Hemorrhoid Relief: Top Home Remedies and Causes Explained

I've suffered with external hemorrhoids for around 3 years now, since I was 19. I always thought it was something older people had and was devastated when one appeared!! I had been very unwell and bed-ridden for several months, combine that with a extremely poor diet and hello hemmies. When they first appeared, I left them alone and hoped they would just go away - they did not. I found this site and went to town with the remedies. The only thing that worked was Apple Cider Vinegar applied topically and that helped with the itching and burning pain and shrank them to a more comfortable size. And then I stopped treating and left them again...... You can probably guess what happened! And this time nothing worked. I tried everything I could and all that happened was that the darn things got more swollen and painful. I gave in and went to the doctors but all they would do was give me otc creams and painkillers.

So in my absolute desperation, I bought some numbing cream and a pair of nail scissors and cut them away. I cannot stress enough how stupid and dangerous that was!! Please if you've thought about doing it yourself - DON'T!!! Luckily, VERY luckily, the cuts healed without infection and not much scarring and everything still works down there. I didn't have many problem for several months after that but then they suddenly flared up again.

This time the only thing that worked for me was sitz baths and rutin. They calmed down back to 'normal' after a few weeks and didn't cause too much trouble for a while. Then boom, last week some verrry bad diet choices has lead to a major flare-up. I've taken rutin by the bucket load, sitz bathed my days away - everything that worked before hasn't worked this time.

I had some witch hazel chilling in the fridge for some nasty bruises and thought the chill at least might give some relief from the itching and burning. I soaked a cotton wool pad and put it on the area for about 15 minutes and wouldn't you know it, the blighters have shrunk by half and aren't bothering me at all! I can't believe it. The first time I developed hemmies, witch hazel didn't make a blind bit of difference, yet this time it's been my life saver! So if you're having problems, don't give up! Keep mixing it up with the remedies and hopefully you'll find something that works for you :)

I began to develop an internal hemmoroid about 3 months ago. It started with severe itching to the point that I could barely walk a few steps without having to just freeze where I stood. I am very active and fit so this was starting to stress me out. I went to a doctor who confirmed the hemmoroid and prescribed the regular route for this condition: Suppositories. I got immediate relief for the first couple of days however, the itching sensation returned with a fervor as did my frustration and fear as I did not want to go the surgery/banding route I had researched.

I fortunately found Earth Clinic and browsed through the countless remedies and made notes on the ones that resinated with me: ACV (topically and drank this in a.m. and p.m. for a few weeks with a straw to protect tooth enamel), Rutin, B-vitamins, cold compress for when things seemed "heated or agitated" down there and I couldn't sleep, pure aloe vera gel, peppercorns, accupuncture treatments, chinese herbs specifically for hemmoroids, exercise (once I was able to move more freely), refraining from alcohol, coffee, and spicy foods, eliminating dairy, and eating more fiber. Ya, it's a lot of things.

I did not get immediate results and far from it. Things got progressively better very slowly. I also had a couple of set-backs throughout this process so if you feel great one day and the next you're back where you were... try to be hopeful and keep up the regime you're trying and/or add something else on this site to try.

I've read a lot of posts on here with beneficial results appearing within a day or two which was frustrating for me as my progress was not good at first. I combined all things listed above as much as I could and just tryed to stay calm and patient with the process as hard as that was.

I went from debilitating itching to intense pain to itching throughout the day where actually sitting and laying down were the only relief I could get. Anyway, for me, I feel that stress and diet were a major component to my healing. Of course since I combined a lot of different remedies at one time, I don't know the exact (if there was one) cure but after just over 3 months I am completely cured. I am a little nervous about this condition returning so I continue with accupunture treatments, am continuing to take the chinese herbs, B-complex, and I have ACV on hand in the fridge however I am not using that any longer. I refrain from booze and caffeine and just keep dairy out of my diet in case that had anything to do with it. Yoga also seemed to help for obvious stress benefits.

