Question: What causes hemorrhoids? I have one that hangs out. I use hemorroidal cream to reduce the burning. I cannot find a doctor in the town where I live who treats hemorrhoids. What can I do to remedy it?

Answer: Hemorrhoids are bands of anal tissue containing arteries, veins, muscle fibers and filler material called connective tissue. What causes enlargement of hemorrhoids isn't known with certainty. Many believe that straining to eliminate hard stool promotes their formation.

When a blood clot forms in a hemorrhoid, that's painful. Hemorrhoids often are subject to bleeding. What you have is a prolapsed hemorrhoid, one that has dropped through the anal opening.

Some measures that alleviate the discomfort of hemorrhoids are sitz baths. You sit in a tub with warm water that reaches to the halfway mark on your buttocks, and stay there for 15 minutes. Bring your heels as close to your buttocks as you comfortably can. Do this twice a day.

Keep your stool soft by increasing your intake of fiber. If you can't get enough fiber from your diet, get a product like Metamucil, which can be found in all drugstores. Continue using the hemorrhoid cream.


There's got to be a doctor who treats hemorrhoids in your town. I looked up the population; it would support more than one doctor. A family doctor treats hemorrhoids. A surgeon is bound to practice in your town. If not, see your family doctor and ask him for the nearest surgeon if the family doctor thinks you need one.



Question: I am 80 years old. My doctor tells me I am very healthy for my age. How much water should I drink each day? My wife thinks I drink too much water.

Answer: You can count all fluids you drink as part of your fluid balance, not just water. Coffee and tea count. Solid foods contain liquids, and they figure into your daily intake. Fruits and vegetables are 90 percent water. Watermelon, berries, grapes, tomatoes and lettuce are close to 100 percent water. Even very dry-looking food like bread has water in it. You don't have to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. That's old information.

Drink when you're thirsty. It's true that the sensation of thirst is blunted at older ages, but it's still a reliable guide for liquid need. You have to make up the water deficit that comes with urine formation, sweating and from the lungs when they exhale. If your urine is pale yellow, you are getting more than enough water -- fluid.


Question: I have a bad right hip. About two years ago, my hip got weaker, so much so that I could not walk. This past March, the doctor said I had arthritis and at that point gave me a cane. I take no pills or medications. Please, could you give me some information that would help a 73-year-old man?





