Hemorrhoids (Piles)
Hemorrhoids, or piles, are very common. This uncomfortable situation happens frequently in pregnancy and they may not go away until several weeks postpartum. Straining on the toilet also causes piles. Internal piles appear around the beginning of the anal canal while external piles occur at the opening and may protrude outside the anus.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include constipation, straining during bowel movements, a little bleeding on stool, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, pruritus, prominent bleeding, a mass, thrombosis with severe acute pain, an inability to clean after a bowel movement, ulceration and possible strangulation of the hemorrhoid. They may feel itchy or painful with burning. Sitting becomes very uncomfortable.
Causes
Piles occur when there is too much pressure on the rectum, forcing the blood to stretch the walls of the veins, causing bulging. Sometimes the vessels rupture. They are also are caused by heavy lifting, severe coughing, diarrhea, constipation, sitting on the toilet for extended periods of time, straining with bowel movements, constant sitting and pregnancy. Diet plays an important part in keeping piles at bay - eating enough roughage and drinking enough water to keep stools from getting too hard is very important, not only for this ailment but also for your overall general good health.
Cautions
Seek treatment when they become uncomfortable. Severe cases may need medical treatment or possible excision.
Herbal Treatments
Internal Applications
- Figs soak 3 or 4 dry figs overnight in water and take them in the morning on an empty stomach. Drink the water they soaked in as well.
- Lemon mix a teaspoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of mint juice and a tablespoon of honey three times per day.
- Coriander take a tablespoon of juice from coriander leaves and mix it with a teaspoon of sugar. Take this three times a day. Alternatively, soak the seeds overnight in water and drink the resulting liquid the next morning.
External Applications
- Cumin make a paste of powdered cumin seeds and water and apply on the affected area to reduce pain.
- Witch hazel refrigerate a bottle of witch hazel and apply the liquid as needed to the affected area with a cotton wool compress.
- Comfrey apply an ointment made with this herb to reduce swelling and ease pain. This herb can also be added to a warm sitz bath along with other herbs like plantain, witch hazel, white oak bark, yarrow and salt.
- Yarrow an ointment containing yarrow may help stop bleeding and ease pain from piles.
- Plantain this soothing herb can be added to an ointment or salve and applied on the affected area to help heal and relieve pain.
- Lavender the essential oil of this herb can be added to a bath or sitz bath along with juniper oil to help reduce piles and help them to heal. The bath should be warm. Use 22 drops of juniper and 22 drops of lavender oil. Sit in the bath for 10 to 15 minutes three times per day. After the sitz bath, take a cold shower.
- Shepherd's purse this herb can be added to a sitz bath or made into a paste and applied to the hemorrhoids.
- Postpartum sitz blend add sea salt, lavender flowers, uva ursi, shepherd's purse, comfrey leaves, plantain leaves, calendula flowers, witch hazel leaves and clary sage essential oil. These herbs and oils will stop bleeding, disinfect, repair tissue and sooth the discomfort of hemorrhoids and postpartum recovery.