Who hasn’t tried one of the classic grandmother’s remedies to fight fever, cold or sore throat? They certainly had the desired results.
As for hemorrhoids, however, what are these “magic potions” to use to relieve pain?
In the quiz “ Hemorrhoids: which foods are best to eat? “, We asked you which remedies you have used and which have had some benefit, to understand with the help of a proctologist if they can actually have a scientific basis or if the benefit is due” to chance “ , for example to use of the remedy in a period of physiological attenuation of the problem.
There are many remedies for hemorrhoids that we already knew, but you have provided us with further very interesting insights.
Having said that, a brief introduction is a must: in the most serious cases we cannot expect to solve the problem and return “as new” only thanks to solutions handed down from generation to generation. In the most advanced stages of the disease it is in fact advisable to turn to surgery which, in recent years, has made great strides also thanks to the THD Doppler Method, the minimally invasive intervention that allows to solve the problem of Hemorrhoid relief.
After this little parenthesis, here is the grandmother’s first remedy which, hear hear, is to eat well and do physical activity. Is it new to you? Surely not. In fact, many of you have suggested these two tricks as simple as they are effective.
Many of your answers to the quiz “ Hemorrhoids: which foods are best to eat? “Were precisely” drink a lot of water “,” healthy eating “and” walk “.
It is well known that constantly moving and eating the right foods benefits both our body and our mind. As for all those who suffer from hemorrhoids, there are foods that are recommended and others that are to be banned; if you want to learn what they are and why eating them is good for you or not, we refer you to this article ” Hemorrhoids and nutrition: myths to dispel” where you can find useful ideas to think about the next time you choose the menu for your lunches and dinners.
Among the remedies you have reported to us on our Facebook page and in the quiz ” Hemorrhoids: which foods are best to eat?” the most popular were the following:
Water and lemon
Many have advised to add a little lemon juice to a glass of hot water, with some variations depending on the case, such as Anna Stella, Maria Teresa and Roberta tell us.
Indeed, water and lemon taken on an empty stomach in the morning and before main meals help regulate intestinal activity and as a consequence, even hemorrhoids relief.
Sitz baths
Cold water or hot water? This is one of the Hamletic doubts that everyone, at least once in their life, has asked ourselves. Our Facebook fan Carmine says he is sure of cold water, indeed ” cold cold ” To use his words. Will he be right?
Contrary to what Carmine suggests, soaking in ice water is not so suitable; it would be better to take a bath in lukewarm water, remaining immersed for about 20 minutes and repeating the operation if possible after each defecation.
Immersing yourself for a prolonged period of time in cold water, on the other hand, would cause a contraction of the anorectal muscles, thus worsening the situation.
If, on the other hand, we want to try to relieve pain by resorting to cold, ice comes to the rescue: the latter can be good for making compresses of about 15 minutes on the painful area, repeating them two or three times a day in order to reduce swelling, inflammation and ache.
This remedy is very useful especially in emergency cases, in the presence of haemorrhoidal bleeding beyond our control .
So, for all those who have suggested that we wash with warm water and make ice packs, we can tell you that you are absolutely right!
For those who, on the other hand, have advanced the idea of carrying out hot packs, we recommend not to overdo this practice as, if you apply heat to areas that are already inflamed and irritated, the situation could worsen.
Chamomile
Why not try the washes described above with the addition of a little chamomile infusion, as many of you have suggested to us?
Chamomile, indeed, will have to become your best friend from now on. A nice jar containing dried chamomile flowers should definitely not be missing in your pantries.
Chamomile, as many of you have told us, has remarkable healing properties for our hemorrhoids. Attenuates and refreshes hemorrhoids , reduces anal inflammation and promotes healing.
For these reasons, making bidets several times a day with its infusion is a real panacea. Be careful, however, to bring this infusion to room temperature before use, since for an optimal preparation the water must be brought to a boil.
Hemorrhoid relief, bicarbonate
This is a magical ingredient that our grandmothers used for a thousand different purposes, including haemorrhoidal disease. Daily washes with one or two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in warm water are a real cure-all against infections and itching.
Once a week, in case of very inflamed internal hemorrhoids, you could also try to do internal washing with water and bicarbonate, so as to be able to give further relief even to poor and aching internal hemorrhoids.
