Natural Remedies for Treating Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids will affect approximately 50% to 80% of the world's population at some point in their lives. Most people are not affected by hemorrhoids until after age thirty, however, this ailment can occur at any age and to anyone. Pregnant women are predisposed to hemorrhoids, but thankfully, this tends to be a temporary condition which resolves itself post-partum. Hemorrhoids occur when blood vessels around the anus become swollen. Hemorrhoids can be caused by pregnancy, aging, and chronic constipation. The symptoms may last a few days at a time, although many people who have hemorrhoids experience no symptoms at all. However, there are some who experience chronic symptoms, and those are the people in the greatest need of a treatment. There are currently surgical treatments available for hemorrhoids, but most people find this too invasive. Other options are over the counter medications that relieve the symptoms temporarily, but these can be costly, and they introduce foreign chemicals into the body. I prefer to treat every ailment possible with natural remedies, and after I had my second child, I was in need of these remedies.

Aloe Vera Gel
One of my favorite natural remedies for any skin irritation is Aloe Vera gel. It is cool, soothing and very versatile. To use this to treat hemorrhoids, simply apply to the affected area as needed to relieve burning and itching.

Baking Soda
Another sorely overlooked natural remedy for any skin irritation is baking soda. You can apply this directly as a powder, or form a paste with water. As a side note: baking soda is helpful for many things including bug bites and burns when applied as a paste and covered with a bandage.

Olive Oil
This remedy would *not* be applied directly to the area, but rather consumed daily as a preventative measure. Drinking olive oil daily can "grease the works", so to speak, and make things "move" more easily in order to allow the strained blood vessels to heal.

I would recommend using one of the topical remedies mentioned above in conjunction with the olive oil in order to both soothe the area and relieve a bit of the pressure to allow the hemorrhoids to heal. Dealing with hemorrhoids is no fun for anyone, and discussing it can be awkward as well. Know that there are millions out there who also deal with this condition, and there are many natural remedies out there to provide relief.