The Benefits and Effects of Sichuan Pepper, and the Side Effects and Dietary Taboos of Using Sichuan Pepper Water to Treat Hemorrhoids

Sichuan pepper is a seasoning we can see everywhere in our lives. It belongs to the Rutaceae family and is more common in areas such as Sichuan and Chongqing, because the local climate is damp, and eating more Sichuan pepper can drive out cold. Besides being used as a seasoning, what benefits and effects does Sichuan pepper have? What are the dietary taboos of Sichuan pepper? Can Sichuan pepper water treat hemorrhoids? What is the principle behind treating hemorrhoids with Sichuan pepper water? Will treating hemorrhoids with Sichuan pepper water produce side effects?

I. The Benefits and Effects of Sichuan Pepper

1. Regulating qi and aiding digestion

Sichuan pepper is pungent and warm in nature. It can warm the middle and dispel cold, and can enhance the circulation of qi and fluids in the body, thereby achieving the purpose of relieving qi stagnation and binding. People with chest tightness or unsettled qi can chew a few Sichuan peppercorns to ease the flow of qi; because it can warm the spleen and stomach and promote digestion, it can therefore dissolve retained food.

2. Boosting appetite

Sichuan pepper has a unique and intense aroma. It can not only remove the gamy smell of meat, but also promote saliva secretion, thereby boosting appetite.

3. Lowering blood pressure

The Japan Kagome Research Institute found through animal experiments that Sichuan pepper and similar substances can indirectly dilate blood vessels and lower blood [pressure].

4. Reducing inflammation and relieving pain

Sichuan pepper has a local anesthetic effect, and also contains components that dilate blood vessels and suppress local inflammation. At the same time, the volatile oil in Sichuan pepper has a good killing effect on bacteria and fungi, so Sichuan pepper can be used to treat toothache, hemorrhoids, and so on.

5. Expelling roundworms

The “Compendium of Materia Medica” records: “Sichuan pepper kills roundworms and treats diarrhea”. After the pungent smell of Sichuan pepper enters the human body, it can kill intestinal parasites such as roundworms and pinworms.

6. Treating menstrual pain

Sichuan pepper is pungent and hot in nature. Women with menstrual pain caused by a cold constitution can drink some Sichuan pepper water, which can play a role in dispelling cold and invigorating blood, thereby relieving menstrual pain.

II. Dietary Taboos of Sichuan Pepper

1. Sichuan pepper is hot in nature, so people with yin deficiency and hyperactive fire should not eat it; pregnant women who eat Sichuan pepper may get internal heat and harm the fetus's qi; Sichuan pepper has a milk-suppressing effect, so women who have just given birth may easily stop producing milk if they eat it.

2. People with lung heat and hyperactive stomach fire, or those with cough and phlegm, should not eat it.

3. People with excessive fire in the triple burner, red and swollen eyes with pain, mouth and tongue sores, or sore throat should not eat Sichuan pepper.

III. Can Sichuan Pepper Water Treat Hemorrhoids?

Folk remedy for treating hemorrhoids with Sichuan pepper water:

Divide 50 grams of Sichuan peppercorns into 3 portions, put 1 portion into a pot, add an appropriate amount of boiling water and cook. When it turns the color of black tea, immediately remove it from the heat, add a little salt, and use its steam to fumigate the affected anal area. After the water cools slightly, soak a towel in the water and wash the affected area.

Note: Sichuan pepper is astringent in nature and can temporarily play a role in numbing the nerves. Therefore, washing the anus with Sichuan pepper water can temporarily reduce inflammation and relieve pain. But you must never rely entirely on Sichuan pepper to cure hemorrhoids. It may work for some people, but not for others. If the hemorrhoid problem worsens, remember to go to the hospital to have it checked.

IV. The Principle Behind Treating Hemorrhoids with Sichuan Pepper Water

From a medical or traditional Chinese medicine perspective, the principle behind treating hemorrhoids with Sichuan pepper water is that washing the anus with Sichuan pepper water can temporarily reduce inflammation and relieve pain. This is because Sichuan pepper is astringent in nature and can temporarily numb the nerves. But it will absolutely not have an obvious therapeutic effect on hemorrhoids.

Regarding hemorrhoids, many patients today have biased and mistaken understandings, thinking that hemorrhoids are a minor illness that can heal on their own, and some people think that using some folk remedies or taking some medicine will make them better. Little do they know that these methods are all wrong. Once hemorrhoids flare up, Sichuan pepper water can be used first for treatment. If the problem worsens, it is necessary to go to the hospital for targeted examination.

V. Will Treating Hemorrhoids with Sichuan Pepper Water Produce Side Effects?

Sichuan pepper water is relatively common in life. We can make it in daily life to treat the common disease of hemorrhoids, but does treating hemorrhoids with Sichuan pepper water have side effects? In fact, Sichuan pepper water does relatively great harm to the skin, so special care must be taken in its use and it must be used properly.

Sichuan pepper is astringent in nature and can temporarily play a role in numbing the nerves. Therefore, washing the anus with Sichuan pepper water can temporarily reduce inflammation and relieve pain. But you must never think of relying on Sichuan pepper to cure hemorrhoids. Some people think hemorrhoids are a minor illness that can heal on their own, and some people think that using some folk remedies or taking some medicine will make them better, but these methods are all wrong. Once hemorrhoids occur, they cannot heal on their own.