Potatoes
Many of you will probably be turning up their noses at the sun hearing this food since potatoes are strongly discouraged in case of hemorrhoids, as we learned in “ Hemorrhoids and nutrition: myths to dispel ”. I note with joy that you have been careful at the time!
So why did so many of us answer “potatoes” in the quiz” Hemorrhoids: which foods are best to eat?” “?. Here is the reason why: this time the potatoes are not intended as a food, but as a “healing ointment”.
Once you have obtained a smooth and velvety puree from the potatoes, you can use it as a do-it-yourself remedy against hemorrhoids, thanks to the action of the starch contained in them.
The puree obtained from the boiling and subsequent mashing of the potatoes should be applied, lukewarm, on the perianal area and left to act for a few minutes before rinsing with plenty of water. Potatoes will help dry the area and rebalance the skin by restoring normal skin pH .
Pomegranate juice
Indeed, pomegranate juice has power on hemorrhoids due to its strong astringent action. Pomegranate juice, however, has a sour taste and therefore you risk suffering from stomach pain by drinking it as suggested by Maria several times a week.
The advice we would like to give you is to dip a cotton swab in the juice and place it on the area affected by the pain, thus changing the intended use of the juice from internal to external.
If you really want juices that you can drink throughout the day, then the most suitable for the purpose are those of cherries, blackberries and blueberries, combined in equal parts with that of apple.
Do you want to know other foods ideal for Hemorrhoid relief? You can find them in this post dedicated to YES and NO foods in case of hemorrhoids .
Herbal teas and decoctions
When asked about the possible grandmother’s Hemorrhoid relief, many of you users have answered ” herbal teas ” and ” decoctions “, also indicating various types of herbs and plants.
The ones you mentioned most frequently were cypress and yarrow; the list of magical plants, however, is also enriched with mallow, horse chestnut, hazelnut, witch hazel, sage, lavender and pineapple.
Then contact your trusted herbalist, where qualified personnel will be able to show you the right mix for you.
Preparing an herbal tea with one of these ingredients is very easy. Just boil the water and pour it into a cup ; then the selected substances must be soaked and left to macerate for about 10 minutes.
Finally, you filter everything with the help of a colander, if you do not have the appropriate infusers, and voilà the herbal tea is ready!
Hemorrhoid relief with personal care
While it can be painful in conditions of excessive inflammation, this is the most important starting point for triggering the healing process. The advice is therefore to wash with a mild soap , such as Deliclin Soap , rinse the area with water at room temperature and dry with a clean and soft cloth, possibly after each defecation.
But if I’m away from home all day what can I do? Try replacing toilet paper, which can sometimes be uncomfortable and rough, with wet wipes, perhaps based on soothing ingredients such as Deliclin. A true portent to carry comfortably with us on all trips!
As some of you have pointed out to us, after each wash it is good to pass St. John’s wort oil on the affected area to increase relief thanks to its soothing and astringent action.
Hemorrhoid relief, use donut pillows
Rita suggests we use special pillows for hemorrhoids. But what is it about?
In this case we are talking about donut-shaped cushions that come to the aid of those suffering from hemorrhoids and, for work and physical reasons, find themselves having to sit for many hours throughout the day.
However, it is good to make a clarification in this regard: these special pillows are suitable for those suffering from mild hemorrhoids ; On the other hand, those who have hemorrhoid problems in more advanced degrees can see the situation worsen before their eyes without having more control of it.
In fact, prolonged use of these pillows can interfere with the normal flow of blood to the anal area and therefore increase the pressure with consequent worsening of symptoms .
How could we, given that we are talking about hemorrhoid remedies, not offer you the recipe that most of you have indicated to us as extremely effective for finding some relief? This is plum water .
This prodigious elixir should be taken in the morning in case of constipation and is useful both for a preventive action and as a treatment in case the hemorrhoids have already made their triumphal appearance, in order to promote regular intestinal activity .
The plum water must be prepared the night before by soaking a handful of dried plums in a quantity of water equal to double their volume.
The next morning, strain and drink this elixir as soon as you wake up on an empty stomach. Plums are absolutely not to be thrown away: you can in fact consume them for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack.
