Haemorrhoids

These sacs of venous blood act as shock-absorbers, swelling up and deflating when we pass a stool. When they are painful, burn, swell. bleed, or when they protrude from the anus, they become the painful 'piles' that afflict so many people. They are most common among people between the ages of 30 and 50, and in fact they are highly unusual in children and rare among the elderly.

The main cause of haemorrhoids is constipation, which should be treated or prevented. Other irritants are alcohol, spices, and prolonged physical effort, which also cause swelling and may trigger a bout. There is no connection between haemorrhoids and varicose veins, as the two involve completely different venous systems. Haemorrhoidal thrombosis, which is a fairly frequent complication after childbirth, involves the development of a small blood clot that blocks the vein. It is treated with medicines or by making a small incision under local anaesthetic.

Bleeding

Any bleeding from the anus, even if it is only a minute quantity, or occurs only once, should be medically examined in order to confirm that it is a haemorrhoid and to localize it. There are three anatomical types of haemorrhoids:
- external haemorrhoids are more likely to turn into thromboses
- internal haemorrhoids require a particular kind of examination, an anuscopy, in order to examine them. This type may involve moderate pain, itching, bleeding, oozing of serous fluid, and occasional prolapse with protrusion of the dilated veins
- Mixed types of haemorrhoids are, by definition, both internal and external

General advice

• Do not sit on the toilet for too long, as straining dilates the veins and encourages the development of painful haemorrhoids
• Treat any constipation you may be suffering from.

Topical remedies

• Be gentle when you use toilet paper after a bowel movement
• Wash the area with a moist toilet tissue such as Germoloids@ (Bayer), available in boxes of 10 sachets
• Have sitz baths in cool water to which a few drops of mother tincture of calendula have been added

Dietary advice

• During painful bouts, avoid too much alcohol, spicy meals, and condiments
• Give preference to food that is:
  - high in vitamin C, which is most plentiful in citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, and grapefruit), spinach, parsley, and tomatoes
  - high in vitamin E, primarily in whole­ grain cereals, wheatgerm, soya beans, asparagus, spinach, lettuce, and cold­pressed vegetable oils, such as olive or sunflower oils
  - high in vitamin B3, whose highest concentrations are found in blackcurrants, redcurrants, brewer's yeast, black­berries, and blueberries
  - high in selenium, mostly to be found in pineapples, cereals, and fish

Homeopathy

Aesculus hippocastanum and Hamamelis

- Four 5c tablets of one or both of these remedies to be sucked slowly, four or five times a day between meals

Aesculus hippocastanum

- Vegetable origin: the horse chestnut
- The homeopathic remedy for stretched, swollen haemorrhoids
- One characteristic indication: the symptoms improve with cold

Hamamelis virginiana

- Vegetable origin: the dried bark of the American witch hazel tree
- The homeopathic remedy for swollen, heavy haemorrhoids that are painful to the touch
-Two characteristic indications: bleeding, and worsening of the symptoms with the slightest touch

• You could also try Lehning@ Aesculus Complex 103, whose ingredients include mother tinctures of Aesculus and of Hamamelis, as well as Nux vomica 3x:
  - Sold in 30ml bottles of oral drops
  - Twenty drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day between meals
• Another alternative is Aesculus composition (Heel), which contains Aesculus D1, Hamamelis D4, Arnica D3...
  - Sold in drop bottles of 30 and 100ml
  - In general, 10 drops 3 times daily. In acute disorders initially 10 drops every 15 minutes
• It is also vital that you combine these treatments with a constitutional remedy, to be chosen after consultation with a professional homeopath. Some likely choices are Calcarea fluorica, Sepia, or Sulfur

Oligotherapy

Manganese and cobalt

Trace elements are usually found in a varied and high quality diet. In cases of deficiency, which is unlikely with these two minerals, they can be given as medicinal supplements.

• Manganese-cobalt treatment: this combination is available in various brands and forms, such as Organic Minerals (Colloidals) which contains 70+ trace minerals:
  - Available in 946ml bottles
  - Take 1-3 caps just before breakfast and/or evening meal
  - Children 1 teaspoon daily for each 20lbs of body weight

Or Maximol (Ionized colloidals):

- Available in 500ml bottles
- Take 1/2 capful once or twice daily on an empty stomach

Herbal remedies

Witch hazel, horse chestnut, and red vine leaf for their action on venous circulation.

Possible Prescription: Ask your herbalist to prepare a 60ml bottle of mother tincture of witch hazel. Take 25 drops in a little water, two or three times a day for several weeks.

• Externally, you could use Nelsons Haemorrhoidal cream which contains Calendula and Hamamelis
  - Available in 30g tubes
  - Apply after going to the toilet.

Witch hazel

This small tree from the woods of North America resembles the hazelnut tree. Native people believed it had magic powers, hence its common name. It improves venous circulation and strengthens the resistance of the blood vessels.

Horse chestnut

The seeds of the horse chestnut tree, which originally came from the Balkans, benefit the veins in three different ways: they strengthen the walls of the blood vessels, prevent the dilation responsible for varicose veins and haemorrhoids, and combat the water retention that causes swollen legs.

Red vine leaf

This climbing shrub, whose products we already enjoy every day, is also one of the best plants for the circulation - it helps both vessel walls and venous return. One glass of wine with a meal is a good preventive measure to take against the risk of heart disease.