Hemorrhoids: natural treatments

• What are hemorrhoids?
• How can I treat hemorrhoids naturally?
• Hemorrhoids - Natural treatments and remedies
• Diet to help treat hemorrhoids
• Supplements to help treat hemorrhoids
• Herbs to help treat hemorrhoids
• Topical applications to help treat hemorrhoids
• Homoeopathy to help treat hemorrhoids
• Lifestyle tips to help treat hemorrhoids

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are extremely common in industrialised countries and it is estimated that fifty percent of persons over fifty years of age have symptoms of hemorrhoidal disease. Although most people may begin to develop hemorrhoids in the twenties, the symptoms do not become evident normally until in ones thirties!

Hemorrhoids are a condition in which veins in the rectal or anal area become swollen and painful and may bleed. Hemorrhoids may occur inside the entrance to the anus (interior hemorrhoids) or outside the entrance to the anus (exterior hemorrhoids). A blot clot (thrombosis) may form in the vein, making the hemorrhoid more painful.

What causes the development of hemorrhoids is not always known. Constipation or passing large, hard stools may contribute to their formation. In many cases, however, there is no obvious cause. Ageing is a common factor, but in addition to age and constipation, other contributing factors include the following; pregnancy, a diet low in fiber or fluids, sitting for prolonged periods of time, heaving lifting and certain medical conditions.

Symptoms of hemorrhoids include:

• Anal itching
• Anal ache or pain, especially while sitting
• Bright red blood on toilet tissue, stool, or in the toilet bowl
• Pain during bowel movements
• One or more hard tender lumps near the anus

How can I treat hemorrhoids naturally?

The causes of hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins, this being a genetic weakness in the veins and / or excessive pressure on the veins. As with varicose veins, a diet high in fibre and flavanoids is highly preventative and most helpful in relieving the condition. Herbs, other dietary measures, supplements and lifestyle factors can also be very successful in keeping the symptoms under control.

Hemorrhoids- natural treatments and remedies
Diet to help treat hemorrhoids

Eat lots of fruit especially for breakfast. Vitamin C is essential in keeping your veins healthy so you need to be sure that you're getting enough vitamin C to create strong blood vessels. Put blueberries or other yummy dark fruit on your cereal. Foods like blueberries and raspberries provides bioflavonoids which are natural compounds that help strengthen blood vessels. Bioflavonoids work with vitamin C and other nutrients in the body to help make capillaries less fragile. The darker the colour of the fruit, like blackberries and cherries, the more bioflavonoids they have. The white membranes of citrus fruit such as oranges and grapefruit are also a rich source of bioflavonoids. Most fruits will also alkalinise the body.

Follow a Fibre rich diet to keep the colon clean and prevent constipation. Soluble fiber, such as psyllium is most recommended to help soften stool and reduce the pain associated with hemorrhoids.

Try LSA to stimulate healthy bowel function. Grind together, 3 parts Ground Linseed with 2 parts sunflower seeds with 1 part almonds and sprinkle on foods in the morning. This will also keep you regular and your bowel functioning at optimum levels. If you have a problem with constipation please read our file on constipation on this web site. Alternatively try the Linseed Breakfast cereal.

Avoid or reduce saturated and hydrogenated fats, excess animal protein (except fish), processed and refined foods, fried foods, sweet drinks and caffeine.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables

Include in your diet plenty of:

• Garlic (increase the breakdown of fibrin)
• Onions (increase the breakdown of fibrin)
• Ginger (improves blood circulation and inhibits abnormal blood clotting)
• Pineapple (bromeliain content)
• Cherries, berries, and red wine (OPC and anthoynidin content)
• Buckwheat (high in rutin and Vitamin E)
• Wheat germ, soybeans, nuts and seeds in general (vitamin E) - freshness is important however!

Water...The human body is 2 /3 rds water. We need it for all functions of the body including circulatory and digestive functions. Drink at least 8 glasses a day

Drink Oat straw tea and / or nettle tea

Green tea would be a fantastic drink for you. Its antioxidant and will help the varicose veins.

