Hydration and Hemorrhoids in Los Angeles

If you live an active LA lifestyle, it’s important that you drink enough water daily. The more time you spend outside and the more you work out, the more water you need to drink to prevent dehydration. With 64 ounces as a base, someone who works out daily may need to drink even more water to recover fluids lost during their workout. This puts otherwise healthy people at an increased risk for becoming dehydrated, and exposes many people to symptoms of dehydration that they might not be expecting, for example, hemorrhoids. They will then need to be treated for hemorrhoids, which is never a pleasant experience.

The Hemorrhoid & Hydration Connection

Hemorrhoids develop thanks to excess pressure put on the rectal veins. They are especially common as a result of chronic constipation and diarrhea. Any condition that increases your risk for troubled bowel movements makes it more likely that you will develop hemorrhoids. While this puts those with digestive disorders like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis at the top of the list, dehydration also fits in this category.

Dehydration is a lack of fluid in the body. When your body lacks fluid, it sends the fluids that are available to the most essential bodily functions. This takes fluids away from your bowels, causing stools to become dry and hard, often leading to constipation.

Hemorrhoids won’t develop from dehydration as quickly as other symptoms do. The problem is that many people don’t realize when they are dehydrated and do not drink the extra fluids they need. This can lead to prolonged dehydration and chronic constipation, which is where hemorrhoids become more of a risk.

Staying properly hydrated can reduce your risk of hemorrhoids. Here are a few tips to stay hydrated:

• Use a water bottle to keep water with you throughout the day.
• Half of your fluid intake should come from plain water.
• If you drink caffeine, drink extra water to make up for the slight dehydrating effect it has on your body.

If you realize that you are feeling dehydrated and are constipated as a result, pay closer attention to your food and fluid intake. Eat more fiber to encourage looser bowel movements as you do your best to drink more water.