How can I help my Mom minimize getting hemorrhoids?

MaggieMarshall is right on. Personally I have been using Benefiber to keep stools soft and easy to pass. It is better than metamucil because when you stir it into any drink t just disappears and you don't notice it at all. A generous teaspoonful in his morning coffee has helped my husband keep his hemorrhoids from getting worse.

Fiber, water, more fiber, more water. If they hurt try Desitin (yep, the baby stuff).

Best method is to do it naturally with foods - fruits and veggies especially, accompanied by lots of water as Ferris advises.

Older folks frequently have less appetite, so you'll have to create a good balance between the fiber foods and protein.

I'm assuming they've been diagnosed? If not, it's important that you do so before you make that assumption. Personally, I've never heard of hemmorhoids being caused by merely sitting. Usually caused from straining passing stool. Or, as I understand it, from childbirth.

Ask the doc if mom can take a stool softener. We take Senna S in our house. Make sure she's drinking enough water and that her diet includes ample veggies. Easing her bowel movements is the best way to allow hemmorhoids pain to subside.

Ask the doc is PreparationH is okay. Probably is. She may find that ointment or suppository soothing.

I agree with Maggie. When they are on drugs that cause constipation, a stool softener is necessary. And they do work.

AG, I guess we were focusing on constipation because the straining can be a major cause of hemorrhoids.

Can you get her to walk more, even if it's just back and forth in the house, from room to room? Another thought might be to ask her primary care doctor, or a referral doctor if necessary, if there's anything going on that might be contributing to the hemmorhoids.

In addition to everything here, I must share from my own experience and contribute some very helpful tips to help add to prevention. Having low back issues, I can't really walk for either before having to sit down. Therefore, I must sit a lot. What I do as alternate between sitting and laying down, and keep my bottom clean. You may want to try moist wipes that are meant for in the bathroom. That way, your love one can keep clean down there between showers.

Fibre can help with loose stools too, and although constipation is commonly associated with hemorrhoids diarrhea can irritate them too. You could try using baby wipes to help keep her clean if she will remember not to flush them, they are much nicer then the ones meant for adults. An inexpensive sitz bath that fits over the toilet seat might offer some relief if they become irritated.

As in the note above, make sure she has plenty of fiber in her diet. There is a very good, gentle laxative out there called' Polylethylene Glycol' (generic for Miralax? It's provided by our hospice.) Also encourage her to drink fluids, as these will provide the needed moisture for her bowels.)

A lot of women have hemorrhoids due to pregnancy that can get worse as we age and sitting a lot tends to make them more painful. And as someone already mentioned - a lot of the medications we're given tend to bring on constipation.

To prevent constipation - I use Metamucil (ground corn husk) capsules (w/calcium), but they come in tasty little 'wafers' too that are great with a nice cup of tea - and WATER. (They're even safe for older dogs as a stool softener to prevent straining. They have some of the same issues lol and they love the wafers. Dosage varies of course).

To help relieve discomfort - Preparation H has ointment, suppositories and 'wipes' that contain vasoconstrictors for relief. I try to stay away from 'gentle' laxatives as they just add yet another chemical into the mix. Good luck.