Incision of external hemorrhoids

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Incision of external hemorrhoids

When an external hemorrhoid bursts (thrombosed, or clotted, hemorrhoid), a doctor may relieve your pain by removing the contents of the clot. The doctor will use a medicine to numb the anal area (local anesthetic) and then will make a small incision to drain the clot.

This will probably give you immediate and long-lasting relief from the intense pain.

Before you go home, you will be instructed to take daily sitz baths (sit in a shallow tub of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes) and to gently cleanse your anal area with a cleansing agent such as Balneol. Your doctor may give you a cream that contains a local anesthetic to help relieve pain. The wound should heal in about a week.

If your doctor doesn't remove the clot within 3 to 4 days after it develops, the pain will gradually get less over the next few days. The skin covering the clot may break open on its own, causing mild bleeding. With home treatment, pain and bleeding should go away in about a week, although it may take several weeks for the clot to go away.

Credits

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Author	Monica Rhodes
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
Last Updated	September 29, 2008

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Last updated:	September 29, 2008
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC

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