Piles or haemorrhoids are swollen veins in the rectum or anus. They can have a lot of possible causes, but the exact reason is still unknown. The one most common reason that researchers cite is the excessive straining during bowel movement and increased pressure on the veins during pregnancy. Some of the common signs of this condition include discomfort, bleeding, and itching. A clot can be witnessed occasionally. There could be swelling around the anus as well.

How is a pile diagnosed?
Doctors often recognize this condition just by doing a physical exam of the rectum. By lubricating the glove and inserting a finger into the rectum, a doctor can gauge any unusual growth around the rectum area. A doctor might also use a sigmoidoscopy or a proctoscopy to witness the lower portion of the colon. Apart from this, a doctor might prescribe a colonoscopy, if he fathoms that there is a possibility of colorectal cancer or a disease related to the digestive system.

Treatment of piles

Medication: In case of mild discomfort, a doctor might prescribe over-the-counter pads, ointments, creams or suppositories. Products such as these contain lidocaine, witch hazel or hydrocortisone that can relieve a person from itching and pain. One should stop consuming over-the-counter medicine, if there is no change in the condition.
Haemorrhoid thrombectomy: If a clot has appeared along with a pile in the rectum, a doctor can remove it by making an incision and draining the clot. This can fetch instant relief. The best time to do this is within 72 hours of clot formation.
Minimally invasive procedures: 
Rubber band litigation: This form of surgery involves placing of a couple of rubber band at the base of the piles to cut off blood circulation. In due course, the haemorrhoids fall off. Although this form of treatment works for many people, the patient has the risk of bleeding within few days of placing the rubber band.
Sclerotherapy: This form of treatment involves injecting a chemical into the haemorrhoid. The chemical shrinks the piles within few days. There is hardly any pain involved with sclerotherapy.
Surgical procedure:
Haemorrhoidectomy: This is the process by which a surgeon eradicates the excess tissue that might be causing the piles. The patient is sedated before performing this procedure. Some amount of pain is experienced after the procedure is over. The temporary difficulty of urination can be faced by a patient after this procedure.
Stapled hemorrhoidopexy: This surgery is only performed for internal haemorrhoids. The process involves blocking the blood supply. The process of stapling has less pain compared to a Haemorrhoidectomy. On the flip side, studies have shown that this procedure has an increased chance of recurrence of haemorrhoids.


Piles - Diagnosis and Treatment

Piles, fistula and fissures are the most common problems affecting the rectum and the anus. Both the rectum as well as the anus has a very rich vascular supply. There could be swelling of these blood vessels or tearing which can lead to the above conditions. Read on to know additional details about each of these conditions. 

Piles: In simple words, swollen blood vessels of the anal region are called piles. It can be internal or external, depending on how far it is from the anal canal. If it is located farther inside the anal canal, it is called internal piles.

Causes:

Chronic constipation, where the person has to strain to pass stools
Smoking and genetics can also lead to piles.
Symptoms: Starts off as painless bleeding, which happens in drops after bowel movement; the swelling happens much later. They can continue to grow and develop blood clots.

Treatment:

In the early stages, once identified, simple topical medications for symptom relief are sufficient.
Diet should be rich in fiber, with fruits and vegetables
Increased water consumption
Surgery if the disease has reached the stage of blood clots
Prevention is advised if there is a family history by consuming a fiber-rich diet and maintaining hydration
Fistula: When an infected anal gland bursts into the anal canal, it constantly discharges pus into the anal canal and becomes a fistula. Hygienic toilet habits can help in preventing fistulas.

