Herbal Remedies For Constipation and Hemorrhoids

For constipation, an herb that acts as a natural laxative is cascara sagrada, “the Sacred Bark, used by Native Americans for centuries. Also known as the “Californian Buckthorn, it has been known to help increase bile production in the liver, as well as stomach, pancreas, and lower bowel secretions. Peristaltic action (bowel contractions, or the urge to have a bowel movement) is stimulated by this herb. Senna, which is often taken in the form of an herbal tea, is a strong purgative, but this herb can cause you to feel quite sick and unable to stray very far from the bathroom for a couple of hours. Slippery elm, taken with plenty of water to help move it through your system, normalizes stools, working well for both constipation and diarrhea by coating and soothing the lining of the colon. If time is of the essence, you should take an herbal supplement high in chlorophyll, which acts like a “broom inside the intestinal tract. Parsley and alfalfa are both high in chlorophyll. Other herbs can soften the stool and stimulate contractions in the colon, including yellow dock, dong quai, licorice, burdock, and dandelion.

The University of Maryland Medical Center’s website (umm dot edu) describes some of the herbal treatments available for hemorrhoids as summarized below.

Flavonoids – a group of antioxidants found mostly in dark berries. These little fellas can help you maintain or regain the integrity of your veins, which will help you avoid hemorrhoids. Bioflavanoids that can be used in dried extract form include: Catechin, quercetin, hesperidin, and rutin. Rose hips (Rosa canina) and green tea (Camelia sinensis) are also high in bioflavanoids and can be taken as a tea. Rose hips are also easy on the liver. Stone root (Collinsonia canadensis) and horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) can be used to strengthen blood vessel walls.

Herbs – contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications, and should be taken with care, under the supervision of an herbal medicine practitioner. Some remedies include:

- Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) – used topically in traditional herbal medicine to reduce inflammation of hemorrhoids.

- Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) – used for venous insufficiency, pooling of blood in different locations such as the legs.

- Grape seed (Vitis vinifera) – used by European folk healers to stop bleeding, inflammation, and pain, such as the kind brought on by hemorrhoids.

- Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) – This herb may reduce inflammation associated with hemorrhoids.

- St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) – applied topically, may prove to be beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation from hemorrhoids.

- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – popular in European folk medicine, this herb has traditionally been used to treat wounds and bleeding hemorrhoids.

Homeopathy – Each individual’s constitutional type (i.e., physical, emotional, and psychological makeup) should be considered by the homeopath prior to prescribing any treatment. However, the following remedies are possible treatments for hemorrhoids:

- Aesculus – burning hemorrhoids; feels like a lump in the anus that feels worse when walking.

- Aloe – pulsation in the rectum; large, external hemorrhoids.

- Collinsonia – chronic, itchy hemorrhoids with constipation.

- Hamamelis – large, bleeding hemorrhoids.

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Witch Hazel and Hemorrhoids – What a Mix!

Do you suffer with annoying Hemorrhoids and need some immediate relief? Well, listen up! One of the best remedies for you to use is combining Witch Hazel and Hemorrhoids.

Now you may not be aware but Witch Hazel is a natural astringent and it is very good at constricting tissue. This in turn will help reduce swelling and pain. So when you apply it to your hemorrhoids (which are damaged swollen vessels and tissue) it not only gives you immediate relief, it also helps them to heal more quickly. In addition the witch hazel will help stop mucus and blood leaking from your hemorrhoids. There are different natural astringents available, Aloe Vera is another one. It is as easy to get as cutting a leaf off of an aloe vera plant you may already have and getting the extract out.

Applying these is very simple. You use cotton balls or dry cotton wipes and soak them with the astringent. Then gently dab the hemorrhoids. You can do this as often as you need to for comfort.

There are a lot of other natural remedies available to you. The exact directions are easy to find. You can even find ‘recipes’ or formulas to create a ‘hemorrhoid healing salve’ using the witch hazel.

Taking a bath in warm saltwater at least three times a day is also a natural way to give relief and speed the healing of your hemorrhoids. It compliments perfectly ‘the witch hazel and hemorrhoid’ remedy. It helps your hemorrhoids in the same way that gargling with saltwater helps a sore throat. It relieves pain, reduces swelling and helps to draw out infection.

In addition using your diet to keep your stools soft is one important step that goes hand in hand with therapies like witch hazel. If after using the witch hazel and hemorrhoid therapy you are on your way to healing your hemorrhoids; and then you become constipated, you may end up back at square one and have to start all over. Keeping your stools soft and avoiding pushing too hard during bowel movements will ensure that the healing process goes as it should.

Using natural at home methods will give you the knowledge to not only heal your hemorrhoids, but when you learn these therapies you also learn how to remain in good health. This will help you avoid hemorrhoids in the future. Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat, drinking a lot of water and increasing the activity you do are all directly linked to a healthy life with no hemorrhoids.

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