes keeping all its parts healthy - no butts about it.
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