Potatoes in the fight against hemorrhoids: how to make suppositories and compresses for treatment
Hemorrhoids are a pathology of the large intestine, characterized by varicose veins of the anus and rectum with the formation of hemorrhoids. It manifests itself as a burning sensation, itching, heaviness in the anus, and bleeding. Everyone who suffers from this unpleasant disease would like to know what is the best and most effective medicine for it.
Traditional medicine suggests using potato suppositories for hemorrhoids. They have a complex effect: they relieve pain, inhibit inflammatory processes, block bleeding areas of nodes, and increase vascular tone.
Useful composition and properties of potatoes
The chemical composition of potatoes varies and depends on varieties, degree of maturity of tubers, growing and storage conditions. On average, 100 g of potatoes contains:
- water - 80 g;
- proteins - 1.9 g;
- fat - 0.1 g;
- carbohydrates - 16.6 g.
Per 100 g potatoes there are 1.8 g of dietary fiber and 14.2 g of starch. Potatoes contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other elements necessary for the full functioning of the human body.
Tubers are a valuable source of:
- potassium - 17.1% of the norm per 100 g;
- copper - 11%;
- manganese - 7.7%;
- phosphorus - 7.1%;
- magnesium - 5.8%;
- iron - 4.5%;
- zinc - 2.5%;
- Calcium, sodium, and selenium were found in smaller quantities.
Potatoes are able to sufficiently provide the body with vitamins A, C, E, K, PP.It is also valued for the presence of B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, choline, pyridoxine, folate, pantothenic acid.
In folk medicine, potatoes are widely used to treat diseases of the digestive tract, and are prescribed as an enveloping and anti-inflammatory agent for erosive and ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis with high acidity.
Fresh potatoes, grated, help with burns, eczema, skin diseases and other lesions of the dermis. Hot boiled mashed tubers used for diseases of the lungs and upper respiratory tract.
Reference. Face and neck masks are made from fresh and boiled potatoes. This product nourishes, tones, moisturizes the skin, reduces pigmentation, and prevents the appearance of shallow wrinkles.
Potatoes have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels, and hematopoietic processes. B vitamins and ascorbic acid increase the strength and elasticity of vascular walls and small capillaries, improve blood viscosity and fluidity, and participate in the formation of red blood cells.
They also lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels, which serves as a good prevention of atherosclerosis and related complications: ischemia, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension.
The fiber in tubers helps cleanse the intestines of waste and toxins, remove excess fluid from the body, relieve swelling, and normalize metabolism.
In moderate quantities, potatoes help cope with constipation and prevent the formation of salt stones in the kidneys and gall bladder.Boiled or baked tubers are prescribed as a therapeutic food for diseases of the musculoskeletal system: osteochondrosis, arthritis, arthrosis, gout.
They contain flavonoids, which have an anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect. In addition, these are powerful antioxidants that protect the mucous membranes of the entire body from the influence of irritating factors, have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland, and prevent the occurrence of cancerous tumors.
How potatoes help cure hemorrhoids
The proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals contained in potatoes help restore the functions of the rectum, alleviate the severity of symptoms, delay relapse, prevent the progression of the disease and possible complications.
Let's take a closer look at the benefits of potato suppositories for hemorrhoids:
- it enhances intestinal motility, promotes its comfortable release;
- normalizes stool during diarrhea;
- reduces the intensity of pain;
- relieves irritation and itching;
- restores impaired blood flow in the vessels of the rectum;
- increases vascular tone;
- inhibits inflammatory processes;
- stimulates regeneration processes;
- has antibacterial and antimicrobial effects.
Features of treating hemorrhoids with potatoes, means and methods of application
Potato suppositories for hemorrhoids are most effective when combined with medications. They enhance their effect, shorten recovery time, and have virtually no contraindications and do not cause negative manifestations.
Reference. The obvious advantage of potatoes is their natural composition, mild but effective effect on the intestines, and ease of purchase.
Potatoes are effective only in the first and second stages of the disease, in other cases it alleviates the severity of symptoms. It serves as a good preventive measure in the presence of risk factors for hemorrhoids.
