The Most Promising Natural Hemorrhoid Treatments: Are There Any Realistic Alternatives To Hemorrhoidectomy?

Nearly 70 percent of people over 70 are believed to be suffering from hemorrhoids — but hemorrhoids aren't a medical condition that only affects the elderly. You may be surprised to hear that approximately 40 percent of the global adult population currently suffers from this condition.

You can suspect that you may have hemorrhoids when you notice blood on the toilet paper after passing a stool. There are two different types of hemorrhoids to point out. The first is known as internal hemorrhoids and it is associated with painless bleeding. The other type is known as external hemorrhoids and it will be painful. Treatment depends on what type of hemorrhoids you have.

In most cases, hemorrhoids do not require medical intervention but if you notice that a great deal of pain with passing stools, your bowel movements are stained with blood, or if these symptoms are continuous, it is a good time to contact your family doctor to determine if more substantial forms of medical care are necessary.

Here, we will review some of the alternative, home care, and homeopathic methods you can try yourself at home first to reduce the likelihood you will need medical intervention due to hemorrhoids.

Dietary and lifestyle modifications to consider if you have hemorrhoids

By far the most effective way to manage your hemorrhoids is through dietary and lifestyle modifications. Diets low in fiber are one of the most common reasons someone will get hemorrhoids later on in life. Inadequate water intake can also predispose you to difficulty passing stools which can lead to hemorrhoids in the future.

An average person should consume 15 to 30 grams of fiber per day. Many cereals and bread products are now fortified with additional fiber but the most natural thing you can do to increase fiber intake would be through consuming more fruits and vegetables. Two avocados a day, 6 oranges a day, or 1 cup of lentils represent the equivalent of 15 grams of fiber per day. A quick internet search will easily give you reference values so you can find foods that you like and make dietary adjustments accordingly.

Making sure you drink at least 2 liters of water per day is also important to keep your stools soft. When we are dehydrated, naturally, our bodies will try to hold onto as much water as possible and as a result, stools will become harder. You may not know it but stools are approximately 70 percent water so when we need to conserve water, this is where it will be usually recycled from first. When we strain to try to push out stools, increased effort will lead to damage along the colon tract that can predispose us to hemorrhoids in the future.

Laxative use as a home remedy for hemorrhoids

Another treatment option that you could try would be to incorporate over-the-counter laxatives into your daily routine. As a physician, I do not recommend that you use laxatives often because of the dangers associated with unintentional dehydration. Without a doubt, following a diet high in fiber and water will already help facilitate normal bowel movements, but this is an option for you to consider if you want immediate relief. Using a laxative can help facilitate that passage of stools through your colon and will minimize strain and damage to your intestinal tract if used sparingly.

If you notice you routinely have constipation, it would be wise to meet with a dietitian to discuss your diet in order to see if you are eating the right types of food, rather than relying on laxatives for long periods of time.

Aloe creams to the rescue?

One common symptom associated with hemorrhoids would be anal pruritis, or anal itching. This is often caused by irritation of the tissues along the rectal canal. When irritation occurs in this region, patients will often complain of persistent itching.

One natural substance that could be of use would be aloe, which will help soothe itching. You may have noticed that aloe is usually a principle ingredient in many creams you use after a sunburn or a mosquito bite because of these anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe vera is safe and it works.

Aseculus hippocastanum

Another substance that has been promoted as an agent of homeopathic care would be Aseculusi. This is a plant that is commonly found in Europe and can be ingested to alleviate a variety of symptoms. It is used in natural remedies for vascular problems as well as anti-inflammatory.

This product seems to be relatively safe with patients just reporting allergic reactions in most cases. At higher doses, it does seem to increase your chances of acute kidney damage. Considering most elderly patients already may have issues with their kidneys, this is something that I would advise you to avoid before discussing it with your doctor.

Ignatia

Another substance that has been advertised as a homeopathic remedy for hemorrhoids would be ignatia. This is a substance used in Chinese medicine as a compound to reduce inflammation in conditions such as gout and asthma and does have some applications in patients with depression.

An important point to draw your attention to is that ignatia can be fatal to humans in high doses. The active compound in this bean is known as strychnine. This is something that is used in rat poisons.

I use this as an example to stress the point that a lot of homeopathic substances can be dangerous for human use so if you have any doubts about a substance, it is best to ask a doctor before ingesting something potentially dangerous. Just because something is “natural,” does not mean it is safe.

Doctor’s recommendations: What should you really do when you have hemorrhoids?

All in all, there are some viable options to help treat your hemorrhoids without requiring major medical intervention. In most cases, patients will be asymptomatic. In this circumstance, just make sure you are watching your diet and check your stools consistently for a reddish or blackish color.

Blood in the stool is alarming regardless of the circumstance so it is important to inform your doctor if you have a symptom like that. Hemorrhoids will always be associated with red blood because the bleeding occurs very close to the anal canal. If you notice that there are a black stool color, however, this could be a sign of bleeding somewhere in your small intestine and could be an early sign of colon cancer.

Make sure you routinely attend colonoscopy examinations to control for these types of conditions. In most countries around the world, the general screening age to start colonoscopies would be at 50 years old and should be done every 10 years if you are found to be healthy. Recommendations may vary based on where you live but make sure that you do what you can to be proactive at catching more severe conditions associated with blood in your stools. would be wise to meet with a dietitian to discuss your diet in order to see if you are eating the right types of food.