Piles (haemorrhoids) - Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
This is everything you need to know regarding piles. Another term for hemorhoids is piles. Hemorrhoids refer to inflamed tissue within the anal canal. They are composed of blood vessels, support tissues, muscle, and elastic fibres.
The anal area is inflamed with swollen and inflamed piles.
They come in a variety of sizes and may be either internal or external.
They are the most common type of pile and are usually located between 2 to 4 centimeters (4 cm) above the anus’ opening. The anus’s outside edge is where external piles are found.
How common is hemorhoids?
One in twenty Americans suffer from symptomatic hemorhoids. They can affect anyone of any age, gender, race, or ethnicity. They are more common with age and affect more people than half of those over 50.
What Are The Different Types of Hemorhoids?
Symptoms of Piles & Stages
Hemorrhoids can occur inside or outside of the rectum. The type of hemorhoids depends on the location of the swollen vessel. There are several types:
External:- Under the skin around your anus, swollen veins develop. Your anus is where the poop goes. Itchy, painful external hemorhoids may occur. Sometimes they may bleed. Sometimes, they bleed from blood that may clot. Although this isn’t dangerous, it can cause pain and swelling.
Internal:- The rectum can become swollen from the formation of enlarged veins. The rectum (large intestine) is the part in the digestive system that connects to the anus. Although internal hemorhoids can bleed, they are rarely painful.
Prolapsed:- Both external and internal hemorhoids may prolapse. This means that they can bulge and stretch outside of the anus. These hemorhoids can cause bleeding or pain.
The symptoms of piles can vary depending upon their size, location and grade.
Grade 1 is a small swelling on the inner lining of anal canal. They are not visible or felt outside of the anus (back passage). They are quite common in grade 1 piles. They may grow to grade 2 or higher in some people.
Grade 2 are larger. They can be partially pushed from the anus by going to the toilet but they quickly spring back in.
Grade 3 can hang from your anus when you use the bathroom. One or more of these small, soft lumps may be felt hanging from your anus. You can push them inside the anus by using a finger.
Grade 4 hangs down permanently from the anus and cannot be pushed back. Sometimes they can grow quite large.
Around half of all people in the UK have one or more piles during their lives.
Many blood vessels (veins) are found in the lining of anal canal’s back passage. The back passage lining may have some changes that can cause the formation of a pile. The back passage lining and the veins can become larger, which can lead to swelling and eventually a pile.
We don’t know what causes piles. Some piles seem to develop for no apparent reason. Anus is believed to be causing an increase in pressure around the back passage. This could be a factor in haemorrhoids. This can lead to a buildup of pressure if you wait to go to the bathroom and strain while using the toilet.
Pile treatment can be done with a variety of brands and preparations. They don’t cure piles. They can ease discomfort and itching, but they don’t cure piles.
Avoid straining and constipation at the toilet
Don’t strain your bladder and keep the stools (feces) soft. This can be done by:
Consume plenty of fiber (e.g., fruits, vegetables, cereals, wholegrain bread).
Drink lots. You can drink most kinds of drinks, but you should avoid too much caffeine and alcohol.
Fibre supplements. Fibre supplements are available if a high-fibre diet does not work.
Co-codamol and other painkillers containing codeine should be avoided as they can cause constipation. Paracetamol and other painkillers may be helpful.
Toileting. Toileting. Do not strain while using the toilet.
Regular exercise can help reduce constipation.
These steps will often relieve pile symptoms like bleeding and discomfort. This may be enough to manage small piles (grade 1) that are not prone to bursting. Many small piles of grade 1 tend to settle over time.
Options for Piles Surgical Treatment
One in 10 people suffering from piles will need surgery.
Banding: A doctor wraps an elastic band around the pile’s base to cut off its blood supply. The hemorhoid will fall off after a few days. This treatment is safe for hemorhoids below grade IV.
Sclerotherapy is the injection of medicine to shrink the hemorhoid. The hemorhoid will eventually shrink. This method is suitable for grade II and III hemorhoids, and can be used as an alternative to banding.
Infrared coagulation is also known as infrared lightcoagulation. It’s a method to remove hemorhoids. This is used to treat hemorhoids of grade I and II.
Hemorrhoidectomy is when the excess tissue that is causing bleeding is removed surgically. It can be performed in a variety of ways. This may include a combination local anesthetic/sedation, spinal anesthetic, general anesthetic, and/or a general anesthetic. Although this type of surgery is most effective in completely eliminating piles, there are risks, such as difficulty passing stools and infections of the urinary tract.
Hemorrhoid tapling: Blood flow is stopped to hemorhoid tissue. This procedure is generally less painful than hemorhoidectomy. This procedure may increase the risk of hemorhoid prolapse and hemorhoid-related recurrence.
Although they can be debilitating and painful, piles are not a permanent threat to your health. They can be managed by you up to grade III or IV. A fistula can be a serious problem if a complication occurs.
For more complex piles, the surgery options are usually outpatient with minimal recovery.
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