Are you dealing with hemorrhoids? The bleeding, itching, and discomfort are frustrating and embarrassing — especially when you've tried over-the-counter creams, dietary changes, and home remedies without relief.
It’s tempting to try to ignore the symptoms and hope the issue goes away on its own, but modern hemorrhoid treatments are incredibly effective and virtually painless.
Elvira Klause, MD, and our team in Laguna Hills, California, offer advanced banding and THD® for hemorrhoids. Here’s what you need to know.
Hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in your rectal area that commonly develop from straining during bowel movements, chronic constipation, prolonged sitting, or pregnancy.
Internal hemorrhoids are inside your rectum and cause symptoms like bleeding and discomfort. External hemorrhoids are outside your anus and cause itching, pain, and visible swelling.
Hemorrhoids aren't dangerous, but they are uncomfortable and they can significantly impact your quality of life. The bleeding may create anxiety about your health, and the itching and discomfort can make daily activities miserable.
It’s normal to feel self-conscious, and many people avoid seeking professional treatment because they’re embarrassed.
Traditional hemorrhoid treatment, hemorrhoidectomy, involves removing hemorrhoidal tissue surgically. Recovery can be painful and last several weeks. People avoid seeking professional hemorrhoid treatment because they don’t want to face the discomfort and disruption to their lives.
The good news is that advanced treatment options like banding and THD® offer effective relief without the pain and recovery of traditional hemorrhoid surgery. These minimally invasive approaches address hemorrhoids while preserving tissue and function.
Advanced banding, or rubber band ligation, uses a small rubber band to cut off blood flow to the hemorrhoid. Dr. Klause applies the band at the base of the hemorrhoid during an office visit. As blood flow stops, the hemorrhoidal tissue shrinks and eventually falls away naturally.
The procedure takes just a few minutes. Most patients feel minimal discomfort, often described as just pressure or a slight pinching sensation. You return home immediately and resume normal activities.
Over several days to weeks, the banded hemorrhoid shrinks and resolves.
Transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization, or THD®, is a newer approach that precisely identifies and blocks the blood vessels feeding hemorrhoids. Using specialized ultrasound technology, Dr. Klause locates the small arteries supplying each hemorrhoid and places tiny sutures to block blood flow.
This approach treats the root cause — excessive blood flow — rather than just removing tissue. We do the THD procedure under light sedation in an outpatient setting. Recovery is remarkably quick, with most patients returning to normal activities within days. Pain is minimal because we don’t remove or burn tissue.
Both advanced banding and THD® offer significant advantages over traditional surgery. You experience minimal to no pain compared with the pain that’s common after hemorrhoidectomy.
You recover in days rather than weeks and the treatments are effective. Most importantly, you finally get relief from the problem that's been affecting your daily life.
If you’re living with hemorrhoids, it’s time to find out more about your treatment options. Contact our office in Laguna Hills to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward reclaiming your comfort and confidence.
