Best Herbs for Hemorrhoids
Because hemorrhoids are not considered a dangerous medical disorder, their treatment focuses on relief of symptoms. Some common synthetic ingredients which act to soothe, shrink and calm anal bleeding are benzocaine, phenylephrine, and zinc oxide.
Research has shown that several natural plant extracts are equally effective in relieving the most common symptoms: swelling, bleeding, itching and burning. The most frequently used are butcher's broom, witch hazel, horse chestnut, chamomile, and flavonoids. Each plant extract has particular properties which are helpful to persons with hemorrhoids.
The butcher's broom plant, so named because butchers once used it to cleanse cutting boards, contains anti-inflammatory and vein-contricting substances called steroidal saponins that are observed to shrink swollen anal tissues. Butcher's broom has a unique saponin called ruscogen. Ruscogen can help reduce swelling of hemorrhoidal veins and vessels, which improves blood flow to the area while slowing outflow of blood from burst vessels. Studies have shown good to excellent healing of hemorrhoids as well as varicose veins in persons treated with ruscogen.
The spiky seeds of the horse chestnut tree contain substances called aescins. Aescins also strengthen and tighten vein walls, thereby improving circulation. Standardized horse chestnut extract (HCSE) has been approved by the German alternative medicine commission for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which leg veins do not return blood efficiently back to the heart. In the U.S., HCSE is now a leading ingredient in dietary supplements for hemorrhoids. For people with poor circulation, a dietary supplement containing ruscogen and/or HCSE will likely bring relief. Check with your doctor before ordering.
For bleeding hemorrhoids, witch hazel is a gentle, soothing remedy. Witch hazel has been used for centuries to shrink swollen, bleeding tissues. The plant, whose scientific name is Hamamelis virginianica, has astringent (tissue shrinking) properties. It is typically found in plastic bottles similar to rubbing alcohol. Soak a cotton ball in witch hazel and apply to bleeding mucous membranes. It can be drying, so limit its use to just a few minutes at a time.
Chamomile, the popular ingredient in calming teas, also has a calming and soothing effect when applied to skin. Unless you have an allergy to matricaria, the family of plants with chamomile, the herb is generally non-toxic and safe to use in conjunction with other treatments. A recent study of patients who underwent hemorrhoid ligature demonstrated that ointment with chamomile extract was found to have effective anti-inflammatory properties. These patients experienced faster rectal healing than those who did not receive the chamomile ointment.
Flavonoids (also called bioflavonoids) are a current exciting topic of research for their many healing properties: stabilize injured connective tissues (including vein walls), protect vein and cell walls from damage by free radicals, maintain elasticity of capillaries and other microvessels carrying blood, help lymph to drain, and fight localized inflammation. Flavonoids are found naturally in citrus fruits, vegetables, and a`variety of other plant sources. Concentrated flavonoids such as rutin and hesperidin have proven to assist the body in healing swollen, painful hemorrhoids, as well as recover from hemorrhoid surgery.
Best Herbs for Hemorrhoids by JoEllen Watkins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.thehemcure.com.