I suggest trying everything on this site that resonates with you and most of all try to relax and be patient as it can be a process and not an overnight cure. The frustration and stress about it, I feel, made my issue worse. Good luck!

Cayenne for hemorrhoids.

I bought a book about the coconut cures, it tells in the book that coconut oil and cayenne powder mix equal parts to make a poultice. And apply to the affected area followed a coat of coconut oil several times throughout the day to speed healing it stop itching and it truly works. Then take 100 mg of grape seed extract and a capsule of cayenne pepper with each meal till the hemorrhoids regress. I didnt know about cayenne pepper capsule thought it comes only in powder so I went online and found out about the healing cures of cayenne, my hemorrhoids was so severe that i was almost make an appt with my doctor but scared of surgery, i am healed no ibs or itchy butt syndrome, it works and i believed cayenne, i am taking a capsule of cayenne after breakfast meal everyday i feel good.

I like to share this info: in Europe we use rutin in powder around four grammes, and here the dosage is only half a gramme it is not enough to make a difference in crisis. As per Adelle Davis (may her soul be blessed for she saved my life) vitamin c and vitamin e (natural mixed tocopherol) every hour at the beginning of the crisis shall reduce the pain in a few hours. The same for thrombosis. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact dosage of vitamin e but if one is not taking any, it has to be a small dosage to start with. As for vitamin c, increase the dosage up to 1/2 gr every hour but decrease the dosage if the stools becomes too loose. (best to use vitamin c as crystal ascorbic acid with bicarbonate to make ascorbate c as per Ted remedy). peace!

That's interesting because I'm pretty sure that rebounding (which I adore) has actually caused my current internal hemorrhoids. Admittedly, I was doing it pretty strenuously for 60 minutes, four days a week for two months. I am wondering if I'll ever be able to rebound again... Hope you're still bouncing away, Sharieff!

Ukranian village cure for hemorrhoids:

I had a very bad case of hemorrhoids and my wife at the time was from the Ukraine. she advised me to take a fresh potato, grate it with a potato grater and to press the grated potato onto my hemorrhoids. I did this for 3 days and my hemorrhoids were gone, the juice from the potatoes will shrink the hemorrhoids a fresh potato must be used each time. This does work!

Vicks worked for me; 4 day of H never helped but 2 days of Vicks and it cured it. I even had a hard BM after and no return of roid

I have hemorrhoids for about year and had to face the worst when I traveled to my home country which required a 22 hr air journey. I used all the tricks in the bag - from using coconut oil to taking metamucil ( fiber ) - Finally following has worked for me and I would like to share this as this can be of help to many others;

Fundamental to curing or at least' getting a temporary relief is to thin your stool /feces and at the same time not to have constipation.This needs eating /drinking following and avoiding regular food.

Morning I would start my day with drinking a glass of water and then Papaya ( eating about a lb ) - Just peel it , remove seeds and cut into small pieces and eat - simple.

Next I would eat some raisin bran in milk ( post make ) - try not to eat all the raisins.just avoid some of them if not all. Have a glass of water againcThis is your breakfast - if you feel hungry in between - have some more?
of the same stuff.

Be sure to drink at least
2-3 glasses of water in between. this is very important

Lunch - Lightly fried mixed vegetables - about a bowl and have V8 Veg soup - hot - and Water again.

Have some Figs ( sunmaid? ) 3-4 inbetween whenever you feel hungry in between - follow everything you eat with water - you need to drink atleast 8-10 glasses of water

repeat the same stuff for your dinner as well - Green vegies - boiled or fried in oil are good - snap peas , softs pears , no carrots , no juices absolutely no hard food. anything you feel hard is not good -

As I said - Water is the key and also do not sit on chair - you may be either lying down on bed or walking - but absolutely no chair / sofa

This will give you slurry kind of feces next day and you 'll be surprised to see the results in 2 days flat - atleast it worked for me? when nothing was working for past 40 days and I was about to give in for sigmoidoscopy to check the extent of damage and subsequent surgery

Good Luck and remember in short >>>>? lots of water papya raisin bran ( post make ) soft veggies can put you back on your feet.

