Sitting on discomfort: What you need to know about piles and its treatment

Piles also called haemorrhoids are the lumps that form in and around the anal cavity, all as a result of constipation. Piles are basically swollen and inflamed veins which happen due to long constipation or old age and in some cases pregnancy. When stress is applied to these nerves it causes swelling and leads to infection that stretches them further leading to discomfort, pain and bleeding. 

Piles are of two types, internal and external haemorrhoids where the internal ones are far inside the rectum that are not felt but are present, while the external ones develop inside the anus which hurts and makes it difficult to sit. Piles result in painful bowel movements, bleeding during defecation. There is also a constant discomfort while sitting and redness around the anus. While these are common symptoms, in extreme cases due to loss of blood, a patient might also suffer from anaemia like symptoms of weakness and pale skin. 

1. To keep piles under control one must drink a lot of liquids and intake plenty of fibre to keep the poop soft. 
2. Take a warm bath to keep off itching and pain in the anus. 
3. Use a damp cloth to clean the affected area. In case of discomfort, one must indulge in soothing the affected area with an ice pack covered in a towel. 
4. Exercise daily to keep fit and moving. 
5. Avoid sitting for long hours
6. Cut down alcohol intake to avoid constipation. 
7. Keep in mind to not clean your bottom too hard after taking going to the toilet
8. Do not suppress the urge to poop.

While the above stated do’s and don’ts are home remedies, in case you feel very uncomfortable and feel constant pains make sure to visit your nearest doctor. There are many methods that the doctors use to treat piles including rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, electrotherapy and infrared coagulation. When things are beyond these methods the only way out is a surgery to remove the piles where either they are cut or stapled back or stitches are used to cut the blood supply to the piles to make them shrink. 

At Specialist Hospital, our experts will guide you on the right treatment methods that will be able to help you resolve the issues at the earliest without undergoing too much pain and discomfort. Piles is a very real and very uncomfortable problem to discuss, but it is even more uncomfortable to suffer. Do not be embarrassed to seek help.