It helps to know what they're good for and what they're not in order to not waste both time and money. In addition, picking the right hemorrhoid cream for your symptoms will help bring the maximum amount of relief possible.

First, no hemorrhoid cream will cure your hemorrhoids.

They are for symptom relief alone. Because they help with symptom relief, they can indirectly help with the underlying causes of hemorrhoids, especially if they help you to stop straining over much or scrubbing at your hemorrhoids.

However, using hemorrhoid creams alone, without changing to a high-fiber diet, drinking enough water, or getting used to frequent walking, is about as useful as trying to put out a fire with a thimble. You may gain some temporary relief from the symptoms, but the hemorrhoids themselves will just get worse as you are still ignoring them.

Pain is useful, it tells us when damage is happening to our bodies. Symptomatic relief from hemorrhoids helps to block the pain, itching and burning enough to let us function while treating the problem, but it should never be used to deny the problem exists.

In addition, hemorrhoid creams can only be used externally.

No over-the-counter hemorrhoid cream on the market today was formulated or tested for internal usage.

While some doctors have gained enough experience on their own to prescribe external creams for internal hemorrhoids by way of tubes or applicators, it takes a medical degree with the attendant education in calculus to reliably determine the correct dosage for any given person.

Therefore, no hemorrhoid cream will help with internal inflammation, pain, or bleeding from an internal hemorrhoid.

However, they can be very helpful in soothing external skin that's been irritated by mucus discharge or incontinence caused by an internal hemorrhoid. By the same token, hemorrhoid creams are usually extremely helpful to relieve symptoms associated with external hemorrhoids, such as inflammation, pain, itching and burning.

Hemorrhoid creams usually come with one or several active ingredients that serve to block pain, increase circulation, or reduce inflammation.

In addition, the main inactive ingredient is usually an emollient such as cocoa butter, petroleum, or glycerin to moisturize and lubricate dry, itchy skin.

Most pharmacies come with a free consultant pharmacist who can recommend the right cream for your specific symptoms and health condition.

In addition to a cream, you may find medicated pads soaked in witch hazel or aloe vera extract to be helpful for soothing hygiene purposes.

By knowing exactly what hemorrhoid creams and medications are for, you're well on your way to eventually curing your hemorrhoids entirely.