All Natural Relief from Painful Hemorrhoids.

The anal canal is packed with small veins. When these veins, because of internal pressures or just irritation from sitting, swell like little balloons and cause itching, burning, and sometimes even bleeding, you have hemorrhoids.

If you want relief, just use Preparation H—Preparation Herb, that is. "You will get quicker results with over-the-counter hemorrhoid preparations than you will with herbal ointments," admits Rita Elkins, a master herbalist in Orem, Utah. "But over-the-counter hemorrhoid medications offer only temporary relief from symptoms and can have side effects such as chronic irritation of surrounding tissue."
In addition, the hemorrhoids usually come back, meaning that you have to use the drug again and again. Worse, some hemorrhoid medications irritate surrounding tissue, especially vaginal tissue in women.
On the other hand, "herbal preparations don't have anything in them that is considered unsafe to absorb into your body Elkins says

BUTCHER'S BROOM: Shrinks Swollen Tissues
"The herb butcher's broom is believed to have the same effect as over-the-counter hemorrhoid preparations. It's an astringent herb, and it works to shrink swollen hemorrhoids," Elkins says.
She recommends using butcher's broom tincture or powder to make an ointment. Using a spoon, mix 10 to 15 drops of tincture or the powder from five capsules (which usually contain 100 to 200 milligrams of butcher's broom) into a small container of beeswax (about 1A cup). You can apply the ointment generously directly to the area of discomfort. You can also add a few drops each of vitamin E and aloe gel to the ointment to help reduce inflammation and speed healing, Elkins says. You can use the ointment as often as necessary.

At the same time you're using butcher's broom ointment, Elkins recommends drinking butcher's broom tea or taking capsules. Make the tea by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1 to 2 grams, or about ½ teaspoon, of the herb and steeping for 10 minutes. She advises straining the tea and drinking up to four cups a day. For capsules, the dosage is two 200-milligram capsules three times a day. When using capsules, look for a product that's standardized for 9 to 11 percent ruscogenin, the herb's active ingredient
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FLAVONOIDS: Strengthen the Veins
Alternative practitioners believe that supplements that contain flavonoids natural healing compounds that are also found in fresh fruits and vegetables can help strengthen the anal veins so that hemorrhoids are less likely to occur.

They can also reduce inflammation and help hemorrhoids heal, says Teresa Rispoli, Ph.D., a licensed nutritionist and acupuncturist in Agoura Hills, California. Supplements that contain hydroxyethylrutosides, rutin, and citrus bioflavonoids are most effective for treating hemorrhoids, she says. Just follow the directions on the label.

GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS: Repair Damaged Cells
For hemorrhoids that are extruded, or prolapsed, Dr. Rispoli recommends taking supplements that contain glycosaminoglycans. These are the purified structural components of blood vessels, and they can help repair damaged cells, she says. Follow the directions on the label, she advises.

HYDROTHERAPY: Site Baths for Instant Relief
Sitting in a tub of warm water, or sit/, bath, for HI minutes several times a day is one of the fastest ways to help relieve the discomfort of hemorrhoids, says Mark Stengler, N.D., a naturopathic physician in San Diego.

PSYLLIUM: Soften the Stools
One of the most common causes of hemorrhoids is a low-fiber diet, which produces small, hard stools that are difficult to pass. The resulting straining damages the anal veins, says Elizabeth Lipski, a certified clinical nutritionist in Kauai, Hawaii

Psylliuin seeds, cither in bulk form or as an ingredient in fiber sup-plcmcnts such as Metamucil, help make stools softer and easier to pass. This not only helps prevent hemorrhoids, it also makes bowel movements less painful, Lipski says.

She recommends making psyllium seeds part of your regular diet. For one week, take a teaspoon of seeds at breakfast by adding them to an 8-ounce glass of water. Starting the second week, take the seeds at breakfast and lunch. During the third week, take them at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then stay at that level. Once you reach this point, you can stop taking any other fiber supplements if you no longer have discomfort. Adding psyllium to your diet gradually will help control the gas that sometimes accompanies a sudden increase in fiber, she says.
Fiber creates large, soft stools by absorbing water, Lipski adds, so when you're taking psyllium or any other form of fiber, you need to drink up. She recommends drinking !& ounce of water for each pound you weigh. Thus, if you weigh 130 pounds, you should drink 65 ounces of water; if you weigh 160, you need 80 ounces.

HIGH-FIBER POODS:
There's nothing wrong with using psyllium seeds or other fiber supplements, but you can get the same effect by eating lots of high-fiber foods, says Lipski. "Increase your intake of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables, especially those containing good amounts of fiber, such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, com, peas, kale, and parsnips," she says.
Rating a high-fiber breakfast cereal (one that supplies 5 grams or more per serving) will also significantly increase your fiber intake, she adds