Guide
Hemorrhoid symptom checker
Answer a few questions about bleeding, pain, or a lump and see whether home care or a doctor visit fits. This checker cannot diagnose you.
Free tools
Free hemorrhoid tools
A symptom checker, fiber calculator, relief finder, remedy evidence explorer, sitz bath timer and grade explorer. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Guide
Fiber calculator: are you getting enough?
Add up the fiber in a typical day, compare it with the target for your age and sex, and see a simple plan to close the gap.
8 min read
Relief finder
Pick the symptom that bothers you most and get a short plan for today.
What is bothering you most right now?
Ease the pain in the next hour
- Sit in a few inches of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. Warmth relaxes the anal sphincter, and that spasm is a big part of the throbbing.
- Between soaks, hold a cold pack wrapped in a thin towel against the area for up to 10 minutes.
- Use a numbing hemorrhoid cream on the outside skin, no more often than the label allows.
- Make the next bowel movement easy: drink water, take fiber, and get off the toilet as soon as you are done.
Calm the itch
- Rinse with plain water after each bowel movement and pat dry. Soap, perfume and scented wipes keep the skin irritated.
- Dab on a cooling pad, or protect the skin with a thin layer of barrier ointment.
- Steroid anti-itch creams work, but guidelines say to stop within two weeks because longer use thins the skin.
- Wear loose cotton underwear and trim your nails so night-time scratching does less damage.
Deal with bleeding safely
- Bright red blood on the toilet paper or in the bowl is the most common hemorrhoid symptom. Have a doctor check any new rectal bleeding at least once.
- Soften your stools with fiber and water, and stop straining. In trials, fiber cut the risk of bleeding by about half.
- A hemorrhoid suppository can soothe swollen internal hemorrhoids for a while, but it will not fix the cause.
Get medical care today for heavy bleeding, clots, black or tarry stools, dizziness, or bleeding with a change in bowel habits or weight loss.
A sudden, painful lump
- A tender, bluish lump that appeared suddenly is often a thrombosed hemorrhoid, which is a small blood clot under the skin.
- If the pain started in the last 3 days, call a doctor. Removing the clot early gives the fastest relief.
- Otherwise, warm soaks, a numbing cream on the outside and an over-the-counter pain reliever help while the clot slowly settles over a week or two.
When a hemorrhoid slips out
- Internal hemorrhoids can slide out during a bowel movement. If it goes back on its own or with a gentle push, that is common and not an emergency.
- Lie down, apply a wrapped cold pack, and with a clean, lubricated finger ease it back in gently.
- See a doctor the same day if it will not go back, stays swollen, or turns dark and very painful.
Relief during pregnancy and after birth
- Constipation drives most pregnancy hemorrhoids, so start with fiber, plenty of water and a daily walk.
- Warm sitz baths, cooling pads and wrapped ice packs are safe first steps.
- Ask your midwife, obstetrician or pharmacist before using a medicated cream or laxative.
Pick one to see a short plan. Nothing you tap is stored or sent anywhere.
Natural remedy evidence explorer
Search 21 natural remedies, see how strong the research is, and open the studies yourself.
Look up a natural remedy
21 remedies, each graded against the published trials. Every grade links to the studies behind it.
Showing all 21 remedies
Psyllium and other fiber
Fiber supplements, high-fiber foods
What the research foundSeven randomized trials with 378 people: fiber lowered the chance that symptoms would persist by 47 percent and the chance of bleeding by 50 percent.
What to doThe first remedy to start. Work up to about 14 grams per 1,000 calories over a week, with a glass of water each time.
Flavonoids (diosmin and hesperidin)
MPFF, citrus bioflavonoids, Daflon
What the research foundA Cochrane review of 20 trials with 2,344 people found less bleeding, itching and leakage, and more overall improvement. A 2018 review that graded trial quality found that only the bleeding benefit held up.
What to doThe best-studied plant extract for a flare, mostly for bleeding. Use a short course, follow the label, and ask first if you are pregnant.
