Recovery time after haemorrhoid surgery

• Haemorrhoids are a very common pathology, and although surgery is not always necessary, it is essential in the most serious cases.
• The recovery time after haemorrhoid surgery will depend, above all, on the degree of haemorrhoid present and the technique used to perform the surgery.
• Full recovery from haemorrhoid surgery will be complete after 3 (laparoscopic surgery) or 4 weeks (conventional surgery).

Haemorrhoid surgery is the perfect treatment to remove grade 3 and 4 haemorrhoids permanently. This type of haemorrhoids are chronic and cannot be solved with conservative treatments.

Haemorrhoid surgery can be performed by conventional surgery, with laser technique or, in the case of internal haemorrhoids, with techniques such as the THD method or ligation with elastic bands.

Throughout this article, you will find information on the factors that influence the recovery from a haemorrhoid surgery. In addition, we provide you with a series of tips to take into account when recovering at home.

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Depending on the behaviour and discomfort caused by the haemorrhoids, four degrees of severity can be distinguished:

• Grade 1 haemorrhoids: these are the ones that do not go beyond the anal canal during defecation, but do cause some discomfort and even slight bleeding on occasions.
• Grade 2 haemorrhoids: these prolapse to the outside, come out, and spontaneously return to the inside of the anal canal, causing minor discomfort.
• Grade 3 haemorrhoids: during defecation they come out, but to reintroduce them into the anal canal, this is done manually or with the help of toilet paper.
• Grade 4 haemorrhoids: in this case, they prolapse and remain outside, without the possibility of reintroducing them manually, which can cause complications.

Surgery is the only option for the definitive removal of grade 3 and 4 haemorrhoids.

It is therefore likely that one of the things that worries you most about haemorrhoid surgery is the recovery process. 

For this reason, in the following sections you can read about each of the steps involved. But first, we leave you with this video where we explain everything you need to know about the disease.

Once the haemorrhoid surgery is over, the medical team will take you to a room where you will recover from all the effects of the anaesthesia, and then you will be taken to your room.

Haemorrhoids surgery takes 1 hour and the hospital stay is 1 day.

Although you will be able to leave the hospital on the same day as the surgery, this will depend on each case and the type of operation being performed. For this reason, through Operarme, our patients usually stay in hospital for 1 day (included in the cost of the surgery) to ensure that the operation has gone perfectly.

During the time you spend in hospital, the medical team will explain the care you should take during your recovery at home to avoid any possible problems.

If you are considering surgery to treat haemorrhoids, we remind you that through Operarme you can have a free surgical assessment consultation with the specialist who will determine that surgery is the right option for your case.

To request this first consultation you can contact us through this contact form, calling on +34 91 141 33 56, or clicking in the following banner:

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After the surgery, you may feel some discomfort for the next few days, but this is not a cause for alarm. When you leave the hospital, the doctor will prescribe a series of medicines to control any pain you may feel.

Total recovery from haemorrhoids takes 10-15 days.

However, you will be able to resume your daily activities, without much effort, approximately 2 or 3 days after surgery. In any case, you will have to take a series of precautions during this time to avoid any type of postoperative complication.

Below are some recommendations for the post-operative period following haemorrhoid surgery:

• Do not shower within a day of the operation.
• Maintain a diet rich in fibre to avoid pain and overexertion when going to the toilet.
• If the fibre diet does not work, you should see your doctor, who may prescribe laxatives to soften the stool.
• Drink plenty of water.
• When you go to have a bowel movement, it is important to avoid sitting for too long, as this can stress the surgical wound and cause it to bleed.
• No ointments or dressings of any kind are necessary.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects or straining during bowel movements or urination, as this can delay wound healing and thus recovery.
• Sitz baths with warm water 2 or 3 times a day, both to relieve discomfort and to aid healing by cleansing the wound.
• Avoid narcotic painkillers, as they can cause constipation and delay recovery and even cause tears in the area.
• Live a quiet and calm life, at least for the first two weeks, as there may be some bleeding from the surgical wound, although this is not usual.
• Use special cushions for patients who have had surgery for anal conditions such as haemorrhoids.

You will be able to return to work 7 to 10 days after the surgery. However, it will depend on the type of work you have and on medical criteria. Therefore, the best thing to do is to ask the specialist who operated on you to indicate when you can return to work, depending on your particular case.

The main difference between having conventional haemorrhoid surgery, laser treatment or another minimally invasive laser technique is the recovery time.

In any case, the technique used will determine many factors in relation to time, such as how long the surgery lasts, how long you will have to stay in hospital or how long it will take you to fully recover.

Although it is true that with less invasive techniques, the postoperative period will be more bearable, the recovery time will vary very little if it is done in one way or another.

If the intervention is performed with a more conventional surgery, it can take up to 4 weeks for you to return to your normal life. However, with laser surgery it will take a little less time (3 weeks).

If the haemorrhoid operation is performed using more innovative techniques such as haemorrhoidal dearterialisation or elastic band ligation, recovery will be much quicker. However, it is the doctor who, in any case, must determine the appropriate technique for your haemorrhoid situation.

To request a free consultation with a specialist in General Surgery, and find out if surgery is the right option for you, click on the image below:

Haemorrhoids surgery

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