Potato candles
Small blocks of 3x1 cm are cut out of potatoes, resembling medicinal suppositories in shape. Suppositories should not have sharp corners, so as not to injure the mucous membrane and cause bleeding.
Potato suppositories are administered rectally after spontaneous bowel movement or after a cleansing enema:
- Wash the anus with laundry soap and lubricate with Vaseline.
- Lying on your side, legs bent at the knees, pressed to the chest, carefully insert the “candle” to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The procedure is best done at night before bed.
- In the morning, the potatoes will come out on their own during bowel movements.
Duration of treatment is 3-4 weeks. If necessary, repeat the course after one or two months.
Compresses and lotions
Lotions and compresses help well in the treatment of external or combined hemorrhoids. They have an analgesic and absorbable effect on the source of inflammation.
How to prepare a compress:
- Wash the unpeeled potato tubers well, dry, grate or grind in a blender.
- Lightly squeeze the potato mixture and place on cheesecloth folded in several layers.
- Apply the compress to the anus, put oilcloth or wax paper on top.
To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, compresses are best used before bedtime for 14 days.
Potato lotions have a wound-healing effect and prevent rectal prolapse. Prepare the product as follows:
- Grate fresh potato tubers and strain the juice.
- Fold the fabric in several layers, moisten it in potato juice, squeeze it out, and apply it to the sore spot.
- Line the top with polyethylene.
- In the morning, remove the compress, clean the external genitalia and anus with running water at room temperature.
Continue treatment until symptoms ease and disappear, but no more than two weeks in a row. If necessary, the course can be repeated after a month.
Steam baths
To carry out this procedure you will need potato peels and milk. Wash the tubers well and cut off the surface. Place the peelings in a saucepan and add cold milk. After the milk boils, cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
Pour the hot product into a sterile kettle and direct the steam stream to the hemorrhoids. In order for the process to proceed correctly, it is advisable for the patient to carry out the procedure with an assistant.
You can practice another way: pour the milk into a saucepan, cover with a lid with a hole in the center, and sit over the container. Such baths can be done no more than once a week. The course of treatment consists of 7-10 procedures.
Potato juice
Juice from fresh potato tubers is taken orally, 100 ml 2-3 times a day, half an hour before meals. It must be consumed within 15-20 minutes after preparation. To enhance the therapeutic effect and improve the taste, it can be combined with other vegetable drinks: celery juice, carrots, cucumber in 1:1 proportions.
Advice. It is good to combine the intake of juice internally with external procedures of your choice: compresses, microenemas, lotions, potato suppositories.
Potato enema
For an enema, use freshly prepared raw potato juice. The remaining pulp can be used as a compress.Before the procedure, it is important to empty your intestines through natural bowel movements or do a cleansing enema.
To perform a microenema, fill a medicinal bulb with 30-50 ml of potato juice and gently insert it into the rectum. When the syringe is empty, it is recommended to lie down for another 15 minutes so that the product penetrates as deeply as possible. The period of application of a potato enema is once a day for 7-10 days. If necessary, repeat the course after 3-4 weeks.
How to choose the right potatoes for treatment
The beneficial properties of potatoes for hemorrhoids directly depend on the variety and quality of the product itself.. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the appearance. Sprouted and greened tubers, spoiled, with a heavy unpleasant odor of mustiness and mold, are strictly contraindicated for use as medicinal raw materials and food products.
A suitable potato variety with red or pink peel. Such tubers contain a larger amount of substances valuable to the human body: minerals, vitamins, antioxidants. White varieties contain high concentrations of starch, which acts as an enveloping agent and protects the mucous membranes from the aggressive effects of irritating factors.
The best time to treat hemorrhoids with potatoes is from August to December. The biological period of its maturation is from August to September. Under the right storage conditions, the tubers retain their chemical composition and do not accumulate solanine in the peel.
These potatoes can be used unpeeled if you wash them well first. From mid-winter until March, it is necessary to remove the peel to a depth of 0.5 cm.From late March to August, it is not recommended to treat hemorrhoids with potatoes, since young tubers contain little starch.