Warm sitz bath
Warm water soak
What the research foundSitting in 40°C water lowered resting anal pressure, which eases spasm. Cold and room-temperature water did not. Trials showing that soaks shrink hemorrhoids are scarce.
What to doReasonable for comfort. Soak 10 to 15 minutes in water that feels warm on your wrist, two or three times a day.
Wrapped cold pack
Ice pack
What the research foundIn 166 people after hemorrhoid surgery, ice packing gave lower pain scores in the first 16 hours and less swelling at 24 hours than warm sitz baths. No trial has tested it on an ordinary flare.
What to doUse it for throbbing and swelling, wrapped in a thin towel, for up to 10 minutes at a time.
Water, alongside fiber
What the research foundIn 117 adults with constipation who ate about 25 grams of fiber a day, drinking about 2 liters of fluid raised stool frequency more than about 1 liter did.
What to doWater helps the fiber work. A full glass with each fiber dose is a simple habit.
Horse chestnut seed extract
Aescin, escin
What the research foundIn a 2024 randomized trial in grade 1 and 2 hemorrhoids, adding aescin to a flavonoid pill stopped bleeding in 2 days instead of 4. Most other horse chestnut trials are for leg vein problems.
What to doOnly use a standardized seed extract. Raw seeds, bark, flowers and leaves are unsafe to swallow.
Pine bark extract
Pycnogenol
What the research foundIn a randomized trial of 84 people with an acute flare, pine bark extract eased signs and symptoms more than placebo after a week. Every hemorrhoid study comes from one research group.
What to doPromising but unconfirmed. Treat it as an add-on to fiber, not a replacement.
Gotu kola
Centella asiatica
What the research foundIn a randomized trial, bleeding stopped after a median of 2 weeks with Centella or with flavonoids, against 3 weeks with routine care alone. Flavonoids did slightly better overall.
What to doOne trial so far. Flavonoids have far more research behind them.
Chinese herbal formulas
Sophora flower (Huaihua) and others
What the research foundA Cochrane review found 9 trials with 1,822 people, mostly low quality, and could not combine them. A placebo-controlled trial of a Sophora flower formula found no significant difference from placebo.
What to doThe evidence is weak. If you try one, tell your doctor, because herbal mixes can interact with medicines.
Ayurvedic herbal kits
What the research foundOne trial of 90 people found a 7-day polyherbal kit beat psyllium plus lidocaine gel on a symptom score. A JAMA study found lead, mercury or arsenic in about 1 in 5 Ayurvedic products bought online.
What to doThin evidence and a documented contamination risk. Be very cautious with products bought online.
Aloe vera cream
What the research foundIn 49 people after hemorrhoid surgery, aloe cream lowered pain and sped wound healing compared with a placebo cream. A network analysis of 26 surgery trials ranked aloe first for pain at 24 hours.
What to doGood signal after surgery, untested on an ordinary flare. Ask your surgeon before using any cream on a wound.
Myrtle ointment
Myrtus communis
What the research foundIn 134 women with grade 1 or 2 hemorrhoids after childbirth, myrtle ointment worked about as well as a standard hemorrhoid ointment, with less itching at 4 and 8 weeks.
What to doInteresting, but tested mainly in Iran and not easy to buy in the US.
Propolis and olive oil lotion
What the research foundIn 86 people with grade 2 or higher hemorrhoids, a propolis and olive oil lotion improved signs and symptoms more than a hydrocortisone and lidocaine ointment over 1 month.
What to doOne trial of a lotion made for the study. Store-bought propolis products have not been tested.
Honey, olive oil and beeswax
What the research foundA pilot study of 15 people (10 with hemorrhoids) with no comparison group reported less bleeding and itching. No controlled trial has followed.
What to doVery thin evidence. Use only on unbroken outside skin, and stop if it stings.
Witch hazel
Hamamelis
What the research foundThe American Gastroenterological Association lists witch hazel among topical options that can be considered, and says there is little data that such topicals work.
