Natural remedies like apple cider vinegar are the best treatment for hemorrhoids or piles.
According to the popular verdict, some of the effective home remedies for hemorrhoids are:
- Apple cider vinegar,
- Witch hazel,
- Psyllium husk,
- Aloe vera,
- Tea tree oil,
- Epsom salts,
- Glycerin,
- Sitz bath.
Apple cider vinegar may help inflammatory skin diseases like eczema, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis.
Hemorrhoids (also known as piles) are swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum.
Inflamed veins in the rectum also exhibit symptoms such as prickling, burning, rashes, sores, swelling, and pain, as in the case of inflammatory skin diseases.
For this reason, it is worth investigating the effectiveness of treating piles with apple cider vinegar for other inflammatory skin diseases.
This article will explore the nitty-gritty of using ACV for managing piles.
A Little About Hemorrhoids
A hemorrhagic condition is characterized by swollen or inflamed veins in someone’s rectum.
A heavy pressure around the veins in the lower rectum is the main cause of this disease.
At times the walls of the blood vessels in the rectum get stretched so thin that veins bulge and become inflamed, especially when you pass stool.
Swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum are also called piles.
Various factors, such as difficult bowel movements, frequent constipation, pregnancy, a poor diet, heredity factors, and infection, cause excessive pressure in the rectal veins.
The most common symptoms of hemorrhoids are:
- Irresistible prickling around the rectal opening
- Swelling or painful lumps near the arse.
- Severe pain in and around the bunghole, especially during bowel movements.
- Fecal leakage.
- Blood in the stool.
- Rectal bleeding.
It is very painful and causes discomfort and strained bowel movements.
Usually, hemorrhoids disappear by themselves without requiring any special medical intervention, especially in babies.
You can find various OTC creams and ointments to ease the pain and prickling associated with piles.
However, severe and large hemorrhoids may require medical treatment under the vigilance of your doctor.
In extreme piles, the enlarged lumps in the rectal opening must be removed through surgery.
Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar For Treating Hemorrhoids
Getting rid of hemorrhoids with OTC medicines or various home remedies is easy.
Apple cider vinegar cure for hemorrhoids is a traditional natural remedy used for centuries.
ACV does work to reduce some of the symptoms of piles, like tingling and pain. However, it is not a stand-alone treatment.
If ACV is used correctly, it can provide much-needed relief from piles.
According to a report published by the Cleveland Clinic, don’t use ACV for piles as it may burn the skin with overuse and exacerbate problems.
The overuse of apple cider vinegar for treating piles can indeed cause problems.
The problem arises when the acid content of the vinegar is higher than 5%.
ACV must be mild and gentle for topical treatments by diluting it with water. This can prevent burning and irritation from ACV.
It would be best to use only unpasteurized, raw, and organic apple cider to get the best results.
Therapeutic Properties Of Apple Cider VinegarÂ
The most irritating and uncomfortable symptoms of piles are excruciating pain and severe tingling.
ACV contains antifungal and antibacterial properties like acetic acid that help heal inflamed veins quickly without causing microbial infections.
Astringent properties in vinegar are beneficial for the correction and regeneration of veins and body tissues in the arse damaged by inflammation.
Astringent properties in ACV are also useful for reducing swelling, which might lead to the shrinking of swollen veins.
Apple cider vinegar also contains important minerals, vitamins, iron, potassium, pectin, sodium, and calcium.
The vitamins and minerals in ACV can boost your immune system, stop bleeding and encourage faster wound healing in the anus resulting from piles.
Many piles patients have reported fast relief from severe itching caused by piles after using ACV in a sitz bath.
Using ACV in moderation is effective for managing hemorrhoids. However, overuse of ACV for topical application on hemorrhoid-affected areas may produce counterproductive results.
Best Ways To Use Apple Cider Vinegar For PilesÂ
Apple cider vinegar is useful for reducing the symptoms of piles, especially itching, and pain.
To get the best results from ACV treatment, you must use it correctly for piles.
By the way, ACV does not work equally well for all hemorrhoids.
External hemorrhoids are under the skin around the anus. Topical treatment for external hemorrhoids is simple.
ACV is most useful for treating external hemorrhoids only.
Internal hemorrhoids are far enough inside the rectum that you can’t usually see or feel them.
The topical application of ACV is not possible for internal hemorrhoids; thus, it is not useful for the same.
Ingesting ACV is beneficial for both internal and external hemorrhoid treatment.
1. Topical use
The topical application of diluted apple cider vinegar to treat external hemorrhoids may help reduce the disease’s symptoms.
While thinning out, do not increase more than a 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar with water. If you have highly sensitive skin, use only ACV with less than 5% acid to avoid stinging the skin.
Soak a cotton ball in the thinned-out vinegar and apply it directly to inflamed areas in and around the anus. You can repeat the treatment two times a day.
If you have sensitive skin, apply coconut oil or castor oil to the hemorrhoids after the vinegar dries.
Coconut oil also has a soothing effect in reducing the irritation caused by piles.
2. Sitz bath
Adding apple cider vinegar to the sitz bath is good for treating external hemorrhoids.
A sitz bath is a warm, shallow bath that cleanses the perineum, the space between the vulva and rectum. It gives instant relief from pain and irritation.
You can purchase sitz-bathtubs from pharmacies or online retailers.
Add about ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of warm water to the bathtub.
Remain in the bath for 15 minutes and repeat the treatment twice a day.
3. Internal use
Apple cider vinegar contains essential vitamins and minerals that boost your immune system and digestion.
It also works well for getting rid of indigestion and improving easy excretion.
Internally consuming about 2 tablespoons of ACV daily is beneficial for faster healing of hemorrhoids.
You can drink 1 tablespoon of ACV mixed in 1 glass of water at a time.
4. Apple cider vinegar ice cubes
Ice cube treatment provides relief from pain and itching caused by hemorrhoids.
You can make ice cubes with ½ a cup of each ACV and water.
Use the ice for a cold compress around the rectum, which has inflamed veins and tissues.
Do the cold compress for 15 minutes at a time and repeat the treatment twice a day to get relief from the symptoms of piles.
Possible Side Effects Of Apple Cider Vinegar
Using apple cider vinegar for piles may produce undesirable side effects in some people.
An overdose of apple cider vinegar can cause a stinging effect on the skin and veins around the asshole, which is already inflamed.
If the acid content in ACV is in excess (more than 5%), it may burn the skin and aggravate the symptoms of piles.
Make sure to use organic and therapeutic-standard ACV that contains less than 5% acid. It is also essential to thin out this vinegar in an equal amount of water to reduce the strength of the acid concentration.
Ingesting a large quantity of apple cider vinegar can decrease potassium levels and weaken the bones.
It is safe to consume about 2 tablespoons of ACV daily, but not more than that.
If your skin is highly acid sensitive, you should avoid using ACV for hemorrhoids.
Stop applying apple cider vinegar if you do not get the expected relief from the symptoms of piles even after two days of using vinegar.
If you experience increased pain and itching after using the vinegar, you must stop using it.
The Final ThoughtÂ
Choosing apple cider vinegar for hemorrhoids is an alternative medicine worth trying.
ACV is an organic product that does not possess any possible side effects of prescription medicines and OTC medication.
The therapeutic power of apple cider vinegar is beneficial for relieving the itching and pain produced by inflamed and swollen piles.
Overusing vinegar can produce counterproductive results.
For treating piles, use organic, diluted ACV with less than 5% acid.
See your doctor if you did not get satisfactory relief from pain within three days after starting the treatment.
Recommended reading list: