Tea Tree Oil for Hemorrhoids Treatment: How to Use & Benefits

Melaleuca oil, which is also commonly known as Tea Tree Oil, is an essential oil obtained from the parts of an Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia. The tea tree oil was named so by few eighteenth-century sailors who prepared tea that produced odor like nutmeg from the leaves of the tree growing on the swampy southeast Australian coast.

Tea tree oil can be employed for various purposes, which include skincare, hair nourishment, and getting healthy nails. Tea tree oil for hemorrhoids is pretty useful and can provide much-needed relief.

What is Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an inexpensive natural oil which is used by many people across the globe. In recent times, it has become quite popular among the youth as well as an alternative and adjuvant therapy for the treatment of different ailments.

Today, it is commonly found in cosmetics, topical medicines, and many household products. Tea tree oil is produced by treating the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a shrub native to Australia, to a process called Distillation, to extract the oil from them.

In earlier times, these leaves were used by the Bunjalung natives to soothe different types of inflamed areas. In the days of 1920, tea tree oil was found to be even more potent than the antiseptic chemical preparations used during those times. Often people confuse Tea Tree Oil with the common tea plant whose leaves are used to prepare black and green tea. Here, the leaves are used to obtain the oil after the distillation process and then used for various purposes.

Tea Tree Oil as A Home Remedy

Tea tree oil is used as a topical preparation to be applied onto the skin for infections, namely acne, fungal infections of the fingernails and toenails (onychomycosis), lice, scabies, athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), ringworm, etc. It is also used as a local antiseptic topically for cuts and abrasions, burns, insect bites, stings, boils, vaginal infections, recurrent herpes labialis, etc.

It is also used for treating toothache, diseases of the mouth and nose, sore throat, and ear infections. Sometimes, it can also be used to treat certain respiratory infections, namely cough, bronchial congestion, and pulmonary inflammation.

Most importantly, this healing tea tree oil can also be used for treating Hemorrhoids, a condition in which veins located in the rectum or anus get swollen, causing irritation and other symptoms such as pain, itching, and severe bleeding.

Benefits of Tea Tree Oil for Hemorrhoids

Tea tree oil is a beneficial oil and efficiently treats the condition of Hemorrhoids in several ways (1). It possesses various properties because of which it is still followed and used as a home remedy to treat Hemorrhoids.

Tea tree oil is responsible for causing loss of intracellular materials if the microbial cell, which leads to an inability to survive in the current environment and loss of respiration. This, in turn, leads to an inability of the microbe to function, and therefore, it dies. Its functions can be best explained in the following manner:

1. An antibacterial agent

It can act as both a bacteria-killing agent and as a suppressor of bacterial growth agents at different concentrations. Tea tree oil exhibits its antibacterial activity by inhibiting the formation of certain vital components inside the bacterial cells due to which the bacterial cells are unable to grow and propagate further.

This, in turn, suppresses the activity of bacterial cells, and also, the spread of the disease is arrested (2) (3).

2. An antifungal agent

It alters the permeability of the fungal cell, thereby leading to difficulty in the survival of the fungal cell. It delays the formation of essential components inside the fungal cell, which leads to inhibition of their growth and multiplication (4).

3. Anti-inflammatory properties

It acts by releasing such components from its chemical structure, which inhibits the release of certain chemical messengers from the body. These chemical messengers are responsible for causing inflammation. By inhibiting their release, inflammatory responses can be suspended (5).

In this manner, Tea tree oil helps in the treatment of Hemorrhoids by its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities.

Further Reading:

Best & Worst Foods for Hemorrhoids

Apple Cider Vinegar for Hemorrhoids: Does It Really Work?

How to use Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil can be used in various ways in the treatment of Hemorrhoids. Tea tree oil is available in different formulations to treat Hemorrhoids. It can be applied at the affected site, according to the convenience of the patient. It has to be considered that taking tea tree oil orally can be toxic for the patient.

