When it comes to herbal remedies for hemorrhoids, the best herbs you should use are chamomile, smartweed or nettle, comfrey, witch hazel, horse chestnut, or turkish rhubarb root.
Here are a few facts about each of these herbs and some tips on how to best use them for hemorrhoid treatment.
Chamomile
A member of the common daisy family, chamomile has long been used for its calming properties. However, this herb also helps heal hemorrhoids by its anti-inflammatory nature. Chamomile soothes inflamed and irritated skin tissue and helps to reduce painful swelling.
To help heal and calm hemorrhoidal swelling, chamomile tea that has been cooled can be applied to the pained area. Another application method is using chamomile ointment.
Smartweed
Smartweed, commonly known as stinging nettle, is an astringent. The astringent qualities of nettle help shrink the swelling of the inflamed area. Stinging nettle in the form of an ointment is best for applying to the hemorrhoid area for soothing relief of pain and itching. However, it can also be applied by adding nettle to boiling water and letting it steep and cool. Once the tea is at room temperature, wet a cotton ball in the tea and place on the hemorrhoid. Leave it in place overnight or for a few hours during the day to feel relief.
Comfrey
Comfrey is an herb that is known to promote immune system wellness. This herb also contains allantoin, a substance that encourages wound healing.
There is a large concentration of allantoin in the comfrey root, which is the part of comfrey used in the powder based form. To use as a relieving agent for a hemorrhoid, mix powdered comfrey with an oil such as fish, flax seed, or olive to create a paste. Apply this paste onto the anus and inflamed surrounding area. Hemorrhoids with comfrey paste applied will shrink and tend to pull back into the anus. Apply at bedtime for overnight relief.
Witch Hazel
A North American native shrub, witch hazel acts as a natural astringent which can tighten and firm skin tissue. It can also relieve itching and burning of swollen skin. These properties make witch hazel an excellent remedy for external hemorrhoids.
A cotton ball soaked in witch hazel can be applied to the hemorrhoidal area to almost instantly reduce irritation. Placing the witch hazel solution in the refrigerator before applying can provide relief even faster.
Horse Chestnut
A Northern Hemisphere tree, horse chestnut treatment for hemorrhoids utilizes an extract from the seeds or bark of this tree. An ingredient found in horse chestnut, Aescin, is used to strengthen and shore up blood vessel tissue. This herb also acts as an anti-inflammatory.
A paste can be prepared by adding horse chestnut powder with an oil like olive, fish, or flax seed and applied directly to the area in need. Another way to utilize this herb would be to boil powder or bark and use the resulting cooled tea as a beneficial soothing fluid to use on the hemorrhoidal area. You should not drink tea made from this herb as it contains a substance called tannin. Tannin may induce constipation which would further inflame the hemorrhoid, not help.
Turkish Rhubarb Root
This herb contains approximately five separate pain relieving components in its makeup. It is also a natural astringent, which makes this another good choice as an herbal remedy for hemorrhoids.
Like stinging nettles, the root can be boiled in water and then strained, making a tea. Once the tea has cooled sufficiently, the fluid can be placed with a cotton ball on the hemorrhoidal area to relieve irritation and swelling.
Whether you try one or all of these herbal remedies for hemorrhoids, the best herbs you should use are on this list. Many people like the convenience of having a ready made ointment or cream while others don’t mind taking the time to prepare a tea that will reduce their suffering. Whatever your preference, these herbs will help you get through hemorrhoidal pain.