Hemorrhoids can be treated in a variety of ways. You can apply or take some herbal medicines if you prefer to go natural. Some doctors may advise you to have a surgical procedure to remove your hemorrhoids if your case is severe. You can also help alleviate the symptoms by improving your diet and adding more fiber to it. However, if you rather not go under the knife or if treating your disease with natural methods like using herbal medicines fail to live up to your expectations, you can always go to your local drugstore and get the best over the counter medication you can find. To give you an easier time, here is a short list of popular medicines that are available without prescriptions:
If Witch Hazel is not the best over the counter medication used to cure hemorrhoids, then it at least ranks very high among any list of most popular remedies. Witch Hazel has an astringent property that promotes blood vessel shrinkage. It also shrinks exposed tissues which results in decreasing the symptoms.
Medicines containing hydrocortisone is a popular cure for hemorrhoids. Even though hydrocortisone is a steroid, it is available over the counter as long as it is in low dosages. These medicines help lessen symptoms like itching.
As for the pain and inflammation, you can also take some oral medications that will help alleviate these symptoms. Ibuprofen is a popular over the counter medicine for pain. Aspirin and Tylenol are also effective oral medications for these symptoms.
Most over the counter medications for also contain a local anesthetic. It is vital as it has a numbing effect on the nerves which prevents pain from being felt.
Another important aspect for treating hemorrhoids is to constrict or tighten the blood vessels. This will help shrink the tissues which in turn, shrink the hemorrhoid. The main ingredient that performs this duty is called the vasoconstrictor. Phenylephrine is the most common vasoconstrictor used in such medications.
You will also need to improve your fiber intake to avoid problems with passing stool and prevent more hemorrhoids from developing. Aside from eating fiber foods, you can also take fiber supplements. Some of the more common brands are Benefiber, Citrucel and FiberCon.
Some specific brands that are made specifically to treat hemorrhoids and other anal conditions are Anu-Med, Aveeno, Calagesic, Calahist Clear, Caldyphen, Callergy, Cortizone-10, Itch Relief, Preparation H, Proctofoam, Tronolane and Tucks. There are quite a number of these medicines available in pharmacies. To avoid doing a trial-and-error with your disease, get as many pieces of advice from your doctor and other people who suffer the same fate as you to find out the best over the counter medication used to cure hemorrhoids.
Before using any of these over the counter medications, read the label. Find out the dosage and possible side effects so you’ll know if you still want to use it. Also, check the list of ingredients to see if you are allergic to one of them.