Topical treatments
If you have been diagnosed with hemorrhoids, you will probably want to get rid of the annoying symptoms as quickly as possible. Use of appropriate creams, ointments or suppositories can help you return to your normal activities fast.
If a medication is referred to as ‘topical’, it means that it is intended for local use in a specific surface area of the body, for example in the form of a cream, ointment or suppository. Topical preparations generally have fewer side effects than oral treatments because they exert their effects only in a circumscribed area of the body. They can be classified under different categories according to their mode of action (see table 1). Among the topical therapies listed below, corticosteroids are very effective in the treatment of the inflammation, itching, burning and swelling associated with hemorrhoidal disease.
Table 1: Categories of topical treatment
Infections are uncommon in hemorrhoidal disease, therefore antibiotics or antimycotics are usually not needed for treating piles.
| Categories | Examples | Mode of action |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesics | Menthol, camphor, juniper tar | Cooling, reduce pain |
| Antiseptics | Boric acid, phenols, resorcinol | Reduce bacteria from fecal leakage. |
| Astringents | Hamamelis, bismuth gallate | Promote dryness of the skin. |
| Corticosteroids | Fluorcortolone, hydrocortisone | Anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, reduce swelling, relieve itching, burning and pain for a longer period of time. |
| Local anesthetics | Lidocaine hydrochloride, cinchocaine hydrochloride, benzocaine | Induce a localised loss of sensation for a short time period. |
| Protectants | Aluminium hydroxide gel, zinc oxide, cocoa butter, glycerin, kaolin, lanolin, mineral oil, corn starch | Help to form a physical barrier on the skin that prevents contact with liquid or stool from the rectum. |
| Vasoconstrictors | Ephedrine sulfate, epinephrine, phenylephrine | Cause narrowing of blood vessels. |
Table 1: Categories of topical treatment
Infections are uncommon in hemorrhoidal disease, therefore antibiotics or antimycotics are usually not needed for treating piles.
