Is Constipation the Only Cause of Piles? + It's Symptoms

Piles, which are also called hemorrhoids, refer to the swelling of the veins near the anus and rectum, which get irritated during bowel movements, causing pain and bleeding during stool motions. The veins near the rectum or the anus may rupture during strained bowel movements and thus, cause the blood to come out with the stool. This can be very painful for the patient and has a very disruptive effect on their lives.

Causes of Piles

There may be many causes for piles or hemorrhoids and the cause may vary from patient to patient. Let's have a look at a few of them.

Straining when passing a stool - This is by far the most common reason for piles and this is what causes the irritation on the veins or causes them to rupture

Chronic Constipation: People suffering from chronic constipation due to gastrointestinal problems may also suffer from piles due to putting pressure constantly to relieve themselves.

Lifting a heavy weight or doing strenuous work: This can also put physical stress on the anus or rectum and cause swollen veins, which may then rupture during the passage of stool.

Pregnancy - Pregnancy causes many hormonal changes in the body and the strain may also result in piles.

Symptoms of Piles

Some of the symptoms of piles or hemorrhoids are:

- Painful bowel movements, which hurt the rectum or the anus, accompanied by general tenderness within the region
- Bleeding or seeping of a bright red color blood onto the stool on the toilet or even on toilet paper
- Itching in the anal areas, which may be continuous or intermittent
- A swelling or lump near the anus, which is painful
- A mucus-like discharge from the anus

There may be one or more factors present in particular cases and if there is a pain in the rectal area, it is best to get it checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.

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Is Constipation the Only Cause of Piles? + It's Symptoms

Almost all of us have experienced bloating, gas or an upset stomach. Yet some people experience this problem at a chronic level. Gas occurs in the stomach and intestines due to breakdown of food into energy. All of us pass gas, however some people do more than others. An average person passes gas 5-20 times a day.

An upset stomach can often cause problems and can be a difficult battle for many people. Although the symptoms of gas problems often relate to an improper diet, yet other factors may be also responsible.

Causes and Symptoms of Gas Problems

Swallowing air: The swallowed air which is not burped out, passes through the digestive system and is released through the opening of the anus. Hiccups can also occur if you have swallowed excessive air.
Diet: The reaction of different foods varies from one person to another. Also foods that lead to odorous gas may also vary from person to person. Yet, spicy foods and dairy products are the most common causes of gas. Example - Beans, cabbage, onions, radishes, eggs, carbonated drinks, sugar, packaged foods etc.
Medications: Certain medicines and supplements, including prescription drugs, can lead to gas problems and bloating. Further, medications which change the hormonal balance in the body can also cause bloating.
Medical problems: Certain medical conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome or bowel obstruction can also lead to an upset stomach.
Common symptoms of gas problems include gas pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. In the worst of cases, gas and bloating indicate colon cancer. Such people experience rapid weight loss, anaemia and blood in stools.

Treatment
Modifying your lifestyle, in particular your dietary practices, is essential to a healthy recovery.

Avoiding foods such as spaghetti, oats, bran, barley, banana, bread etc. which contain high fibre content is important.
You can opt for over the counter medications after consulting your physician. Homeopathy and Ayurveda can be also opted as alternative forms of treatment.

Chronic Gas Problem - Facts You Should Know About it

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a form of digestive disorder, which affects the lower oesophageal sphincters or the muscle ring present between the stomach and the food pipe. GERD incorporates the return of the contents of the stomach back to the oesophagus or food pipe. The functioning of the lower oesophageal sphincter is disrupted.

Causes

Hiatal hernia is a common cause of GERD. An unhealthy lifestyle and diet may also lead to GERD. Intake of an excess amount of chocolates, fried food, coffee or alcohol triggers the chance of a reflux. GERD also occurs in obese people and pregnant women.

Symptoms

Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion, is the primary symptom of GERD. The affected person may feel a burning chest pain which starts from behind the breastbone and reaches up to the throat. The feeling can be defined as food coming back to the throat with a bitter, acidic taste. The burning sensation may last as long as two hours.

