Piles

Piles, also called Haemorrhoids, are elongated blood vessels that occur inside your anus and lower rectum, identical to varicose veins. It’s quite natural if a person develops blood vessels in their anus because they are essential for continence. However, piles can grow if these blood vessels become elongated, resulting in various symptoms and complications. About 3 out of 4 grown-up individuals can have piles from time to time. There can be several causes behind piles; however, usually, the causes are obscure. Luckily, there are effective treatment alternatives available for piles. Most people get alleviation simply with treatments done at home and certain lifestyle changes.

Complications That Can Happen If Not Treated On Time

Piles hardly ever lead to any severe complications or concerns; however, at times, they can cause the complications given below:

  • External piles can grow swollen and inflamed; ulcers can likewise grow on them.
  • Skin tags can happen when the interior part of a pile become smaller, though the skin stays.
  • When mucus begins to leak from the anus, it can cause pain to the nearby skin.
  • Prolapsed internal piles can occasionally get strangulated and result in losing blood supply. When a blood lump develops, piles can become extremely sore. Furthermore, external piles can likewise turn into thrombosed.

Causes of Piles

Piles happen when the veins in the anal canal become bulged, and several causes can be the reason behind it, including:

  • Exertion used when people go to the toilet, for instance, if a person is undergoing prolonged diarrhoea or constipation.
  • Aging can be a reason as well. The anal canal becomes weak when we age.
  • Constant coughing
  • Lifting weighty objects
  • Piles are likewise expected during gestation and periods.

Symptoms of Piles

Piles do not inevitably induce discomfort or any other manifestations, however, if someone has symptoms, they may comprise:

  • Bleeding while people poop
  • Swelling in the anus
  • A dirty discharge of mucus from the anus, which can taint the undergarments
  • A sense of “pain or fullness” in the anus, or that the bowels have not fully drained after excrement.
  • Prickly or painful skin nearby the anus
  • Discomfort and pain after you poop.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Piles

A visual assessment of the anus is sufficient to diagnose piles. The doctor will do an additional test to scan for malformations inside the anus to ascertain the diagnosis. This examination is called a digital rectal exam. Moreover, the doctor will cross-examine the health record and manifestations to diagnose external haemorrhoids.

In most instances, piles can get healed on their own. But, few treatment options can greatly relieve the pain and tingling.

Some lifestyle changes that can help treat piles include:

Diet: A change in the diet can aid in maintaining the stools soft and normal. It includes consuming more fiber, for example, vegetables and fruits or mainly bran-contained breakfast cereals.

Bodyweight:Weight loss can also help in reducing the occurrence and harshness of piles.

Medications that will help in treating piles include:

  • Corticosteroids
  • Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
  • Laxatives.

Surgical Alternatives To Treat Piles

Most people do not require surgery to treat piles. However, if a person often has manifestations and different treatments are not working, or if bleeding doesn't stop, then surgery can be needed. There are various kinds of surgery options available for piles, including:

  • Haemorrhoidal artery ligation operation (also called HALO)
  • Infrared coagulation
  • Banding
  • Haemorrhoid stapling
  • Sclerotherapy
  • Hemorrhoidectomy.

Foods/Diets To Follow After Piles

After piles treatment or surgery, you can contain these low-residue food items in your diet:

  • Raw fruit juice
  • Strained vegetable juice
  • Thoroughly cooked vegetables
  • Soft melons
  • Bananas
  • Peeled potatoes
  • Any milk-based product, but make sure not more than 2 cups a day
  • Thoroughly cooked meat, seafood, or poultry.