For reference. Green potato tubers are unsuitable due to the presence of solanine. For plants, it serves as protection against bacteria and damage from certain types of insects, and in humans it can cause foodborne illness. poisoning, destruction of red blood cells, stimulation of the nervous system.
Are there any contraindications to this method of treatment?
Despite all the benefits of potatoes for the human body and the mild effect on the intestines, the use of potato suppositories for hemorrhoids is contraindicated in the presence of such diseases and pathological conditions:
- allergy to the product;
- diabetes;
- venereal diseases;
- reduced acidity of gastric juice;
- suppuration of hemorrhoids.
Precautionary measures
There are general precautions that must be taken to avoid side effects:
- Choose high-quality varieties without signs of damage by insects or other damage.
- Do not use greened tubers or tubers with young side shoots.
- Before the procedure, wash well with soapy water and disinfect the knife with soda, vinegar, and detergent.
- Observe storage conditions so that potatoes do not sprout or spoil - the optimal air temperature varies within + 2-3 ° C, air humidity - 70-80%.
- Before starting treatment, determine sensitivity to the product. To do this, lubricate your wrist with a cut of raw potato, and evaluate the result after 15 minutes. If a rash, itching, or peeling of the skin does not appear, potato suppositories for hemorrhoids can be used.
- If any unpleasant sensations occur, stop treatment and observe the body’s reaction. If the condition worsens, the symptoms worsen, you need to contact a medical facility for help.
Is it possible to treat hemorrhoids during pregnancy this way?
Potato suppositories for hemorrhoids are prescribed to women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Unlike medications, tubers do not contain aggressive chemical components, are gentle on the body and rectum, are well tolerated and rarely cause side effects.
But before starting treatment, it is necessary to exclude possible contraindications and agree with your doctor on a treatment regimen for hemorrhoids using potatoes.
Doctors' opinions
Most experts are inclined to believe that potatoes for hemorrhoids can be effective in combination with other therapeutic and preventive measures. However, it is not able to influence the course of the disease. It can be used as a symptomatic remedy to relieve pain and relieve other symptoms - itching, burning sensation and heaviness.
Potatoes have a short-term effect, and in order to eliminate the causes of the disease and achieve a lasting clinical result, conservative or surgical treatment is necessary.
Proctologists advise using potato suppositories for hemorrhoids only in the early stages of the disease, provided there are no contraindications and after consultation with a doctor. Otherwise, self-medication can cause even greater harm to health than the disease itself, worsen its course, and provoke complications.
There is no clear opinion on how effective potatoes are for hemorrhoids.Reviews from those who have already used the product to treat the disease prove that with a systematic approach, potatoes show good results: relieve pain, protect mucous membranes from irritating factors, and accelerate the healing process.
Why is it still worth going to the doctor?
The symptoms of hemorrhoids are similar to other diseases of the digestive system. The cause of bleeding from the anus can be pathologies of the anal canal and large intestine. Insufficient examination can lead to an erroneous diagnosis, undetected complications and concomitant pathologies.
Attention! Refusal of treatment or inadequate treatment methods can worsen the course of the disease and cause harm to health.
During the diagnostic process, the proctologist can identify other or concomitant diseases of the anus and rectum, for example, malignant neoplasms. It is only within the competence of a specialist to determine the stage of the pathology, its causes and select treatment tactics.
If measures are not taken in time, the disease becomes chronic. Complications are possible in the form of thrombosis of the hemorrhoid, hematoma in the anal canal, necrosis of internal nodes, heavy bleeding, inflammation of the rectum - proctitis.
For reference. Typically, drug treatment is limited to the first and second stages of hemorrhoids; in the third and fourth stages, surgical removal of the nodes is necessary.
Conclusion
The purpose of using potatoes for hemorrhoids is to slow the progression of the disease, alleviate the severity of symptoms, and prevent possible complications. In most cases, potatoes are well tolerated by the body.
To avoid complications and not cause damage to your health, select a treatment regimen individually with a mandatory consultation with a proctologist.