Haemorrhoids are varicose veins of the anal canal which can be very distressing for the sufferer. There is no pharmacological cure for this disorder, which is often self-limiting, if not, may require surgical intervention.
The use of drugs may however, linder the sufferings:
- Stool softeners may alleviate constipation; lessen straining which can worsen the condition.
- Local anesthetics (e.g. lignocaine, benzocaine) relieve pain
- Corticosteroids (e.g. predniosolone) suppress inflammation, itching & swelling
- Vasoconstrictors (e.g. adrenaline, phenylephine) lessen venous swelling
- Astringent compounds (e.g. tannic acid) reduce swelling by precipitating cell surface proteins. Antihaemmorhoidal preparations contain one or more of these agents.
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