Haemorrhoids, Piles and Pains in the Back-side

Welcome to another interesting health condition and how to address it in a holistic way. I hope you enjoy!

What are haemorrhoids?

Haemorrhoids, also known as "piles", are the result of swelling and protrusion of a group of veins, called the "venous plexus", which are located in and around the rectum. In summary, these are varicose (swollen) veins, located internally or externally to the anus. They can be painless, but sometimes, especially after stool, the swollen veins can trigger pain or even bleeding.

What can cause pain and haemorrhoids?

Constipation and straining at stool can contribute to haemorrhoids. However, there are usually merely a symptom to deeper underlying issues that cause blood congestion in the veins. This creates back pressure in these veins around the rectum.

So, what can cause blood congestion in this part of the body? The most common causes are:

- weakness and sluggishness in the uterus: this slows down the veins' circulation, and explains why haemorrhoids can occur in pregnancy or after labour.

- weakness and sluggishness of the liver: this is the most common for men, and also more and more often with older women, and is partly a result of poor diet and overall toxicity. Hold on your alcoholic drinks and change your diet!

- weakness of the valves and the walls of the veins of the venous plexus: this is usually more complex, and takes longer to eliminate, as this is caused by multiple issues, which includes most of the time diet. However, a series of consultations with a professional health practitioner should put you on the right track.

What are the best ways to address them?

Conventionally, doctors suggest local applications of creams to relieve the pain. This is the first line of treatment. If there is much bleeding, then the veins may be tied off.

Except if the pain or bleeding is intolerable, I would suggest trying some alternative approaches first. It is also important to understand that if the underlying issues are not addressed, then the piles will come back at some stage.

For self-prescription, consider the following:

- Use a herbal tincture made of a mix of Hamamelis / Aesculus / Paeonia to act as a tonic to the circulatory system (use as indicated in the box).

- Add one or two of these homeopathic remedies depending on the descriptions of the symptoms (take at 9CH, one to 3 times daily, for a month): Collinsonia or Sepia for women and pregnancy issues in particular, Nux Vomica and Aesculus for sluggish liver and circulation. For children, I have had good results with Lycopodium and Sulphur.

If there is no progress after a month, then the best is to have a consultation to have a good understanding of what is happening.