Best Hemorrhoid Cream and Piles Treatments

What’s the best hemorrhoidal cream specifically for you?

Most people with hemorrhoids do not require surgery and hemorrhoid creams can be highly effective in controlling symptoms and reducing the hemorrhoids in size—managing symptoms this way can also lead to reduced bleeding. Hemorrhoidal creams are of many of types and strengths with various active ingredients depending on the product. There is no single “best” cream— the best piles treatment for you will depend on the nature and severity of your symptoms as well as personal preference—for example whether you prefer natural ingredients or a pharmaceutical based cream. For this reason it is important to understand the various kinds of cream and the distinctions between them.

It is a fact that same ingredients used in hemorrhoid cream are often also available in the form of foam, gel, suppositories, spray and ointment; the only real difference being the how they are applied– some people may find an hemorrhoid ointment or gel, for instance, less messy than a cream and whether external hemorrhoids treatment or internal is also a factor. Most of what I say about creams also applies to these other types.

Over the counter hemorrhoid creams versus prescription cream

Some prescription hemorrhoid treatments have a high concentration of active ingredients that are safely usable on your hemorrhoids but only for a limited time. These may possess an instant short term benefit but it would be very unwise to use them longer-term. The powerful steroid hormone hydrocortisone, for instance, can cause a range of serious side effects including drying or cracking of the skin, itching, burning, skin rash and redness, and even welling and oozing of puss. At prescription levels containing several percent of the active ingredient the cure can be potentially worse than the symptoms of your hemorrhoids–unpleasant as these may be–so use under medical supervision is vital.

You should definitely not use a hydrocortisone based hemorrhoid cream should you have a fungal infection anywhere on your body, or if you are allergic to hydrocortisone itself. There are a range of other conditions that require medical advice prior to use and these include kidney and liver disease—if you use a non-prescription variety carefully check the instructions first.

If you use a hemorrhoid cream or hemorrhoid treatment of any kind without medical supervision and the condition does not improve, or even worsens, then it is strongly advisable to seek medical advice. While most hemorrhoids do not require surgery the condition—and in particular bleeding– may mask a more serious problem and even cancer. Home treatment of hemorrhoids is normally fine providing you have eliminated all other possible causes of the symptoms.

What is in a hemorrhoid cream and how does it work?

A hemorrhoid cream may target your symptoms in several ways and these including the following kinds action:

Reduce inflammation

Steroids are often included as anti-inflammatory agents in pharmaceutical creams and the most common used is hydrocortisone described above. While nonprescription versions are normally half-to-one-percent concentrate, prescription versions often use much higher concentrations. Apart from steroids other ways to reduce inflammation are available through various natural ingredients and these may have fewer side effects and preferable for longer term use. Most creams use a combination of anti-inflammatory and other agents.

As well as steroids some natural agents such as Butcher’s Broom (an asparagus like shrub native to the Mediterranean have a natural anti-inflammatory effect working in a a rather similar way to that of steroids. It may also tighten veins and strengthen capillary walls. Another, Horse Chestnut, is an astringent, anti-inflammatory herb as well as a natural treatment for bleeding hemorrhoids. Aescin, the active ingredient, helps to reduce swelling strengthen vein tissues. It may also influence the regeneration of collagen.

Vasoconstrictors

These work to decrease blood supply in a localized area. These provide a different means to reduce inflammation from steroids by reducing blood flow to the hemorrhoidal area and thus reducing inflammation. Ephedrine –closely related chemically to amphetamine—may be included to achieve this. Ephedrine has many powerful and diverse effects on the body but Chinese medicine naturally obtained the same effect from a shrub called Ephedra Sinica (má huáng).

Analgesics

These reduce prostaglandins. These non-steroid substances can have some similar non-inflammatory effects to steroids. Common over the counter medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen fall into the same category. They act by reducing the production of prostaglandins which act as messenger molecules involved in inflammation. These can bring very rapid pain relief.

Anesthetic Effect

Though this does not treat the condition it can greatly reduce the pain and intense itching associated with hemorrhoids. The advantage of an anesthetic is that it can very rapidly cause numbness with associated relief. One of the most common anesthetic ingredients is Lidocaine used also in dentistry.

Moisturizers

These have a moisturizing agent working to hydrate the area of itching which in term reduces the acute sensation of itchiness. These substances do not work long term but can bring some temporary relief.

What more do you need than creams and ointments?

Successful long term management of hemorrhoids–often phonetically spelled hemroids–requires supplementing medication with dietary change and extremely careful hygiene. Consider increasing level of hydration by increasing water consumption and reducing caffeine (a diuretic) and alcohol. Increase vegetable consumption and regularly eat bran or oats. Aim for a soft stool but avoid diarrhea which is also a contributory factor for developing piles. The old fashioned French bidet is worth a thought but just as good the Sitz Bath is inexpensive and can have a calming effect on the itch. Apply hemorrhoid cream at an early stage of the problem rather than putting it off. Should the problem persist see you doctor to ensure that the problem is not serious. Hemorrhoid problems are extremely common and any general physician will be experienced with dealing with cases of piles every day. Read our page on hemorrhoidal treatment for more information.