Are Bidets Good for Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoid is something that we don’t want to get but we will get at some point in our life. It is not a fatal disease but could negatively affect our lives from time to time. You may have heard that bidets have endless benefits but wonder whether or not bidets are good for hemorrhoids?

are bidets good for hemorriods

In short, bidets can help with hemorrhoids. I will cover everything you need about this subject to understand why a bidet is good for hemorrhoids thoroughly.

What are hemorrhoids?

hemorrhoid type

Hemorrhoids refer to swollen veins in your anus and lower rectum. We call the hemorrhoids inside the rectum internal hemorrhoids and those around the anus external hemorrhoids. Regardless of which type of hemorrhoids you have, it is itching, painful, and may lead to bleeding. 

Hemorrhoids are common. More than 75% of people will experience at least once in their lifetime. Some people suffer from severe hemorrhoids, which could affect their daily life.  That’s why a myriad of people are looking for ways to prevent and treat it.

Can bidet cause hemorrhoids?

Before I start to answer this question, I want to illustrate the common causes of hemorrhoids to help you figure out why or why not a bidet can cause hemorrhoids.

The root reason for hemorrhoid development is that too much pressure on the lower rectum makes the vein around the anus become stretch, swell, and bulge. 

There are a few causes that will increase the pressure on this part. People who have constipation and diarrhea tend to strain during bowel movements which is a common cause of hemorrhoids.

Pregnant women are also susceptible to hemorrhoids because the baby growth increases the pressure on the veins, and the hormone progesterone will relax the vein wall. Obese individuals and people who always do heaving lifting are easier to get hemorrhoids as they put too much pressure on their internal organs and veins near the anus. 

If you always sit for a long period of time, you are likely to get hemorrhoids since you put pressure on your butt for too long. Our human beings are not designed to sit, but our works demand us to sit. Standing up and taking a walk every so often could let you get away from hemorrhoids, back pains, and other health conditions.

As the bidet works by spraying the water on your nether region. It has nothing to do with increasing the pressure on your lower rectum and anus. In fact, a study in Japan indicated hemorrhoids were not causally related to habitual bidet toilet use. Hence, a bidet can not cause hemorrhoids.

How to treat hemorrhoids?

First things first, if you can’t put up with the pain or have significant bleeding, you should talk to your doctor immediately. Otherwise, you may use some home remedies. 

To treat and prevent hemorrhoids, you’d better change your lifestyle. Drinking more water, eating a high-fiber diet, and exercising could help prevent constipation, making passing the bowel movement easier and much less straining. 

There are some over-the-counter ointments and creams for relieving hemorrhoid pain, and some herbs such as aloe vera are also effective. However, I suggest you check the safety of these herbs before applying them. In general, these drugs and herbs work by narrowing the vessels.

Another way to treat hemorrhoids is using a sitz bath. A Sitz bath is a small bowl or bathtub that you can place on the toilet seat. After filling the water, you will need to sit in it for 15 to 20 minutes. This will increase blood flow and promote faster healing. However, not everyone bothers to do it, and they want a simpler solution.

As an alternative to a sitz bath, more and more people use a bidet to treat hemorrhoids. It seems to be an easier solution but is it effective?

Do bidets help with hemorrhoids?

Yes. Bidets do help with hemorrhoids. The water stream of the bidet could soothe the pressure on veins a few times a day, helping to reduce the development of hemorrhoids.

Some electric bidets have an “enema” function. It works by offering a powerful water spray to the anus and promoting a bowel movement. It could reduce the happens of straining for people who suffer from constipation. You could also opt for a bidet enema kit to get a real bidet enema at home, but it could be dangerous in some cases. 

For those who have hemorrhoids, using a bidet could make your life much easier. Hemorrhoids often come with inflammation and irritation. You can imagine how painful it would be if you wiped with rough toilet paper. In addition, those toilet paper could cause further irritation. 

Using a bidet, your anus will be cleaned with a soft water stream, which will not lead to any pain during the whole process. The heated water could improve comfort and boost blood flow, making the bidet similar to a sitz bath. 

People who just had a hemorrhoidectomy will benefit greatly from using a bidet. The gentle water stream could clean the back thoroughly without pain and allow it to heal faster. 

No matter you want to prevent or treat hemorrhoids, bidets will be helpful.

Bottom line

I bust the myths about the bidet and hemorrhoids in this post. Using a bidet will not cause hemorrhoids. On the contrary, it will help with hemorrhoids. Like a sitz bath, a bidet can relieve the pressure on veins and promote bowel movement. Therefore, it helps prevent and treat hemorrhoids. 

Compared to toilet paper, the water stream of the bidet will not irritate the irritated area. It can clean the anus more thoroughly without pain, making bidet a must-have for people with severe symptoms or a hemorrhoidectomy. 

If you suffer from hemorrhoids and are on the fence about buying a bidet, this post will help you make up your mind.

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Kevin Chow is an enthusiast of home improvement. He is an engineer and likes to test all the tech gadgets on the market. He starts to use bidet seats after his journey to Japan and he had tried a few brands.