What to doFine for a cool, soothing wipe for about a week. Do not expect it to shrink a hemorrhoid.
Coconut oil
What the research foundNo hemorrhoid trial exists. In dry-skin and eczema trials, virgin coconut oil moisturized as well as mineral oil or better.
What to doA reasonable plain moisturizer for dry, chafed outside skin. It does not treat the hemorrhoid itself.
Epsom salt soak
Magnesium sulfate bath
What the research foundNo trial has compared Epsom salt soaks with plain warm water. A review concluded that the claim that skin absorbs useful magnesium from baths is scientifically unsupported.
What to doHarmless for most people in a sitz bath, but the warm water is what the research supports.
Probiotics
What the research foundNo hemorrhoid trial exists. Across 30 constipation trials, probiotics raised stool frequency modestly, and results varied by strain.
What to doMight help if constipation drives your flares. Fiber has much stronger evidence.
Tea tree oil
What the research foundThe only hemorrhoid trial (36 people) tested a gel that mixed tea tree oil with two other ingredients. Pure tea tree oil is a well-documented cause of allergic skin rashes.
What to doNever apply the pure oil to hemorrhoids, and never swallow it.
Apple cider vinegar
What the research foundNo hemorrhoid trial exists. Vinegar put on skin has caused chemical burns in published case reports.
What to doKeep it in the kitchen. It is an acid, and sore anal skin is easy to burn.
Raw garlic
What the research foundNo hemorrhoid trial exists. A review of published cases found that raw garlic left on skin usually caused a second-degree burn.
What to doDo not put garlic on or in the anus.
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How we grade the evidence
- Strong evidence
- Several randomized trials in people with hemorrhoids, pooled in a review, pointing the same way.
- Moderate evidence
- Many trials show a benefit, but trial quality is mixed or reviews disagree on how large it is.
- Limited evidence
- One or two small trials, trials only after surgery, or a lab result that explains why it might help.
- No hemorrhoid trials
- Nobody has tested it on hemorrhoids. Any support comes from other conditions.
- Avoid
- No hemorrhoid trial, and published reports of burns or allergic rashes on skin.
Sitz bath timer
Set a 10, 15 or 20 minute soak and get a soft chime when it is done.
15:00Ready
Soak length
Soaks logged today: 0
- Fill the basin or tub with a few inches of comfortably warm water. Test it with your wrist.
- Sit so the anal area is under water. Nothing needs to be added to the water.
- Afterwards, pat dry gently with a soft towel or let the area air dry.
Hemorrhoid grade explorer
See how internal hemorrhoids are graded from 1 to 4 and what each grade usually needs.
dentate line anal opening
Grade 1: stays inside
The cushions bulge and may bleed, but they never come out of the anus.
- Typical symptoms
- Painless bright red blood, often the only symptom.
- Usual treatment
- Fiber, water and better toilet habits. Office treatments such as banding or infrared coagulation if bleeding continues.
dentate line anal opening
Grade 2: comes out, goes back by itself
The hemorrhoid slips out while you strain and slides back in on its own afterwards.
- Typical symptoms
- Bleeding, a feeling of fullness, sometimes mucus or itching.
- Usual treatment
- Fiber first. Rubber band ligation works well for most people with grade 2.
dentate line anal opening
Grade 3: needs a push to go back
The hemorrhoid comes out and only goes back when you push it in with a finger.
- Typical symptoms
- Bleeding, swelling, soiling of underwear, itching.
- Usual treatment
- Banding is often tried first. Surgery is an option if symptoms keep coming back.
dentate line anal opening
Grade 4: stays out
The hemorrhoid stays outside and cannot be pushed back in.
- Typical symptoms
- Constant swelling and discomfort. It can become trapped and very painful.
- Usual treatment
- Usually a surgeon’s decision. Hemorrhoidectomy is the most reliable fix.
This schematic is simplified. Grades follow the Goligher classification that surgeons use.