Introduction
Piles, or hemorrhoids, are a health problem that impacts lots of people around the world. They happen when veins in the lower rectum or anus swell up and get inflamed causing discomfort, pain, and sometimes bleeding. While piles can be upsetting, people can treat them with good care and changes to their lifestyle. This blog will look at what causes piles, their symptoms, and ways to treat them.
What Are Piles?
Piles are inflamed veins in the lower rectum and anus. They can occur inside the rectum (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). Internal piles don’t hurt but can bleed when you poop. External piles can hurt a lot and make you feel very uncomfortable.
What Causes Piles
A few things can make you more likely to get piles:
- Long-term Constipation: If you strain to poop because you’re constipated, it can put too much pressure on the veins in your rectum. This has an impact on pile formation.
- Pregnancy: The extra weight and pressure on your pelvic veins when you’re pregnant can lead to hemorrhoids.
- Obesity: Being overweight in the belly area, can squeeze the veins in the lower rectum.
- Sitting Too Long: Staying seated for hours on the toilet, raises your chances of getting piles.
- Getting Older: With age, the tissues that hold up the veins in the rectum and anus can grow weaker making them swell more easily.
- Not Enough Fiber: Eating too little fiber might cause constipation, which can lead to piles.
Symptoms of Piles
How piles feel and look depends on their type and how bad they are. People often experience these signs:
- Bleeding: You might see bright red blood on toilet paper or in the toilet after you poop.
- Pain and Discomfort: Outside piles can hurt, feel uncomfortable, and make your butt itch.
- Swelling: You might feel a bump around your butt that can hurt or be tender.
- Mucus Discharge: Some folks might notice mucus coming out of their butt.
- Feeling of Incomplete Evacuation: You might feel like you didn’t finish pooping even after you’ve gone.
Treatment Options for Piles
How we treat piles depends on how bad they are. Here are some common ways to treat them:
- Lifestyle Changes:
· Eat More Fiber: Foods full of fiber can help make poop softer and cut down on pushing when you go to the bathroom. Try to eat fruits, veggies whole grains, and beans.
· Drink Lots of Water: Getting enough water keeps your poop soft and stops you from getting backed up.
· Get Moving: Working out can stop you from getting backed up and take some of the squeeze off your veins.
· Don’t Sit Too Long: Take breaks and try not to sit for ages on the toilet.
- Stuff You Can Buy at the Store:
· Topical Creams and Ointments: Over-the-counter creams and ointments have an impact on easing pain, itching, and inflammation.
· Pain Relievers: Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen help to reduce pain and discomfort.
- Medical Procedures:
· Rubber Band Ligation: This procedure involves placing a rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid to cut off its blood supply causing it to shrink.
· Sclerotherapy: This treatment involves injecting a chemical solution into the hemorrhoid to make it shrink.
· Infrared Coagulation: This treatment uses infrared light to make the hemorrhoid smaller.
· Hemorrhoidectomy: Doctors may need to remove the hemorrhoid in extreme cases.
- Home Remedies:
· Warm Sitz Baths: Sitting in warm water for 10-15 minutes multiple times can ease pain and discomfort.
· Cold Compresses: Putting a cold compress on the affected area can lessen swelling and pain.
How to Prevent Piles
To stop piles from forming or coming back, try these tips:
- Eat foods high in fiber to avoid constipation.
- Drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.
- Don’t strain when you’re on the toilet.
- Work out often to keep a healthy weight and help your bowels move .
- Don’t sit for too long on the toilet.
To wrap up
Piles can make you feel uncomfortable and hurt, but you can often treat them by changing your lifestyle using medicines from the drugstore, and getting medical help if needed. If you notice signs of piles, you should talk to a doctor to figure out the best way to treat them. By picking up healthy habits, you can lower your chances of getting piles and boost your gut health overall.
