IRC hemorrhoid treatment

IRC stands for infrared coagulation, an office-based treatment for internal hemorrhoids. A small instrument delivers brief pulses of infrared light to the tissue just above the hemorrhoid, which closes off its blood supply so the hemorrhoid shrinks and scars down. Nothing is cut and no stitches are involved.

Dr. Gomez may recommend IRC for internal hemorrhoids that bleed or remain bothersome after fiber, water, and topical measures have been given a fair try. It treats the cause of the bleeding rather than the symptom, and it is a step short of surgery. Whether it is the right choice depends on the type and grade of the hemorrhoids, which he examines first.

The treatment is done in the office without sedation and takes only a few minutes. Internal hemorrhoids sit above the area with pain-sensing nerves, so most people feel warmth or a brief sensation of pressure rather than sharp pain. You can drive yourself and return to ordinary activities the same day. More than one session is sometimes needed, and Dr. Gomez will tell you what to expect after examining you.