Fish is great, especially dark fish for the omega 3. Fish oils provide the most direct pathway to establish the non inflammatory immune response and they are great for healthy circulatory system. This includes dark oily fish and cold water fish like salmon, tuna (but not tuna all the time because of possible mercury levels), sardines and mackerel 3 -4 times week. If it is not possible to eat this much fish in your diet, take a fish oil supplement but look for one that has not been made from potentially high mercury content fish like tuna.

Eat foods high in vitamin E as they tend be be great antioxidant's, they help protect blood vessels and improve circulation. Excellent sources of vitamin E include: mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, and turnip greens. Very good sources include almonds and spinach.

Supplements to help treat hemorrhoids

If your diet is insufficient in the above nutrients you may need to look at nutritional supplementation of the following:

Look for a good supplement high in bioflavanoids, vitamin C and that is high in Quercitin (which is a bioflavanoid ) (specifically if you can't get enough through your diet.) You can take this to kick start improvement to your circulation and vein integrity but you should not need to keep on it long term if you up your fruits containing bioflavanoids.

Essential Fatty Acids such as fish oils 1000mg 3 a day. if you are not eating dark oil fish three times a day or using lots of flax seed oil.

Vitamin E (a great antioxidant, protects blood vessels and improves circulation)

OPC's / Pycnogenol (pine bark extract, grape seed extract) are antioxidants that stimulate blood circulation and strengthen connective tissue especially in the cardiovascular system.

Herbs to help treat hemorrhoids

If you are absolutely sure that your current problem is the result of varicosity then Ginkgo biloba, which is now widely used to promote good circulation throughout the body, can help bring the condition back under control and help prevent a recurrence.

The herb Horse chestnut can be used both internally and externally to treat hemorrhoids It works by improving capillary resistance in healthy individual and improving circulation. It can also reduce the inflammation associated with varicose veins and repair damage.

Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is also very useful in enhancing the integrity of the veins in the rectum.

• Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) - used topically in traditional herbal medicine to reduce inflammation of hemorrhoids.
• Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) - used for venous insufficiency, pooling of blood in different locations such as the legs.
• Grape seed (Vitis vinifera) - used by European folk healers to stop bleeding, inflammation, and pain, such as the kind brought on by hemorrhoids.
• Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) - This herb may reduce inflammation associated with hemorrhoids.
• St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - applied topically, may prove to be beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation from hemorrhoids.
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) -- popular in European folk medicine, this herb has traditionally been used to treat wounds and bleeding hemorrhoids.

Topical applications to help treat hemorrhoids

Apply Witch hazel externally as it is astringent and toning- apply with a cotton swab. Horsechestnut and comfrey tinctures can also be used externally.

Homoeopathy to help treat hemorrhoids

An experienced homoeopath assesses a person's physical, emotional, and psychological makeup when determining the most appropriate treatment for each individual. The following are examples of remedies from which a homeopath homoeopath select to treat someone with hemorrhoids.

• Aesculus for burning hemorrhoids with a sensation of a lump in anus that feels worse when walking
• Aloe for a sensation of pulsation in the rectum with large, external hemorrhoids
• Collinsonia for chronic, itchy hemorrhoids with constipation
• Hamamelis for large bleeding hemorrhoids with a raw feeling

Lifestyle tips to help treat hemorrhoids

• Avoid smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise
• Improve circulation (exercise, hot / cold showers, saunas and massage)
• Avoid prolonged standing, sitting, crossing legs and heavy lifting
• Avoid pressure on the area (for example, sit on an inflatable ring).
• Wear cotton undergarments
• Avoid toilet tissue with perfumes or colors
• Try not to scratch the area
• Sit in a warm bath (or use a Sitz bath - ask your doctor) for 10 to 15 minutes 1 to 2 times per day. Warm sitz baths are noninvasive therapy for uncomplicated hemorrhoids that are soothing and healing. A sitz bath is a partial-immersion bath of the pelvic region. The temperature of the water in the warm sitz bath should be between 100 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Avoid straining during bowel movements.
• Limit the amount of time you sit on the toilet.