Natural Remedies for Hemorrhoids

As someone who used to have IBD and cycles of constipation and diarrhea, I am very familiar with hemorrhoids, and was able to heal mine without needing surgery. I don't currently have any, but because those tissues are still more vulnerable from past injury, if I get constipated for a few days they occasionally can come back in a far milder form. Here's how I both prevent them and treat them when they come back.

This is not medical advice since I'm thankfully not a doctor (medical error is one of the leading causes of death), so please use common sense and also consult your healthcare provider before trying anything you read online.

Why Do Hemorrhoids Happen?

Hemorrhoids primarily come from straining and sitting on the toilet too long. There are other ways of getting them, but most of the time it just boils down to lack of circulation to the anus and blood pooling there.

The number one way to prevent hemorrhoids is to avoid sitting for long periods and avoid straining on the toilet. I hear often and also am someone who does this, but it can be helpful to not bring your phone into the bathroom with you so that you don't spend as long on the toilet.

Another thing that can cause hemorrhoids is being constipated. Constipation can cause straining to push out the bowel movement, so ensure you're drinking enough water (urinate 5-6 times per day), and having enough fiber in your diet to poop at least 1-2 times per day.

Natural Remedies for Hemorrhoids

Sitz baths:
Sitz baths are basically just a little bath for your booty. You can do a full normal bath, but it’s only necessary to fill the tub just enough to fully submerge your anus, and that way you get a more potent medicinal effect from the epsom salts and any herbs you add. Raspberry leaf tea is a good option to add to your bath because it is astringent, which means it helps pull tissues together, which would support healing this kind of issue. It’s also widely safe and well tolerated. At the end of your sitz bath it's a good idea to push the hemorrhoid back inside the anus so that it can heal back how it's supposed to.

Oil suppositories:
Oil suppositories are also something I have used and found helpful. They work really well for soothing itchiness and the ones that are infused with herbs can help heal the damaged tissues as well. Careful because they can be messy, I usually use a menstrual pad to catch any oil drips. I used this one, but you could also make your own using this kit.

Hemorrhoid Salve:
I also like this hemorrhoid salve from Wild Carrot Herbals. It has a lot of skin healing and itch soothing herbs in it and it works! I use it topically whenever I slip up and get a hemorrhoid and for me it works about as well as Preparation H, which unfortunately contains petroleum-derived oils, parabens and mineral oil.

Squatty potty:
Highly recommend picking up a squatty potty, I always miss mine when I travel. They are amazing, and really help move your knees up into a better position for a physiological poop. Humans evolved squatting to poop, and our biology is really more set up for that than how we normally sit on modern toilets here in the west. With a more physiological stance, you don't have to strain as much because youre working with gravity, and thus get fewer hemorrhoids.

Laxative herbs:
Laxatives can be used in a pinch, but should not be used often because they can be addictive/habit forming. Senna is an anthraquinone laxative, and is the active ingredient in Smooth Move tea. I have this on hand for emergencies, and I sometimes bring it when I travel. For me, 2 tea bags of Smooth Move will produce a bowel movement within a few hours. Laxatives are not considered safe in pregnancy, and you should always consult with a healthcare provider who knows your history to get the green light before using them.

Bidets:
Using a bidet can help clean up after you go with less abrasiveness compared with just wiping with toilet paper repeatedly, which can help you heal faster and prevent future hemorrhoids. It's also a lot cleaner to hose off than to smear around poop after each bowel movement, plus you get the added benefit of saving money on TP. Toilet paper is often contaminated with bleach or forever chemicals, linked to increased risks of cancer, so it's a win-win-win.

Red light therapy:
Red light therapy is something we do at my house and there is some emerging research supporting it's use in healing hemorrhoids. Research shows that it helps with pain and can increase healing times and supports lymphatic drainage.

Final Thoughts

Hemorrhoids may be annoying but you can totally heal from them without needing surgery, just like I did. You just need to take a look at the behaviors that lead you to get them and adjust. Even if you did get the surgery, if you keep doing those behaviors like sitting on the toilet for long periods, straining, being constipated, your hemorrhoids will likely come back eventually. Every time you go in for surgery, you are risking having some kind of issue. Iatrogenic error (aka medical error) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.