Haemorrhoids, familiarly known as piles, may seem alarming but are, in fact, very common. If you have noticed swelling around your anus or lower rectum, there is a good chance that they are haemorrhoids and need medical attention.

Piles are also sometimes associated with bleeding when you pass a motion. Cases of piles are relatively prevalent among both men and women. Studies suggest that almost 40 per cent of the world population has experienced piles symptoms at some point in their lives.

Bad diet, sedentary lifestyle and constipation are some of the causes of piles. The bleeding during motions may frighten you, but there is little reason to worry. Piles is not only treatable but also curable if detected in time.

What are piles, and what are its symptoms?

Merely speaking, piles are a set of inflamed tissues and veins. These veins and tissues are responsible for pushing the stool out of the anus. For various reasons such as prolonged constipation, diarrhoea, or even pregnancy, the veins and tissues along the anus or rectum line get inflamed and swollen.

Sometimes they dilate more than usual and collect more blood in them. Piles can occur both internally or externally, although internal piles are more commonly reported. The size of piles may vary depending on the severity of the case.   

Symptoms of piles include:

1. A bulge or swelling around the anus that may not necessarily be painful.
2. Pain in the anus during the passing of motion.
3. Bright red bloodstains on the toilet after a bowel movement
4. Itchiness or soreness in the anus.

What causes piles?

The primary causes of piles are poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Some other causes of piles are:

1. Constipation: In case of prolonged or chronic constipation, the tissues and veins along the lining of the anus become stressed, leading to inflammation and swelling.
2. Lifting weights: Lifting heavy weights also sometimes puts pressure on these tissues and veins.
3. Pregnancy: Women report cases of piles during their pregnancy.
4. Obesity: For overweight people, the pressure on the blood vessels and tissues in the anus comes under pressure.

Piles treatment

Piles treatment includes medication and surgery. If you seek medical intervention early on, medicine is the most effective piles treatment procedure. If detected early, piles can be treated and cured with medication. Medication can include fibre supplements and stool softeners.

So when is surgery recommended for piles? Surgery is an option when the cases are more chronic. For example, if there is a blood clot within a blood vessel or in pain from the piles, it becomes necessary to conduct a piles treatment surgery.

The severity of the surgery depends on the size and grade of the piles. Primarily there are two kinds of piles surgeries—one without anaesthesia and another with it.

The non-operative piles treatment are non-operative and include banding, sclerotherapy, coagulation therapy and haemorrhoidal artery ligation.

There are three types of operative piles treatments: Stapled Haemorrhoidopexy or Minimally invasive procedure for haemorrhoids, Haemorrhoidectomy and Doppler-guided Haemorrhoidectomy.