Hemorrhoids (or Piles) refer to the blood vessels present in the anal canal. In their healthy state, they help in stool control through cushioning. When swollen though, they become painful while passing stool.
Hemorrhoid swelling can be Internal (inside the anal tract) or External (at the anus opening). The internal swelling facilitates the passing of blood, but the external Hemorrhoid can be painful.
Any pressure increase in the abdomen is a trigger, but the exact causes are unknown. Contributing factors could be applying pressure while passing stool, diarrhea and/or constipation. Most of the medication prescribed is normally meant for symptomatic indicators like pain, bleeding, etc.
For this reason, the best approach to managing these piles is through prevention using natural remedies. Let’s explore the available natural remedies.
Add fiber and water to your diet:
Adding fiber to your diet and keeping hydrated is essential. This must include both the soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber helps in softening of the stool as after mixing with water, it converts to a gel form. The insoluble fiber or roughage keeps things moving through the digestive tract.
Don’t forget to consume plenty of water to help the smooth passage of fiber. Water cleanses your intestine and the chemical balance maintained.
You can add legumes, beans, fruits, leafy vegetables, etc. to your diet. But in the case of constipation also use the Psyllium husk. It has loads of fiber.
At all costs avoid hard stools. They brush against the already swollen hemorrhoid tissues and worsen their condition. Soft stool easily passes through the anal canal and anus opening. This gives the swollen hemorrhoids time to recover and heal.
Aloe Vera and Other Juices
Aloe Vera aids digestion, ease out the inflammation and smoothen as well as hydrate the skin as it has vitamin A, B, C, E etc.
Aloe Vera is full of essential amino acids and is anti-inflammatory. Consume Aloe Vera for improved bowel movement as well as better performance of the anal muscles. Apply it on the affected area to smoothen external hemorrhoid on the surface of the anus. It reduces hemorrhoid swelling.
Lemon juice is also known to help in case of hemorrhoids. Take lemon juice with ginger in Luke warm water. It stimulates the digestive process and bowel movement
Lubricating and smoothening external hemorrhoid:
As mentioned earlier, the hemorrhoids on the surface of the anus can be painful. And if they stay for a longer duration, they develop a head which gets dry. In this case, even the rubbing of soft stool causes pain. Thus, it becomes necessary to keep the hemorrhoid and its head lubricated. This ensures smooth passage of the stool.
There are a few natural oils which help in this cause. You may use any of coconut oil, tea tree oil, olive oil, almond oil etc.
Bowel Discipline:
The golden rule is, don’t strain yourself by forcing bowel movement. And don’t sit for too long, it also increases the risk of inflammation.Try to make a bowel movement habit of assigning a particular time during the day. Keep all diversions, like the newspaper aside.
Try using the squat position to aid your bowel movement. In the squat position, the rectum and other associated muscles are straight, thereby, letting gravity help the bowel movement better. In the sitting position, the already swollen hemorrhoid is further troubled. This is in an unnatural bent position. It puts a strain on the anal tract and the anal muscle. And you might start trying to exert pressure.Thus, further harming the swollen hemorrhoids.
Add Probiotics to your diet:
Probiotics are a generic name given to “friendly” bacteria. Strong acids and digestive enzymes present in the stomach kills most of the bacteria.
Probiotic bacteria are a different category of bacteria. They have the unique characteristic of reaching the intestine alive/in an active condition. The bacteria present in yogurt or curd are probiotic bacteria.
The probiotic bacteria help by killing the 'bad’ or disease-causing bacteria present in the intestine. Through this process, they aid in the digestion and keeping the intestinal & anal tract healthy. This way, they also help and heal the hemorrhoids.
Probiotics naturally exist in Yogurt, curd and some fermented products.
Exercise and Lose weight:
People gain weight because they have little physical movement and don’t do enough exercise. Overweight people are usually low in fiber as well.Modern lifestyle and work culture are full of either sitting or standing for long period of times. Being overweight puts extra stress on all parts of your body. The digestive tract also has to put in extra work.