Piles are common. The condition is also called hemorrhoids or varicose veins of the anus. It usually causes pain, itching, and bleeding during bowel movements. But, piles can cause other symptoms, too, like anal ulcers, stiffness in the rectum area, and more severe cases, even rectal bleeding.
Hemorrhoids are caused by pressure on pelvic veins that carry blood from the lower parts of your body back to your heart. Sitting for long hours, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, pregnancy, etc., are some risk factors that increase the chances of piles. Factors that reduce the chances are eating fiber-rich food, drinking lots of water daily, etc.
When you have piles, you feel difficulty passing the stool because of the swelling. Usually, they are harmless but can be very painful at times, leading to rectal bleeding.
Hemorrhoids may develop inside the anus tissues (internal ones) or under the skin around your anus (external ones).
Types of piles:
There are three types of piles depending on which part of the veins hurt due to pressure;
- Internal hemorrhoids are usually painless and cause a few symptoms like anal itching.
2. External hemorrhoids- this type is commonly referred to as painful piles. It appears outside the anus opening and causes severe pain, itching, burning, etc. It can bleed too during bowel movements. The external pile is usually large and bluish.
3. A mixed pile is a combination of both internal & external hemorrhoids (painful ones).
Symptoms Of Piles
The main symptoms are bleeding, itching, pain during bowel movements, etc. However, there are a few other symptoms also like;
- The anal ulcer has sharp edges and looks like raw meat. It may bleed while passing the stool.
2. Bleeding from the rectum occurs when piles cause tears inside the anus. This kind of blood loss can be dangerous if not treated on time.
3. Strangury or urinary difficulties – a problem that arises from swelling in the veins, bladder, and urethra.
4. Rectal bleeding- this symptom of piles usually occurs they affect veins of the rectum area.
5. Protruding mass or lump – if swelling develops inside the anal canal, it may cause protruding lumps outside your anus opening.
6. Rectal pain – severe pain due to inflammation in the surrounding area.
7. Pain in the lower abdomen and back passage usually happens due to pressure from enlarged hemorrhoidal tissues surrounding organs.
8. Itching in the groin region and anus – in some cases, itching can also happen because of piles, especially when they bleed or ulcerate inside your anus.
9. Urinary symptoms – If you have an inflamed bladder, you may experience pain while passing urine.
10. Difficulty in sitting due to swelling because of pressure on surrounding organs.
A problem persisting for 3-4 weeks may lead to a chronic situation (constant or recurrent), which needs proper treatment before development of other problems like a blood clot, prolapsed pile, etc.,
Hemorrhoids are a common problem that usually affects adults more than children. It occurs only in those people who have reached above 20 years of age.
As we mentioned earlier, there are three types depending on where the veins hurt; internal, external, and mixed (combination of both). According to doctors, around 1 out of 10 people suffer from this disease. Around 1 million cases are recorded annually in India alone.
Cause Of piles:
They are caused due to pressure on veins that carry blood from the lower parts of your body back to the heart. Sitting for long hours, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, pregnancy, etc., are some risk factors that increase the chances of piles. It may also occur because of the aging process. In addition, excessive straining during bowel movements can cause constipation & lead to the disease.
Treatment Of Piles:
There are several ways to treat this disease. However, home remedies are the best because they do not cause side effects. You can try natural home remedies for piles for a few weeks, giving you relief from pain and other symptoms like dryness of the skin around the anus area (which causes itching).
Some of them are drinking plenty of water, a fiber-rich diet that keeps your bowel movement regular, taking foods with high nutritional value to get rid of anemia (an iron deficiency problem), keeping your body hydrated, etc. Make sure that every time you pass stool, make it a point to wipe your anus correctly because it is one of the causes.
Conclusion
Piles can be cured naturally without going for surgery. However, if you have piles, avoid sitting for long because this pressure on surrounding veins can worsen it. In addition, strengthening your lower abdomen muscles and improving bowel habits will be helpful in many ways.
Also, drink plenty of water daily to regulate your health and stay hydrated throughout the day. Increase intake of fiber-based food items like green leafy veggies, fresh fruits, etc., Exercise regularly, and control your bowel movement to get rid of constipation. Avoid eating fried & oily food items. Go for pure organic food to reduce the chances of piles. Try doing yoga and other breathing exercises too because it helps body organs to function appropriately.
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