When you experience symptoms like severe pain during and after bowel movement accompanied by blood in your stool or blood stains in your toilet paper, you might have an anal fissure. If and when you experience discomfort and difficulty urinating, and irritation in the anus area, these are additional symptoms of an anal fissure. When we are constipated, we have difficulty in passing stool out to the anus because the stool might have hardened or grown large for its smooth exit from our bodies. Sometimes with the case of diarrhea where we exert so much pressure on the muscles in our anus, we might also cause the tear or crack we call anal fissure. This crack which might be called ulcer in the lining of our anal canal causes the bleeding and the pain we experience in an anal fissure.
Anal fissure is treatable and you could ask your doctor about some of the treatments available. It is highly advised that you consult your doctor when you feel any of the symptoms to help rule out other possible underlying medical conditions. But if you want to go all-natural and might like to explore natural remedies, you might be interested with Horny goat weed (Epimedium x versicolor) to treat anal fissure.
What is horny goat weed and can we use Horny goat weed (Epimedium x versicolor) to treat anal fissure?
Horny goat weed is an herb perennial in most parts of Korea, Japan and China. It is found in shady areas along cliffs and hillsides. The plant was traditionally used for stimulating the blood flow in the penis as was said to have aphrodisiac effects. Commercially the plant is sold as health supplement as raw herb, capsule and tablet form. It is sometimes mixed with other herbs. Icariin which is the same active ingredient in treating erectile dysfunction in the medicine Viagra, is also found in the plant, affirming its use as an aphrodisiac in times past.
It is not just used as an aphrodisiac, other uses for treatment of health problems include: weak bones (Osteoporosis), bone loss in menopause, viral infections affecting the heart, blood disorders, polio, HIV, diseases of the liver, bronchitis, hypertension, memory loss, joint pain and fatigue. Any of these conditions are stressful and the stimulating effect of the plant may help fight the stress. However, there is no mention of the possible effects of Horny goat weed (Epimedium x versicolor) to treat anal fissure, except as a warning that it might contain some chemicals that might slow blood clotting. Some medications especially for heart conditions that might have the same effects of that of the weed such as blood clotting function. It is not good to take the plant with anticoagulant medications because it might worsen bleeding.
The risk of slowing blood clotting in bleeding is a concern for the treatment of anal fissure. However, your doctor will know better which medication is appropriate for you. Discuss with him the use of Horny goat weed (Epimedium x versicolor) to treat anal fissure.