🌿 Folk Prescriptions

When hemorrhoids flare up, symptoms commonly include anal heaviness and pain, severe swelling and pain of hemorrhoidal nodules, bleeding during defecation, accompanied by constipation, dark urine, dry lips, and sore throat—all indicating heat signs. Common causes include long-term accumulation of damp-heat, excessive consumption of fried/spicy foods, or overindulgence in alcohol, leading to internal damp-heat. Damp-heat stagnation can trigger hemorrhoid episodes. Common folk remedies include:
[Formula One] 30 grams each of dandelion, phellodendron bark, red peony root, and moutan bark, 20 grams of peach kernel, 30 grams of poria cocos, 15 grams of angelica root. Boil externally, one dose per day, used 2–3 times daily. Add 2500–3500 ml of water, boil, filter out residue, pour liquid into a regular basin. Patient uses hot steam to fumigate first, then wash, each session lasting 15–30 minutes. This formula by Zou Taosheng clears heat and detoxifies, removes dampness, reduces swelling, cools blood, and disperses stasis—suitable for hemorrhoids.
[Formula Two] 10 grams each of sulfur, realgar, 3 grams of camphor, and adequate sesame oil. Grind the first three ingredients into fine powder, mix with sesame oil, apply directly to affected area. Suitable for hemorrhoids caused by damp-heat.
[Formula Three] 10 grams each of plum fruit, gallnut, 15 grams of sophora root, 10 grams each of belamcanda rhizome and processed pangolin scale, 30 grams of calcined oyster shell, 10 grams of hemp seed. Boil and take orally, one dose daily, twice daily. This formula by Ling Chaoguang clears heat and detoxifies, moistens intestines, promotes bowel movement—suitable for hemorrhoids.
[Formula Four] Adequate quantity of floating moss. Boil, use hot liquid to wipe affected area. Suitable for hemorrhoids that bleed without exudation after scratching.
[Formula Five] 10 grams each of sophora flower and yam root, 15 grams each of fairy herb, dogwood, and Japanese pagoda tree leaf, 10 grams of orange peel, 5 grams of skullcap, 15 grams of flaxseed, 30 grams of purslane. Boil and take orally, one dose daily, twice daily. Additionally, use the decoction to fumigate and wash the anus. Formula by Huang Hongkun clears intestinal dampness, stops bleeding—suitable for hemorrhoids.
[Formula Six] 30 grams of oak leaves. Crush and apply directly to affected area. Originates from *Handbook of Common Herbal Medicines of Heilongjiang Province*, suitable for hemorrhoids.
[Formula Seven] Equal parts of lousewort and gallnut. Grind into fine powder, take on an empty stomach with wine, then apply the powder externally—cures condition. From *Collected Efficacious Formulas by Zhu Family*. Treats hemorrhoids.
[Formula Eight] Fresh tofu residue, stir-fry until dry, grind into powder. Take 9 grams each time, dissolve in white sugar water, three times daily. From *Wei's Formula*, suitable for bloody hemorrhoids.
[Formula Nine] Loofah, burn to ash, grind into powder, take 6 grams with wine. Treats chronic hemorrhoids.
[Formula Ten] 10 grams of southern melon seeds. Boil with water, use hot liquid to fumigate the anus, at least twice daily, continue for several days until cured. During fumigation, avoid fish and other triggering foods. Effective for internal hemorrhoids.
[Formula Eleven] 100 grams of brown sugar, 120 grams of golden needle mushroom. Boil golden needle mushrooms with two bowls of water until reduced to one bowl, add brown sugar, warm and drink once daily. Promotes blood circulation and reduces swelling—suitable for early-stage hemorrhoids.
[Formula Twelve] 15 grams of cinnabar, 20 grams of chrysanthemum seed, 15 grams each of calcined oyster shell, horse hoof fungus, and phellodendron bark, 6 grams of licorice. Wrap horse hoof fungus with other herbs, boil for 30 minutes, remove residue, retain liquid for oral use. Three times daily, about 160 ml each time. Formula by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Peng Xian Guang clears heat and detoxifies, cools blood, stops bleeding, softens hardness, contracts tissues, relieves swelling and pain—effective in eliminating hemorrhoids.
[Formula Thirteen] 15 grams of alum, 10 grams of coptis, 0.7 grams of tannic acid, 5 grams of procaine, 100 ml of glycerin, distilled water as needed to make 1000 ml. Extract coptis twice using distilled water, combine filtrates, concentrate to yield 2 grams of raw herb per ml. Add 95% ethanol, precipitate for 24 hours, filter, remove ethanol, dissolve in appropriate distilled water, heat nearly to boiling, filter again. Then add alum, tannic acid, procaine, and glycerin, dissolve fully, adjust volume to 1000 ml with distilled water. Add 0.3% activated carbon, heat nearly to boiling, cool slightly, filter, sterilize in 100°C for 30 minutes, inspect under light, confirm sterility before use. Formula by renowned TCM physician Ding Zemin from Jiangsu province causes hemorrhoidal nodules to harden and shrink, also has hemostatic effect—suitable for internal hemorrhoids and mixed hemorrhoids at all stages.
[Formula Fourteen] Eggplant. Cut into slices, burn to charcoal, grind into fine powder. Take three times daily, 10 grams each time, continue for 10 days. Clears heat and stops bleeding—suitable for internal hemorrhoids.
