Many factors contribute to causing hemorrhoids, and all of them have a role in one way or the other in this condition. Learning the causes of hemorrhoids is a great way to prepare one's self to treat and eliminate hemorrhoids if they appear.

The first step is to understand what constitutes a hemorrhoid. Everyone has these but do not know about their existence until they become a problem and a headache. A hemorrhoid simply put is a swollen vein in the rectal or anal region. These can be either inside (internal) or outside (external), with most people suffering from the external variety.

A primary cause of hemorrhoids comes when people strain themselves in the restroom; pushing too hard while using the restroom places too much pressure on the anal canal and rectum. One should allow a bowel movement to occur naturally so as to avoid that pressure. Sitting for long periods of time, being pregnant, having anal intercourse, being overweight, being constipated, or having diarrhea can all contribute to increased pressure on the rectum. Sitting down in particular can really strain that area, so it's important to walk around on occasion and take pressure off of the rectum.

Old age is another cause of hemorrhoids. The veins in one's anal canal get weaker with age and become irritated. Unfortunately old age cannot be as easily avoided as other factors.

Lifestyle changes form one category of avoidance for hemorrhoids. Included in these are obesity, anal intercourse, and constipation. Having anal sex is not wise for people with hemorrhoids. Also, being overweight can really strain the rectal and anal area and can cause hemorrhoids, as can being constipated by not having good eating habits. A good, balanced diet will allow one to have softer stools that can help keep someone from straining themselves. These together are basic, common sense ways to help with this condition.

Medications can actually be one of the many causes of hemorrhoids. Some of these out there today cause constipation, for example, which increases pressure that causes hemorrhoids. Anyone who is prone to getting hemorrhoids should avoid these types of medication. For pain relief, Tylenol is a good choice, because most pain relievers will cause constipation. For this reason most doctors don't prescribe pain killers for hemorrhoids.

Learning how to treat the causes of hemorrhoids will help someone keep these painful occurrences under control; as with many other health-related issues, a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods will help immensely, as will regular exercise and lots of fluids taken in daily. By doing this, and the other tasks mentioned in this article, a person can rid him or herself from this painful and uncomfortable condition known as hemorrhoids.