Haemorrhoids:
Haemorrhoids (also called piles) are swollen veins at the bottom of the rectum or anus. These veins assist with the elimination of stool when they are healthy, but when they swell and stretch, or protrude from the rectum, they can cause pain and itching. Increased pressure in the lower rectum is the main cause of haemorrhoids, most often caused by prolonged sitting, poor diet, constipation, obesity, or pregnancy.Haemorrhoids that are located inside the rectum are called internal (or blind) haemorrhoids and although they can cause rectal bleeding they are often painless. External haemorrhoids develop under the skin around the anus and are usually more painful and often come and go.

You should include lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet if you have constipation or haemorrhoids. Green drinks are excellent, in fact apple and spinach work synergistically to clean your bowels. Drinking lots of water is helpful, and squatting when you pass a stool can also help (a simple way to do this is to put a small stool under your feet to bring them up). If you have haemorrhoids the following applications can ease them and help a little, either in a bath or applied gently with cotton wool:

• Apple Cider vinegar
• Coconut oil
• Aloe Vera
• Witch Hazel

Homeopathy for haemorrhoids:
When using homeopathy it is always best to individualise a remedy as much as possible. When treating haemorrhoids you will almost certainly relieve symptoms with one of the following remedies if you carefully select the one which fits the symptoms:

Aesculus-hippocastanum
These haemorrhoids may bleed, which can bring relief. There is often aching and stiffness in the lower back. The rectum may itch and feel full or as if it is full of small sticks. Haemorrhoids are often caused by constipation, and can come on during pregnancy and can last for hours after a bowel movement. People needing this remedy often tend to be physically strong and may also suffer from sore throats or a feeling of fullness in the throat as well as the rectum.

Hamamelis-virginica
These haemorrhoids are very tender to the touch with a tremendously sore, bruised, achy feeling. The anus feels raw and sore. It is one of the major remedies to consider in bleeding haemorrhoids. The haemorrhoids protrude, pulsate and bleed profusely and are aggravated by heat.

Nux-vomica
These haemorrhoids are usually internal and very painful. They rarely bleed but can be very itchy. There is a desire to pass a stool, but the patient is unable to, or may only be able to pass small quantities of stool after a lot of straining, leaving an unfinished feeling. This urge to stool is felt throughout the abdomen. There may also be what is known as ‘reverse peristalsis.’ That is, when you strain to pass a stool, the stool moves back up into the rectum instead of coming down, and then when you relax, it comes down again. Constipation can alternate with diarrhoea. There may be a history of drug use, either recreational, prescription drugs, or laxatives. They can also suffer from distension and flatulence as well as gastric disorders. The patient is often exceedingly irritable and critical.

Aloe-socotrina
These haemorrhoids are sore, burning or bleeding and are relieved by cold applications. Stools may be jelly like or mucous. There is a constant bearing down feeling in the rectum and the haemorrhoids can protrude like grapes and itch. There is an intense feeling of weakness in the rectum and may be loud rumbling in the abdomen. Constipation can alternate with complete loss of bowel control.

Sepia
A major remedy for constipation and haemorrhoids due to hormonal changes. Many women have had these problems ever since pregnancy, childbirth, a hysterectomy or menopause or even since using the birth control pill. In these cases you will discover that they had normal bowel movements and no haemorrhoids until the hormonal change. This remedy is very useful for women who have had many children and who have become drained and worn out due to weak bowel tone so that there is a heavy bearing down feeling, as if something is pushing down from the rectum. It is often associated with a sedentary lifestyle and you will find that she is better if she exercises.

Lycopodium
These haemorrhoids are aching and very painful to the touch. They often do not fully develop but remain as hard bluish lumps. There is rawness in the anus with a continued burning feeling in the rectum after a bowel movement. There may be constipation with yellowish, mustard-coloured or whitish stools. You will be led to choose this remedy by the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn, belching, bloating and tremendous flatulence. They often feel chilliness in the rectum before a bowel movement and then feel faint and weak after a bowel movement.

One differentiating point between Lycopodium and Calcarea carbonica is that some children needing the remedy Calcarea carbonica may feel fine when they are constipated, while Lycopodium children are disturbed during constipation. The child may exhibit the keynote commonly found in adults that the first part of the stool is hard and the last part is soft. Lycopodium children, even infants, may develop hemorrhoids that remain the same, rarely becoming symptomatic, enlarged, or bleeding; unlike those of Nux vomica or Muriaticum acidum, which do become very painful.

Pulsatilla
Changeable and variable symptoms. They may be constipated at one time and not the next. The haemorrhoids may appear for a time and then clear up for a time. They may pass mucus and have occasional bleeding with bowel movements. This patient is often better being in fresh air and engaging in light exercise.

Sulphur
Chronic constipation with bunches of both internal and external haemorrhoids that are raw, sore and tender. They ooze, smart, burn, and bleed. There is marked redness around the anus and tremendous itching. They have a frequent urge to move their bowels but repeated trips to the toilet prove unsuccessful. When they do manage to pass a stool, it is quite painful and the stools are apt to be small, hard and knotty. They can pass foul gas, and bowel movements are very offensive. The patient will be worse standing, worse in the heat and often flushes easily, becoming very red in the face.

Collinsonia-canadensis
Severe chronic constipation which results in haemorrhoids. Can go for days without a bowel movement and then have a large bulky, dry stool. The feeling remains that the bowel is not empty yet but despite straining they cannot pass any more. All of this straining causes very painful protruding bleeding haemorrhoids. There is tremendous itching of the anus with stitching pains and the sensation that there is a bunch of sharp, little sticks in the rectum. The haemorrhoids are more painful from cold and relieved by warmth. Haemorrhoids sometimes alternate with palpitations, and when one improves the other worsens.

Carbo-veg
Large, blue, bloody haemorrhoids with severe itching. The rectum oozes a moist acrid, caustic discharge or else a thick glutinous, sticky discharge which burns and itches. This causes a damp feeling around the rectum, especially if they have just passed gas, and they need to check they have not soiled themselves.

Muriaticum-acidum
This remedy is indicated where there is a lot of tenderness and such sensitivity in the rectal and anal area that they cannot bear even the touch of toilet tissue. The haemorrhoids are hot and blue, and there is sharp shooting pain from the slightest touch. All discharges can be offensive, even the breath may smell bad. There may be weakness seen throughout, and may have an involuntary passing of stools while urinating.

Arsenicum-album
Burning pain and pressure in the rectum and anus. Can have internal or external haemorrhoids, worse when sitting or laying. The distinguishing symptom for Arsenicum is that warm applications on the rectal area ease the pain.

Ammonium-carbonicum
Bleeding piles; worse during menses. Itching at anus. Protruding piles worse after stool, better laying down.

Podophyllum
With this remedy the haemorrhoids will be due to lifting or straining which results in a prolapsed anal sphincter. Pregnant women describe the sensation as if the intestines were falling down. There may be constipation with hard, dry, white clay or mustard coloured stools, craving for sweets, bilious nausea and vomiting, heartburn, pain or discomfort in the liver area and fatigue in the morning.

Paeonia-officinalis
These haemorrhoids are very tender and can feel better from spreading the cheeks apart with the hands. The haemorrhoids may ooze an offensive discharge causing crusts around the anus, they may burn and itch and pain is worse from any touch and after a bowel movement.

Bromium
Very painful haemorrhoids, worse during and after stool. Worse from the application of cold or warm water. Internal haemorrhoids are aggravated by walking, ameliorated by cold.