I read on internet that taking horse chestnut orally will cure hemorrhoids, so I'm taking that right now and I think that it's working. Horse chestnut is also good for chronic venous insufficiency or swelling of the legs which was the main reason I was taking it in the first place. The swelling in my left leg is slowly subsiding but I think it's working for that also. Horse chestnut is good for also coughs, arthritis, and some other things I can't remember at this time.Pycnogenol is suppose to be better for hemorrhoids than horse chestnut, but I don't know, I'm just trying the horse chestnut for now, and if I'm not satisfied with the results, I will try pycnogenol instead, in which it's supposed to work better for leg swelling

Thanks for the great site! You people are providing a wonderful service to humanity. Please accept my contribution (a folk cure for hemorrhoids). My ex-boyfriend (a geologist) was out in the bush when he came down with major hemorrhoids from wading waist deep across a freezing lake. The old prospector he was with told him to rub bacon grease (yum!) on the area. He swears they went away right away!

I think this is a big one. For this and also other conditions like GERD but I'm less confident of that.

In the same way that straining on the loo or carrying excess weight can cause or worsen piles or gerd, I think many things that increase abdominal pressure can do it. Such as regularly having gas, especially if it's bad gas like with IBS.

I just wanted to share this to get opinions and so on, and because I think it might help people. I'm 90% sure it's true but I don't know the extent to which it affects these conditions.

Anyway, just something I wanted to share as I do think this knowledge is helping me :)

I have not had a lot of experience with hemmies - thank my lucky stars! But I had an external one and put hydrogen peroxide on a cotton pad and applied it a few times and had relief! When you look into the amazing powers of hydrogen peroxide I'm not surprised.

Yes the prunes have really helped with softening the bowel movement and speeding the process along so there is no long time sitting on the toilet makes hemorrhoids worse. I snack on them throughout the day so I get the right amount in. Dried apricots are good as well.

Be sure to get the Witch Hazel withOUT alcohol.. you have to read the label.. I have found some in some health food stores and on Amazon.

I am really concerned with all these people who equate hemorrhoids with lack of fiber. I have ibsd, never constipated, and the diarrhea will sure trigger hemis. Adding fiber just makes it worse in my case. And don't overlook the fact that ibsd or constipation can result from factors beyond your control, such as medical conditions. I had radiation twice in my life, once while still in the womb. Since I have done everything I can do for the last 60 years to overcome the diarrhea and nothing has worked, I conclude that the radiation, beyond my control, is a factor. I also had several concussions as a young child and head trauma is also a factor. Any remedies for that, and I'll listen.

Oh, Charity, you didn't set me off. I just wanted to open people's minds to other possibilities, in my clumsy way. For example, how many men comment that hard stool is the only factor. They've never had a hemi pop out as they were giving birth, now, have they? Just wanted to point out that there are many ways to get this problem.

GertJr,

With diarrhea, hemorrhoids can be caused by sitting on the toilet frequently for extended periods of time as you wait for the diarrhea to stop. The hard seat significantly reduces normal blood flow to the area which can cause hemorrhoids.

Have you looked into LDN or high dose melatonin(HDM) for the IBS-D. Low dose melatonin may be useful for IBS-C.

Art

Art, no I haven't heard that high dose melatonin could help. Is the help temporary or more permanent? And, what dosage are we talking about here? I'm willing to try that. I had looked at the LDN some time ago and don't remember why I didn't try it, is it by prescription? That's usually the only thing that stops me from trying something. Thanks again for all your help.

My friend had hemorroids soooo bad he couldnt seat (tennis player). I told him to eat BIG RAW SALADS (mixed and different fresh vegetables.) He did and what a rilie and fast cure! Now he wins every game against me! I regret I told him!

@Matt,

Having previously tried yoga(including headstand) to cure hemorrhoids, I was having no luck whatsoever. But with the Inverter device, success was quick & reliable. I don't know why. I can only say one works, the other doesn't.

Hi.

