Witch Hazel for Hemorrhoids

Who knew that witch hazel could provide such relief? Many individuals that have known the suffering incurred from hemorrhoids have learned to make a bottle of witch hazel their best ally. Before you decide to use witch hazel to treat your hemorrhoids, it helps to understand how it works, and how witch hazel can help you.

Hemorrhoids refer to the enlargement of veins in the area surrounding the anus. Hemorrhoids is thought to be caused by any number of things, including repeated straining, excessive constipation or diarrhea, obesity, or work-related factors, including excessive standing and heaving lifting.

There are two basic types of hemorrhoids: internal and external. Internal hemorrhoids, as the name implies, refers to those hemorrhoids that develop inside the passageway of the anus. Internal hemorrhoids tend to be the least painful, because they remain inside the body. External hemorrhoids refer to those that develop outside of the anus, usually somewhere around the rim; sometimes clustering like bunches of grapes. These are the most painful, because they tend to receive the most contact, and the skin is extremely sensitive in that area. External hemorrhoids are known to rupture and then bleed excessively. Sometimes, a hemorrhoid will clot with blood. These types of blood-clotting hemorrhoids then tend to swell and become hard. 

How can witch hazel provide relief for hemorrhoid sufferers? Witch hazel derives from the plant Hamamelis virginiana, which has long been used to cure skin disorders, sunburn, treat mosquito bites, and is widely regarded as an effective yet mild antiseptic. For the treatment of hemorrhoids, it is not recommended that witch hazel may be consumed internally. Rather, it should be used externally to treat mild to moderate cases of hemorrhoids. How can you go about treating yourself with witch hazel? Although it is generally regarded as a mild and safe natural treatment option, you should be careful not to overdo its use. Using too much witch hazel could result in increased irritation, pain, redness, itchiness, and an overall drying out effect. If you apply witch hazel regularly but with restraint, you should be able to receive fast relief from mild to moderate cases of hemorrhoids.

What sort of relief might you expect from the use of witch hazel? Witch hazel has been found to be helpful for relieving the pain and itching that is often associated with external hemorrhoids. Witch hazel may also act as an astringent, which means it can help relieve some of the excessive bleeding that often goes hand in hand with hemorrhoids. To apply witch hazel, purchase over the counter products that contain witch hazel as a main ingredient, such as popular Tuck's pads. You can also purchase a bottle of witch hazel and create your own cold compress witch hazel pads. For external cases of hemorrhoids, apply your cold compress witch hazel pads to the affected areas for approximately ten minutes, for about three or four times a day. If the condition shows no improvement or worsens, you should contact your medical physician as early as possible.