[Formula Fifteen] 30 grams of black fungus. Remove impurities, wash clean, add a little water, simmer gently into a porridge, consume. Nourishes qi, cools blood, stops bleeding—suitable for patients with internal and external hemorrhoids.
[Formula Sixteen] 1 liver of otter, 200 grams of lean pork, 1 egg white, flavoring agents (monosodium glutamate, salt, cooking wine, starch, Sichuan pepper powder), lard, ginger slices, green onion segments as needed. Wash otter liver, chop into small pieces; wash lean pork, chop into small pieces; place both in a bowl, add egg white and starch, mix well, blanch briefly in boiling water, then transfer to a steaming bowl. Add meat broth, salt, cooking wine, ginger, green onion, steam for 30 minutes. Heat wok, add lard, when oil reaches four-tenths heat, add cooking wine, then high soup stock, original broth, lard, monosodium glutamate, sugar, salt, otter liver and pork bits (excluding ham threads), bring to boil, thicken with starch slurry, serve in bowl, sprinkle with Sichuan pepper powder and ham threads. Otter liver is the liver of the otter, taste sweet and salty, neutral. It nourishes yin, removes heat, calms cough, stops bleeding. *Bencao Tujing* states: “Treats extreme fatigue, cold malaria in four organs, spontaneous sweating, feverish conditions, also treats postpartum exhaustion.” *Yinshan Zhengyao* states: “Can treat intestinal bleeding.” Lean pork nourishes yin and moisturizes dryness. Combined, they have effects of calming cough, stopping bleeding, nourishing yin, removing heat. Suitable for patients with persistent bleeding from long-standing hemorrhoids, yin deficiency cough. Healthy individuals may enjoy improved vision from consumption.
[Formula Seventeen] 1 wild civet (about 1000 grams), 150 grams each of abalone threads, dried shiitake mushroom threads, 100 grams each of bamboo shoot threads, chicken threads, 20 grams of ham threads, 50 grams of black fungus threads, 20 grams each of ginger threads, dried tangerine peel threads, 10 grams of red date threads, dried tangerine peel, ginger, monosodium glutamate, sugar, Sichuan pepper powder, refined salt, meat broth, lard. After slaughtering the wild civet, scald with hot water to remove feathers, open belly, remove internal organs, char off fine hairs with fire, wash thoroughly, cut into two sections, blanch in boiling water, rinse, place in pot, add water, ginger slices, dried tangerine peel, stew until tender, remove bones, shred meat into threads, place in bowl, add original broth, steam until cooked. Blanch chicken threads, abalone threads, black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots in boiling water, then briefly stew in oil, wine, and boiling water. Heat wok, add lard, when oil reaches four-tenths heat, add cooking wine, then high soup stock, original broth, lard, monosodium glutamate, sugar, salt, civet threads, and other thread ingredients (excluding ham threads), bring to boil, thicken with starch slurry, serve in bowl, sprinkle with Sichuan pepper powder and ham threads. Serve as a meal accompaniment. Wild civet, also known as leopard civet, wild cat, or civet cat. Taste sweet and mild, treats intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoids, lymph node tuberculosis, and wind-related disorders. *Qianjin·Shi Zhi* states: “Nourishes middle energizer, strengthens vital energy.” *Shu Ben Cao* states: “Treats bubonic plague.” Suitable for cervical lymphadenitis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, prolapsed anus pain.
[Formula Eighteen] 50 grams of persimmon cake, 60 grams of black fungus, sugar, water starch as needed. Remove stems from persimmon cakes, cut into cubes; soak black fungus, tear into small pieces. Place persimmon cubes and shredded black fungus in pan, add appropriate water, boil, thicken with water starch, add sugar, stir well, boil, then serve in soup bowl. Persimmon cake is made from dried persimmons. Taste sweet and astringent, cold nature. Has effects of astringing intestines, moistening lungs, stopping bleeding, harmonizing stomach. *Bencao Gangmu* records: “Strengthens spleen and astringes intestines, treats bleeding.” *Bencao Tongxuan* believes: “Stops gastric heat, dry mouth, moistens heart and lungs, eliminates phlegm, treats hematuria and bloody stools.” Combined with black fungus, which activates blood, stops bleeding, strengthens vitality, commonly treats hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematuria, enteritis, dysentery, hemorrhoids.
[Formula Nineteen] 500 grams of eel, appropriate amounts of yellow wine, green onions, ginger, salt, vegetable oil. Remove bones and internal organs from eel, wash clean, cut into inch-long pieces. Heat vegetable oil in wok until seven-tenths hot, add eel, green onions, ginger, stir-fry, then add water, yellow wine, salt, simmer slowly until fully cooked. Serve as meal accompaniment. This dish replenishes deficiencies and stops bloody stools. Suitable for weakness from chronic illness, postpartum debility, hemorrhoidal bleeding, bloody diarrhea. From *Popular Dietary Therapy*, named later. Original formula used for “internal hemorrhoidal bleeding,” a remedy to replenish deficiency and stop bleeding. Long-term illness leads to deficiency and depletion of qi and blood, causing weakness; damage to intestinal collateral vessels results in bleeding outside normal channels. Thus, treatment focuses on tonifying and stopping bleeding. This formula emphasizes eel alone, which both replenishes deficiency and stops bleeding, making it suitable for weakness and bloody stool. When cooking eel, many use Sichuan pepper powder. However, this ingredient is unsuitable for treating bloody stools.<Hemorrhoids>