Other symptoms include:

    Excess saliva secretion
    Chronic conditions of sore throat
    Laryngitis
    Gum inflammation
    Tooth cavities
    Unpleasant breath

In order to diagnose GERD, several tests may be conducted . They are:

    An X-Ray of the upper part of the digestive system.
    Endoscopy to examine the inner part of the oesophagus.
    Ambulatory acid test for monitoring the amount of acid within the oesophagus.
    An oesophageal impedance test to measure substance movement inside the oesophagus.

Treatment

    A person must make several changes to his daily lifestyle and diet plan for treatment of GERD.
    Food and beverages like chocolates, fatty food, coffee, alcohol and peppermint should be avoided in order to reduce the weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Several food items irritate the damaged oesophageal lining and should also be avoided. They include citrus fruits, tomato and pepper.
    Smoking cigarettes results in weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter and should be stopped to reduce GERD.
    One should elevate the head of the bed on which he or she sleeps on blocks measuring 6 inches. This reduces the heartburn as gravity minimizes stomach reflux to return to the oesophagus.
    Over the counter medicines can be used to cure GERD. Antacids are a good example and neutralize the acid in the oesophagus and stomach, reducing heartburn. Combining antacids with foaming agents is also effective. A foam barrier is formed over the stomach, preventing the occurrence of acid reflux.
    Medicines for reducing acid in the stomach are prescribed in cases of chronic GERD, which include H2 blockers by the likes of cimetidine, famotidine or nizatidine.

GERD is a digestive disorder, which causes disruption in digestion, as reflux from the stomach is returned to the oesophagus. Proper treatment measures should be taken.


Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Consuming too much alcohol can cause people a lot of problems like nausea and headache. Additionally, it can also mess up with your bowel movements and affects your motions by giving you loose motions or constipation. Alcohol hinders digestion, causes dehydration and drying out, discourages glucose metabolism and compromises the working of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The combined effect of these components is the primary reason for chronic constipation, identified with alcohol misuse. 

Here are a few reasons why and how alcohol can mess up with your poop:

Dehydration: Alcohol tends to dehydrate the body almost as much as a session in a sauna does. That is the reason your mouth feels so dry the next morning. Once your body gets dehydrated, it works extra minutes to recover the liquids and electrolytes from any place it can find them, including from the substance of your stomach. Accordingly, stools become dry, hard and difficult to pass.
Powerlessness to move bowels: Alcohol smothers intestinal peristalsis and kills the urge to move your bowels. For the same reason, it kills your decision making ability. Inability to move your bowel when you want, expands, impacts and solidifies the already dried out stools until it gets too difficult to go out without straining and subjecting yourself to anorectal harm. These are the two issues that usually precede chronic constipation.
Loss of electrolytes: Alcohol causes loss of electrolytes that are vital to hold dampness in the poop. Eg. Sodium and potassium. Water maintenance in the body and stools requires sodium and potassium, the minerals known as electrolytes. These are not stored in the body for the same prolonged way as calcium or magnesium and they require constant replenishment. Since alcohol stimulates urination and regularly causes diarrhea and nausea, these minerals are rapidly lost.
Occupies digestion: Alcohol in excess causes extreme vomiting that encourages the majority of the above conditions. Liquor hinders stomach absorption and causes deferred stomach emptying. This condition is known as gastroparesis. After around 8 to 10 hours inside the stomach, undigested proteins begin to spoil. This can lead to loss of appetite and the inability to eat proper meals.
Diarrhea: Alcohol affects your glucose level to such a degree that it might bring about loss of bowel capacity control and result in loose bowels, with symptoms like vomiting and nausea. Just like sometimes the knees go powerless on you from an excessive amount of alcohol, so does your bowel movement. In turn, diarrhea and vomiting are caused due to excess intake of alcohol may bring about serious irritation of the whole GI tract and digestive system, and fester in the body for quite a while.

Can Drinking Alcohol Mess with Your Poop?

