Non-surgical Infrared Coagulation (IRC) for Hemorrhoid Treatment | Minneapolis and St Paul

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Since its introduction more than 20 years ago, infrared coagulation (IRC) has become the world’s leading office treatment for hemorrhoids. This non-surgical treatment is fast, well tolerated and remarkably complication-free. A small probe is placed on the hemorrhoid and a few short bursts of infrared light are applied. The infrared light quickly coagulates the vessels that provide the hemorrhoid with blood, causing the hemorrhoid to shrink and recede. Shrinkage of the hemorrhoidal tissue may take a few weeks. There may be a quick sensation of pain during the short burst of infrared light but overall the IRC treatments are very tolerable and painless. There are no post-treatment effects in 99% of patients. The IRC technology is very effective in treating grade 1 and grade 2 hemorrhoids. Patients return to a normal lifestyle right after the treatment on the same day. There may be slight spot bleeding a few days later and up to 2 weeks. Heavy straining or lifting should be avoided and aspirin should not be taken for a few days. A sensible diet, moderate exercise and proper bowel habits will help so no further hemorrhoids will form.

3 KEY BENEFITS OF INFRARED COAGULATION THERAPY FOR INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS

Infrared coagulation is quick and near painless
Infrared coagulation can reduce or eliminate the hemorrhoid with a series of a few quick and near painless treatments using short bursts of hot light.

The primary benefits of infrared coagulation are the quick and near painless treatments. While a series of 3 or 4 treatments is normally required over a 2 month period to reduce hemorrhoid, the individual treatments only take a few minutes, and require no recovery time. This is a big perk compared to taking several days off for surgery and recovery, which can be required in the most severe cases.

Infrared coagulation is nonsurgical

While many people associate hemorrhoids with painful surgery, only a small percentage of patients actually require surgery. Hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove most severe hemorrhoids. Instead, infrared coagulation, or other nonsurgical treatments, can reduce or eliminate the source of a hemorrhoi. The treatment is performed right in the office with no anesthesia, incisions, or stitches.

Infrared coagulation is effective
Nonsurgical treatments are simple, quick and convenient, but they must also offer a certain level of effectiveness. To that end, infrared coagulation is up to 95% effective.
If you’d like to see how infrared coagulation can help you, give Procedure Clinic a call today at (952) 922-2151 to schedule a consultation. You can enjoy lasting relief from hemorrhoid pain!

Common Symptoms of Hemorrhoids | Minneapolis & St Paul

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Severe pain is not a common symptom of internal hemorrhoids, because internal hemorrhoid happens in the area above the dentate line that is supplied by the visceral nerve, like those found within the intestines, which sense pressure rather than pain. Many patients feel the irritating pain and pressure pain when their hemorrhoids flair up. Small percentage of hemorrhoid patients may develop spasmodic pain (proctalgia fugax) caused by spasms of anal sphincter muscles.

As the venous complex of an internal hemorrhoid becomes varicose and continues to enlarge, it bulges into the anal canal and loses its normal anchoring, becoming a prolapsing internal hemorrhoid. The prolapsing hemorrhoid usually returns into the anal canal or rectum on its own, or can be pushed back inside using one’s finger, but usually prolapses again after the next bowel movement. In the anal canal, a hemorrhoid is exposed to movement caused by passing stool, particularly hard stools that can cause bleeding and pain. The painless rectal bleeding with bright red blood is a common symptom of internal hemorrhoids. The rectal mucosal lining that has been pulled down secretes mucus and moistens the anus and its surrounding skin, while the stool itself can also leak onto the anal skin. Itchiness often occurs as a result of this dual presence of stool and moisture.

In general, symptoms of external hemorrhoids are different than those of internal hemorrhoids. External hemorrhoids can be felt as bulges at the anus, but rarely display any of the same symptoms seen with internal hemorrhoids. The patients with external hemorrhoids or anal tags often have the difficulty in cleansing after bowel movements because feces left in the folds of external hemorrhoids or tags causes irritation and itching. Some patients may develop severe and cyclic rectal itching (Pruritic Ani).

If the varicose vein complex ruptures, as blood clots occur and build up the pressure inside the lump. This condition, known as thrombosed external hemorrhoid, causes an extremely painful bluish anal lump and often requires medical attention. The somatic nerve in the anal canal (below the dentate line) can sense pain, this is why the patients feel significant pain when they develop thrombosed external hemorrhoids. Thrombosed hemorrhoids may heal with scarring and leave a tag of skin protruding from the anus. Occasionally, the tag turns out to be quite large, which can make anal hygiene (cleaning) difficult or irritate the anus.