Instead, topically applied tea tree oil preparation is the best way to treat Hemorrhoid. The oil obtained as a topical preparation is in its diluted form i.e., the amount of the essential oil present in it is less and, therefore, can be directly applied to the affected skin with ease.

In another way, another oil can be used as a carrier oil to dilute the tea tree oil preparation, thereby reducing its toxic nature. It is one of the best essential oils for hemorrhoids.

To obtain an enhanced effect with tea tree oil, a tablespoon of Coconut oil can be added to a few drops or a few ml of tea tree oil. This combination of tea tree oil and coconut oil provides an intense anti-inflammatory action to the preparation. This can thus be applied to the affected skin with a cotton swab.

Coconut oil can be replaced with a tablespoon of Castor oil and a teaspoonful of aloe vera to a few drops of tea tree oil. After mixing this combination well, this preparation can be directly applied to the affected skin with the help of a cotton swab. This can help in improving the overall efficacy of the preparation, thereby helping to treat Hemorrhoids.

Side effects of Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is considered safe for most people when applied topically for the treatment of Hemorrhoids. Still, it can cause skin irritation and swelling, thereby increasing the symptoms of the condition. It can also lead to itching, stinging, burning, and increased irritation in the affected area.

It is advisable to mix other soothing agents like coconut oil, aloe vera with tea tree oil so its adverse effect on skin can be avoided.

If you experience any of these symptoms, stop the use of it immediately.

Further Reading:

Yoga for Piles: Yoga Poses for Relief in Fissures, Hemorrhoids

Word of Caution

Do not take tea tree oil orally as this can lead to various health problems (6). Risks associated with taking oral tea tree oil preparation are as follows:

• Blood cell abnormalities
• Stomach ache
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Hallucinations
• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Coma

Using the tea tree oil preparation for oral use has been considered unsafe since it can cause toxic reactions leading to adverse effects of the aforesaid essential oil. Because of the said adverse effects on our body, it is highly recommended to use Tea tree oil for the treatment of external Hemorrhoids as a topical application.

Other uses of tea tree oil

1. Hand Sanitizer

Tea tree oil can be used as a natural hand sanitizer. It has been found out that it can kill common bacterial species and viral strains that are responsible for causing different types of ailments. Moreover, the addition of tea tree oil in hand sanitizers also helps in boosting their efficacy.

2. Insect Repellent

Tea tree oil may help to repel a variety of insects. It can be used instead of the smoke-producing coils, which can irritate.

3. Natural Deodorant

Due to its antibacterial effects, tea tree oil helps in controlling underarm odor related to perspiration. Due to the development of bacteria in the underarm, the smell is produced during perspiration.

Tea tree oil’s antibacterial properties make it an ideal natural alternative to commercial deodorants and antiperspirants, which can harm the body due to the presence of chemicals.

4. Antiseptic for Minor Cuts and Scrape

Injuries that cause minor cuts may result in the easy entry of germs into the bloodstream, thereby spreading infection. Tea tree oil can be used to treat and disinfect small cuts and abrasions by killing them and preventing infections.

5. Nail Fungus removal

Fungal nail infections are very commonly seen among people. Here again, tea tree oil has been shown to help get rid of nail fungus when other natural components are also added to it. This helps in boosting its effect and providing timely treatment.

6. Treat Athlete’s Foot

Known medically as tinea pedis, athlete’s foot is a contagious fungal infection that can also cause infections in toenails and fingernails producing symptoms such as peeling, cracking, blisters, and redness. Tea tree oil may be used in such a condition to obtain adequate treatment for relieving symptoms.

7. Relieve Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition characterized by outbreaks of red, itchy, scaly skin. The components are responsible for exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties in tea tree oil, which have shown signs of reduction of these symptoms and providing relief.

Topically available preparation of tea tree oil meant for the treatment of Hemorrhoids must be bought from a trusted source since these preparations are obtained without testing by the Food and Drug Administration for its safety and purity. Therefore, it becomes essential to check once and then use the preparation.