Constipation is something which not everyone is very open to talking. Everyone tries to avoid the topic as much as possible. They are happier discussing their sore throat or maybe a headache. Everyone likes to keep constipation to themselves. So here are some home remedies that can be used to help solve the problem of constipation.

Olive Oil
Just take one tablespoon of olive oil before eating anything else helps to solve the problem as it works best on an empty stomach. So in case, anyone forgets it, they can have it again once they have not eaten for a while. Mixing it will lemon juice is an option (not mandatory) as it helps lighten the flavour.

Fresh Lemon Juice
Drinking one cup of warm water with a lemon squeezed into it is a good way to get rid of constipation problems. It contains citric acid. It helps in removing the toxins and undigested materials. Once mixing it with warm water reduces the lemon flavour and also provides fluids to make sure things return to the way they should be. A doctor would also recommend the same thing.

Coffee
Well if the coffee was a solution, then most of the people would happily be sipping coffee throughout the day. However, overdoing anything is not okay. 1-2 cups of coffee are fine as coffee is diuretic or in simple terms, it increases the frequency at which a person will urinate. But more coffee does the complete opposite thing. As a result, even the water which was supposed to soften the stool ends being drawn out by excess coffee.

Baking Soda
When it comes to home remedies, baking soda is one of the best solutions. It is the cure to many problems. It s an incredible solution to constipation. Baking soda is a bicarbonate which means it will ensure that air comes out of the body one way or another, thus, relieving the pain from pressure. Just mix baking soda with a 1/4th cup of warm water, and it is ready to go. It works better if the concerned person can drink it as fast as he can.

Conclusion
Keeping all home remedies aside, it s crucial to consult a medical practitioner as the home remedies can only help us to a certain extent. Thus we mustn't depend on them completely. A medical practitioner, on the other hand, would be able to guide the patient in a proper and better way. So a timely visit never harms in any way.

Ayurvedic Herbs/Oil--

Seasamum Till for Kaf-vataj
Almond oil for Vat-prikriti
Kalaungi oil for DM and neurological rediculopathies caused by DM

Constipation - Home Remedies At Your Rescue!

Constipation is a irritating problem that mostly occurs due to the absence of adequate amount of fibre or water in your diet. It is caused by slow movement of food through the digestive tract. Constipation can occur due to poor bowel habit, eating less fiber, medications, hormonal issues or some other disease.


Here are some common solutions that can seriously help you out in constipation:
Yogurt: Excellent source of probiotics, which contain beneficial bacteria are a great remedy for constipation. However, you can take the humble homemade yogurt full of beneficial bacteria in your meal every day and get relief from constipation.
Oatmeal Tea: When things are severe, oatmeal is fibrous, honey is healing and moisturizing and chamomile is an anti-inflammatory agent, which soothes the stomach. Together, they can stop severe constipation. So, take a cup of water and add three teaspoons of oatmeal, a tea bag of chamomile and two teaspoons of honey. Drink 2-3 times a day if your problem is severe.
Baking soda: Baking soda is an effective cure for gas, pressure and pain in the digestive tract and stomach ache as excessive air is released from the body by its action. It also functions as a laxative by making the passage of accumulated waste products through the intestines a smooth process. Moreover, stool is loosened and passed without pain on its consumption. Directions - take a quarter cup of warm water and stir a teaspoon of baking soda into it. Consume the mixture as quickly as you can.
Castor oil: Castor oil is often referred to as a stimulant laxative and is a very useful remedy for constipation. Castor oil enables smooth movement and functioning of the intestines, making it easier for stool to pass.  Directions - drink 1 to 2 teaspoons of castor oil on an empty stomach. It takes about 8 hours to show its effect, so decide which time of the day will be suitable for you to consume it.
Coconut oil and flaxseed: A great combination coconut oil is a wonderful hydrating agent and eases stool. Flaxseeds help in the elimination of toxins, excess fat and cholesterol from the body. So in one tablespoon of coconut oil add half a teaspoon of flaxseeds, chew well and eat this every morning.

Need Relief From Constipation - 5 Ayurvedic Remedies at Your Rescue

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