Hemorrhoids 101 | Minnesota

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Believe it or not, everyone has had a normal hemorrhoidal tissue in their rectum and anus. It’s only when your hemorrhoidal veins enlarge and become varicose veins that they’re considered abnormal or diseased.

There are three types of hemorrhoids – internal, external, and mixed hemorrhoids that consist of both internal and external. External hemorrhoids are those that occur outside the anal verge and affect bowel cleansing after one’s bowel movement, causing skin irritation and itching. A thrombosed external hemorrhoid is usually very painful due to rupture of one’s varicose veins, which causes blood clots and is often accompanied with swelling and pain. These external hemorrhoids are typically treated with either an incision or removal of the clot, or with an external hemorrhoidectomy performed under local anesthesia.

Internal hemorrhoids are graded from I to IV based on the degree of prolapse. Grade I hemorrhoids bulge with defecation; grade II lesions also bulge with defecation, but then recede spontaneously. Grade III hemorrhoids require digital replacement after prolapsing, while grade IV hemorrhoids cannot be replaced once prolapsed. There are many treatment options for internal hemorrhoids that vary based on the severity of each case, including infrared coagulation, rubber band ligation and hemorrhoidectomy.

Infrared coagulation (IRC) is a fast and effective non-surgical solution for hemorrhoid treatment!

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A hemorrhoid is a common illness that numerous Minnesotans suffer from. Approximately three out of four people will develop hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. While many people associate hemorrhoid treatments with painful surgery, only a small percentage of hemorrhoid patients actually require hemorrhoidectomy. A fast and simple non-surgical office procedure has taken the fear out of hemorrhoid treatments. The majority of hemorrhoid patients are good candidates for non-surgical Infrared coagulation (IRC) treatments.

What is Infrared Coagulation (IRC)?
IRC is a FDA approved office procedure that uses infrared light to treat symptomatic internal hemorrhoids, and it takes just a couple of minutes for each treatment. IRC is a safe, fast, and effective solution for hemorrhoids. Therefore, IRC has quickly become the most widely used office procedure for hemorrhoid clinics and is preferred over other methods because it is fast, effective, well-tolerated by patients, and rarely has complications.

A small light probe contacts the area above the hemorrhoid complex under direct view, exposing the tissue to a burst of infrared light for about 1.5 second. This coagulates the veins above the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrink.
With IRC, hemorrhoid doctor can effectively coagulate the insensitive area right above the hemorrhoids and destroy these small veins. In this way, the sensitive and painful area is avoided, and IRC becomes a very tolerable treatment.

IRC offers major advantages to patients over previous hemorrhoid treatment methods:

• Fast, simple, and safe solution
• No anesthesia required
• No special preparation needed
• No recovery time after treatment
• Clinically proven results
• Covered by all major insurance companies

Who are the Best Candidates for Infrared Coagulation (IRC)?
Infrared coagulation can be used to treat the early stages of hemorrhoids, and it is most effective in grade 1-2 hemorrhoids.

How is Infrared Coagulation Procedure Performed?
Before IRC procedure is performed, Dr. Shu gently inserts the anoscope (a very short, 3-4 inch rigid metal tube), then uses a handheld device that creates an intense beam of infrared light to touch the mucosa above the hemorrhoids, exposing the hemorrhoid tissue to a quick pulse of infrared light. The heat from the infrared light burns 4-5 spots in the targeted area, coagulating the vein above the hemorrhoids.

The resulting scar tissue cuts off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid venous complex. This causes the hemorrhoid complex to shrink and die. It may take a few weeks for all the hemorrhoids to shrink completely. Moreover, the scar tissue acts to hold nearby hemorrhoid veins in place so they don’t bulge into the anal canal easily and become hemorrhoids as you age.

Each IRC treatment only takes a couple of minutes. You may need as many as four separate treatment sessions every two weeks to cover all the areas where hemorrhoids appear, but this depends on each individual case and how extensive your hemorrhoids are.

What is the Recovery Time of Infrared Coagulation Procedure?
After the IRC procedure, you may feel mild discomfort in the anus and the urge to have a bowel movement sometimes. You are able to resume normal everyday activities immediately afterward. Typically, there are no post-treatment effects. However, there may be slight spot bleeding a few days later, but heavy rectal bleeding is extremely rare. Avoid heavy straining, lifting, and aspirin. If you notice significant rectal bleeding, you should call your doctor’s office.

You may use Tylenol as needed and take a warm sitz bath daily to relieve discomfort. A stool softener, fiber, and water will help ease your bowel movement while you heal.