Rectal Bleeding

See also “Hemorrhoids”, “Bleeding, Internal”
Numerous factors can give rise to rectal bleeding. These include hemorrhoids; inflammation of the rectal area due to aggravated pitta; anal fissures or polyps; passing dry, hard stools, which hurt the mucous membrane of the rectum; straining due to constipation; excessive pressure on the rectal veins due to liver cirrhosis; and congestive heart failure. In the last stage of pregnancy, prolonged pushing of the child during labor exerts pressure on the rectal blood vessels and leads to bleeding. Rectal bleeding is also common among people who eat refined foods containing little fiber. Eating hot spicy food may tend to produce constipation and rectal bleeding.

Whatever the cause, the following recommendations will be helpful.

WASH WITH COOL WATER. After each bowel movement, wash the anal orifice with cool water. This will help stop the bleeding, and if there is irritation, itching, and cracking, it will help to minimize it.

APPLY GHEE OR CASTOR OIL. This will help to soothe the irritation of the blood vessels.

DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE OR POMEGRANATE JUICE. These are both hemostatics (they stop bleeding) and will be helpful. Drink 1 cup twice a day.

TIME TO SEE THE DOCTOR

If these remedies do not stop your rectal bleeding in a week to 10 days, it would be wise to see your doctor. If the bleeding is profuse, go sooner. The bleeding could be a symptom of a serious illness.

AVOID HOT SPICY FOOD. Follow the pitta-pacifying diet (see chapter 8). Also avoid fermented food, sour fruit, citrus fruit, and alcohol.

KEEP THE STOOLS SOFT. This will help to minimize irritation and bleeding. Here are three ways to keep stools soft:

• Drink a cup of warm milk with 1 teaspoon plain ghee at bedtime. (This is a very mild laxative.)
• Take 1 teaspoon of amalaki or ½ teaspoon triphala at bedtime in warm water. Steep the herb in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, then when it has cooled down, drink it.
• Take 1 teaspoon psyllium husks (sat isabgol) at night in 1 cup of warm water. This bulk laxative will keep the stools soft and avoid pressure on the rectal blood vessels.

USE VITAMIN K. If the bleeding is serious (that is, profuse or repeated), take vitamin K supplements according to the dosage recommended on the package. Also, you can buy vitamin K cream at most health food stores. Apply this cream to the anal orifice to stop the bleeding.

PACIFY PITTA. To reduce pitta, take vitamin E supplements, and drink cranberry juice and/or parsley juice.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES. To avoid rectal bleeding in the future, follow these recommendations:

• Strictly follow the pitta-pacifying diet: no sour fruit, citrus fruit, fermented food, or hot spicy food.
• Avoid hard physical labor if possible.
• Do abdominal yoga exercises such as nauli (see appendix 3 for instructions).
• The following yoga postures should improve elimination and help to prevent rectal bleeding: Camel, Cobra, Cow, and Spinal Twist.
• Take this herbal formula:

shatavari 5 parts
kama dudha ⅛ part
gulwel sattva ⅛ part

This herbal mixture (½ teaspoon with warm water), taken twice a day for 1 month, will help to prevent future rectal bleeding.