Piles - Overview
Piles, a common
name for haemorrhoids, is the swelling of veins situated around the inner part
of the anus. These veins may swell when they are irritated by the passing of
stools. Piles tend to bleed easily when inflamed or infected. While passing
stools, one may notice a gush of blood, from a few drops to a large amount.
Bleeding and pain are often the only signs of piles. Most of the time, the
bleeding is painless.
Haemorrhoids can be
internal or external. When infected, they often become painful and itchy,
causing difficulty in sitting and interfering with the patient’s day-to-day
activities.
Even though piles
are treatable, patients often neglect the treatment until the disease turns
quite serious. If identified at an early stage, piles can be treated
successfully with medicines and lifestyle changes.
Piles - Causes
Following are the common causes of piles:
·
Medical causes
o
prolonged constipation
o
prolonged coughing, sneezing
o
prolonged diarrhoea
·
Lifestyle
o
sedentary lifestyle
o
low-fibre diet
·
Genetics
o
case of piles may be running in the family.
Risk factors
Some other factors that increase the risk of developing
haemorrhoids include the following:
·
Age: with advanced age, the veins become lax
·
Being overweight or obese
·
Pregnancy: due to pregnancy, there is an increased strain over
the pelvic blood vessels, causing them to enlarge
·
Anal sex: it can increase the risk of having piles
Contributing factors
·
spicy food
·
smoking
·
high blood pressure
·
strenuous exercise
·
prolonged sitting or travelling
·
less fluid intake
Piles - Symptoms
·
There is often painless bleeding while passing stools, a few
drops of blood on the tissue paper or in the toilet bowl.
·
Pain or discomfort can be felt in the rectum after passing
stools, after which it becomes difficult to sit on a chair.
·
One may have a feeling of unsatisfactory bowel movement.
·
Haemorrhoids often cause a painful, hard lump around the anus.
·
Mucus may be seen with the stools.
·
The area around the anus may turn red and sore.
·
Nearly 70% people suffer from:
o
burning sensation
o
itching
o
mild constipation
o
constant sensation of heaviness in the anus
o
unsatisfactory bowel movement
Stages
of internal piles
·
Grade 1 - Small invisible varicose veins tend to bleed easily,
but the amount of blood loss is minimal.
·
Grade 2 - The veins are visible only while passing stools, but
go back inside on their own afterwards.
·
Grade 3 - Referred to as 'prolapsed haemorrhoids'; these are
visibly hanging out, but can be pushed back inside the anus.
·
Grade 4 - Haemorrhoids stay out of the body and cannot be pushed
back.
External piles are small lumps
that develop outside the edge of the anus. They are very painful, especially if
they have a blood clot inside. Therefore, they need urgent medical attention.
When to seek medical advice
It is advisable to consult a
doctor at the early stages of piles.