Jan 31 2010
How Psyllium Supplements Help Patients With Hemorrhoids
People who are afraid to undergo surgical treatment will prefer natural or herbal remedies to their hemorrhoid problem. Aside from proper diet, a doctor can also prescribe to the patient fiber supplements to help mitigate the symptoms of hemorrhoids. One popular supplement that can be used is psyllium supplement.
Psyllium fiber is also referred to as ispaghula. It is derived from the husks of the seeds of Plantago ovata. Since this product contains high level of soluble dietary fiber it becomes a major ingredient of most bulk laxatives. According to Medline plus, an authoritative source for medical information, Psyllium has been studied as a “non-systemic” cholesterol-lowering agent, with generally modest effects seen on total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels. Several psyllium-containing cereals have appeared in the U.S. marketplace during the last 15 years and have been touted for their potential lipid-lowering and “heart health promoting” effects.
Psyllium products can be in many forms. It could be marketed as a psyllium husk, psyllium seed, psyllium husk powder or as a natural vegetable laxative. It is also commonly found in most cereals.
The fiber is not only helpful to people suffering from hemorrhoids since there other medical conditions that can be treated with this supplement. Its most significant effect is lowering of cholesterol level. It is also used to treat constipation and as well as diarrhea.
Bulk laxatives usually contain psyllium to increase stool weight and help increase in bowel movement per day. Doctors may prescribe psyllium to patient suffering from diarrhea because of its stool bulking effects. Other studies show that psyllium is effective in alleviating the effects of Orlistat therapy by decreasing gastrointestinal effects like diarrhea and oily discharge. Orlistat is a weight-loss product.
Psyllium fiber is also effective in preventing anal fissures. Tears or cracks in the anus which are commonly caused by constipation, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, or irritable bowel syndrome can be relieved by taking psyllium supplements.
Psyllium supplements are used on patient undergoing a colonoscopy. Patients experiencing constipation or frequent bleeding as a result of hemorrhoids require the use of both fiber supplements and diagnostic colonoscopy. Although psyllium-based fiber supplementation is not advised to be initiated in the few days prior to endoscopy using a polyethylene glycol preparation if the patient is not constipated. The intake of psyllium should be under a medical supervision. Psyllium supplements were also reported to help relieve and prevent other symptoms of hemorrhoids.
[...] bulkiness of psyllium supplements helps to satisfy your appetite which will prevent you from becoming overweight because of too much [...]
[...] to avoid getting hemorrhoids, is to eat foods rich in fiber. There are some people who depend on fiber supplements but some of them are synthetically prepared so expect for some side effects. There are supplements [...]