There is much to share about the connection between drinking water, hemorrhoids (piles), and heavy alcohol use. The media, health blogs, and healthy living magazines constantly remind people to drink more water for better health.
We all know that water is better for us than sodas, sugary drinks, and all the other liquids that most people prefer to drink than plain water. But we all have cravings. I used to drink a lot of sodas thinking that I was getting enough water.
These same health sources also warn that excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids are a painful reality for many heavy drinkers. Hemorrhoids are inflamed anal veins that grow in small or large masses inside or outside the anus.
They are commonly known as internal or external hemorrhoids or external piles and internal piles. The symptoms of hemorrhoids are chronic itching in and around the rectal cavity. They also cause a shooting, burning pain that makes walking or even sitting extremely painful. Severe inflammation of the veins in the anus can cause bleeding in the anal region that can be scary.
Let’s take a closer look at drinking water, heavy drinking, and hemorrhoids.
Drinking water and hemorrhoids
Water is absolutely essential in digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of body waste through urination and bowel movements. As a general rule of thumb, health experts recommend drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. If you exercise or lose body fluids more quickly, you will need to drink more, but the “8 x 8” rule is a good thing to do.
Drinking water helps prevent chronic constipation, which can play a role in the development of hemorrhoids. Straining when defecating can cause swollen veins of blood around the anal region. When a person’s body is not adequately hydrated from drinking enough water, constipation can occur causing painful hemorrhoids to develop internally or externally.
Dehydration contributes significantly to hemorrhoids. Drinking plenty of water can greatly reduce the risk of contracting this condition that affects millions of people each year. It can be caused by digestive problems due to poor body hydration. You will be surprised how many cases can be prevented using the “8×8” rule.
Chronic diarrhea is another major cause of piles formation. The spastic movement of diarrhea adds a tremendous amount of harmful pressure to the anus that can cause straining like constipation. Strong spastic pressure on the anus which can also cause anal fissures in addition to inflamed anal veins.
When people develop hemorrhoids, their doctors always tell them to drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins while keeping their digestive system healthy to prevent a future outbreak.
If you don’t like the taste of tap water or want to live green by avoiding bottled water, invest in an affordable water purifier for your kitchen tap.
As a former hemorrhoid patient who underwent laser surgery in Los Angeles, I make sure to drink plenty of water every day. Hydrate to beat them!
Excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids
In no way am I telling people not to drink. I enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner most nights. My doctor told me it was good for my heart in moderation. If I’m at a dinner party, it’s not uncommon for me to have two or three glasses of red wine while enjoying good company.
When I go fishing or camping with my family and friends I enjoy more than a few bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. As I got older in life, I learned my limits with drinking and I don’t know when not to push it to binge drinking.
Where binge drinking and hemorrhoids become a dangerous combination is when it comes to binge drinking. College was my first experience with binge drinking and batteries. He was not drinking enough water or eating well. In my second year I developed a very small external hemorrhoid.
It still hurt like a burning bee sting and was embarrassed to tell my friends. My parents took me to a doctor who prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to treat and eliminate it. The growth was very small and was detected early, so it could be treated without surgery or bands. There are many other great hemorrhoid products that you can buy online to relieve and treat hemorrhoids.
Alcohol severely dehydrates the body and deprives it of valuable vitamins. Most people when they drink alcohol skip the water between alcoholic drinks and do not take a vitamin during a drinking day or night.
Heavy drinkers are at a higher risk of getting this rectal condition due to dehydration from alcohol and a lack of vitamins in their bodies. It is recommended to take a multivitamin 4 hours before drinking alcohol. When you drink alcohol, be sure to take your vitamins.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause severe constipation and small, dry stools that are difficult to pass during bowel movements. The strain and pressure to evacuate the intestine cause the veins in and around the anus to swell. This is an important factor for the development of internal and external piles.
People who consume alcohol in excess often experience digestive and bowel problems. This is because alcohol in any common form (beer, wine, whiskey, etc.) acts as a diuretic that will dehydrate the alcohol drinker.
A person who is dehydrated usually experiences constipation and is forced to strain very hard when defecating. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to very high blood pressure, which in turn increases pressure in and around the delicate veins of the anus.
The important thing is to drink water even when you drink alcohol to stay well hydrated. Dehydration, constipation, and diarrhea contribute greatly to the risk of hemorrhoids or can make a current hemorrhoid condition worse. Water is your friend when it comes to hemorrhoids. Excessive alcohol consumption and hemorrhoids are two things to avoid if you can.
