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Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Incision of External Hemorrhoids

Incision of External Hemorrhoids

Surgery Overview

When an external hemorrhoid gets irritated and clots (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). Then he or she 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 forms, 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. But it may take several weeks for the clot to go away.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

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