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How to Treat Hemorrhoids Naturally

Contributor
By CC Brackman
eHow Contributing Writer
(1 Ratings)

Hemorrhoids are a pain in the "you know what." Those swollen, tender and often itchy, inflamed veins in your anus can make even the most focused person totally distracted. Anyone can get hemorrhoids, in fact, it's estimated that eight out of ten people have this common complaint. Heredity plays a role, but so does diet and personal care, in who gets this condition. Here are some helpful ways to help avoid hemorrhoids and help relieve the discomfort when they strike.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Stop sitting around doing nothing. Most hemorrhoids are caused by the straining during a bowel movement. This straining is what causes those veins to swell, and the logical remedy is to stop the strain. Add more bran, green beans, apples, carrots and leafy greens to your diet, along with plenty of water. The fiber should help make stools softer and easier to pass.

  2. Step 2

    Keep your bottom as clean as a baby's. Wipe gently with a super-soft toilet paper, or utilize the new adult wipes. Baby wipes are also a good choice, many contain aloe which can heal abrasions and can soothe tender areas.

  3. Step 3

    Sit on it. Make a sitz bath with some epson salts and soak the offended area for several minutes a day. You can also soak a cotton ball with witch hazel and apply that to the hemorrhoids. Witch hazel is a good choice because it causes the blood vessels to shrink, which can reduce the size and discomfort of hemorrhoids.

  4. Step 4

    Resist the itch. Don't scratch itchy hemorrhoids. Scratching can spread infection. Try the witch hazel, or try to limit what you eat. Diet can play a part in how much hemorrhoids itch. Certain foods like coffee, beer, cola and some strong spices can irritate bowels as they pass through.

  5. Step 5

    Go natural. A salve made of Horse Chestnut is a soothing tonic to inflamed hemorrhoids. It is widely used in Europe to sooth and shrink varicose veins along with hemorrhoids.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you've never had hemorrhoids before, check your travel log. If you have recently returned from a trip, especially one out of the states, you may have picked up a parasitic visitor. Check with your doctor.
  • Check with your doctor if you experience bleeding or feel you have a blood clot, these symptoms should not be ignored.
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