To all those who suffer with hemorrhoids, I have felt the pain. Two years ago I stopped mine completely. I read an old Voortrekker health book written by a minister. Low & behold The sweet potato.

Make sure outer area clean not peeled. Cut into pencil length & width, insert into anus, quite painful to start. I used some coconut oil/witch hazel to help insert. What a cure. I hope this helps all of you suffering out there.

Regards, Kate

I tried ACV for hemmies, didn't help. Also did witch hazel, which acts an an astingent and will shrink them but doesn't last very long. cool it in the fridge first, feels good. What works best for me is vaporub. Burns at first, but really heals them up. I, too, have ibs and the Apple Cider Vinegar didn't matter either way with that. Nothing I have tried has stopped my ibs-d, ever. I have had it since I was a preschooler and now I'm pushing 60.

Zinc oxide had me better in a day. Up to this point I had tried hydrocortisone (rx brand for hems), vicks, acv, sitz baths, even ice. vicks and Apple Cider Vinegar seemed to help some, but the Apple Cider Vinegar left the area raw and ITCHY! I have had them cut out before in the doc's office, but was trying to avoid that this time.

Last night was constantly awakened by pain and itching. This morning after a BM that had me yelling in pain and then was so itchy, I started googling and came across zinc oxide. We had some in the form of a diaper rash cream "paste" and I put it on. By the time I got to work it was much better and I was not itchy all day. It was still tender and the bump was still physically there, but I would say 80% better.

I read about this a decade or two ago in a book by Louise Hay. The cause can be from 'pressure' in life such as deadlines or other related stress such as too much to do in too little time. At that time I called clients and got more reasonable timelines. My haemorrhoids went away.

I believe that we are not all created equal, and the cause of a problem for one is not necessarily the cause for another. I, for one, do not have a yeast problem, as confirmed by a naturopath, but I recently developed a haemorrhoid and realized I have let pressures creep up on me. I knew what I had to do to remedy the situation.

I hope this information helps someone else.

Can u offer details on the essential oil amounts and how used for hemorrhoids?

I have been experimenting with the yarrow recipe, and have used coconut oil as a carrier for the yarrow, and it has improved so much! I apply the balm after every B.M., after cleansing, and I can live without pain! I do the same thing to the yarrow as before, without the water, then add it to a clear container with the melted coconut oil and put it in a hot sunny window until the coconut oil turns green. Then I strain out most of the yarrow and pour it into a smaller opaque container and keep it in the fridge until it has re-solidified. This really works.

I have heard a lot of benefits using Vitamin E liquid, but we are on a very tight budget- really, really tight- and cannot spend any money. Thankfully I have been growing medicinal herbs, and harvesting some from the yard.

You could also pick up some Vitamin A&D ointment (I get a generic brand with the same ingredients) at a drug store that is very soothing. Push the H back in. To eliminate a possible yeast problem, you could get a 3-day generic miconazole pack.

Since I changed the way I eat, I rarely have that problem anymore, unless I cheat, but when I had that same painful inflammation I would swallow some unsalted, canned spinach with turmeric, ginger and sea salt added. Practically on ingestion I would feel incredible relief. Turmeric and ginger reduce inflammation. Spinach, turmeric and ginger are reported cancer fighters.

This worked great - exactly as described.

hi, I've had piles about a year ago and didn't think that I'd be able to get rid of the problem. After a couple of weeks of eating vegetables and drinking lots of water, the small pile disappeared but left me an awful skin tag and an anal fissure. Once the fissure healed, which took months, I've had the skin tag surgically removed under general anasthetics. It took about 4 weeks for the swelling to go down. Now I can't even describe how happy I am that this problem is behind me. I didn't think one day, I would be one of these people reporting a fully successful treatment!

However, you still need to make note of a few tips:
1. DRINK lots of water (keeps everything soft)
2. Take FIBER SUPPLEMENTS (makes everything soft)
3. Try not to sit when you have a no 2. SQUAT instead. (there's no more pressure on your piles)

Good Luck.