Symptoms:

A constant wet feeling in the anal area, due to pus discharge.
This would be intermittent, and there would be periods with no discharge.
There could be a foul smell due to pus discharge.
Diagnosis and Treatment:

Identifying the exact location is important as surgery may be required.
An ultrasound scan or an MRI is usually done.
Newer techniques like Video Assisted Anal Fistula Treatment (VAAFT) are used. This locates the piles accurately and uses electric current to seal it with staples and surgical glue.
Conventional surgery is also used for economic or accessibility reasons.
Fissures: These cracks anywhere in the length of the anal canal are extremely common.
Symptoms

Very painful and the person may not want to go to the toilet
Rarely bleeding is also seen, maybe in very small amounts
Treatment:

Over 90% of the fissures do not require surgery
Switching to a high-fiber diet and improving hydration will help in managing these symptoms.
Topical relief can be provided by medications.
When they are recurrent, a procedure known as lateral sphincterotomy is done. This is an outpatient procedure and provides immediate relief.
Though one condition can lead to another, in most people, there is a strong genetic component, and working towards prevention is highly recommended.

Piles, Fistula and Fissures - Can Ayurveda Help You?

Piles are Haemorrhoids which become inflamed and are accompanied with bleeding. Haemorrhoids can be defined as masses or clumps of tissues developing in the anal canal. Haemorrhoids comprise of blood vessels, support tissues, muscles and elastic fibres.

Bleeding piles can be treated using several methods or forms of surgery. The Ayurvedic form of treatment called agni karma is an effective, natural cure for bleeding piles. On the other hand, a medical procedure known as infra red coagulation therapy can also be executed for the efficient treatment of bleeding piles or haemorrhoids.

Agni karma an Ayurvedic Remedy for Treating Piles
In Sanskrit, the word 'Agni' refers to 'Fire'. Agni karma is an ayurvedic therapy, which involves the use of agni or fire. It is also called cauterization. Agni karma is popularly called Dahan Karma. Agni karma is used in the treatment of many diseases of different type. It is a good method for the treatment of bleeding piles.

In this process, any ailing surface of the body or a tissue, such as haemorrhoids, is destroyed and burnt by using a heated instrument using electric current and by freezing. An acidic agent for cutting like kshar karma is also used in the process of agni karma for the treatment of bleeding piles.

The different types of agni karma include:

uchchh dagdha /scarce agni karma
Durdaghda/ inappropriate burning surgery
Aati dagdha /powerful or excess cauterization
Samyak dagdha / appropriate agni karma
Infra red Coagulation Therapy-

Infra red coagulation therapy or infra red photo coagulation is a medical process which is used to treat bleeding piles or haemorrhoids, and can only cure internal haemorrhoids.

During the process, a device is utilized, which produces a beam of intense, powerful infra red light. The heat released by the infra red light causes scar tissue and blood supply to the haemorrhoids to be cut off. This results in the death of haemorrhoid or piles, and a scar forms on the anal canal wall. The surrounding veins are held together by the scar tissue which avoids them bulging into the anal canal.

Agni karma, the Ayurvedic treatment, is considered to an effective medical treatment procedure of infra red coagulation therapy. This is because:

Agni karma is a much more natural method of treatment for bleeding piles, and no unnatural substance like infra red light beam is used.
Agni karma provides treatment without failure, and success is guaranteed. 
Besides, guggulu kshar sutra therapy is also one of the best therapies - No side effects & no chances of recurrence, no hospital stay, no pain, join duty immediately. 

Bleeding Piles Treated by Agni Karma and Infra Red Coagulation Therapy

Hemorrhoids are masses, clumps, cushions of tissue in the anal canal - they are full of blood vessels, support tissue, muscle and elastic fibers.

Although hemorrhoids are thought of as unpleasant inflammations, we all have them.1 It is when the hemorrhoidal cushions become too big (inflamed) that problems occur - when this happens they are called piles or pathological hemorrhoids.

"Piles" are the swollen ones that are painful and cause problems, hemorrhoids can refer to the swollen ones (pathological hemorrhoids) or simply the normal structure. 

Piles can be of various sizes and may be internal (inside the anus) or external ones (outside the anus). Typically, internal piles occur from 2 to 4cm above the opening of the anus. External piles (perianal hematoma) occur on the outside edge of the anus. The internal ones are much more common.

Internal hemorrhoids -

They are classified into four grades:

Grade 1 - there are small inflammations, usually inside the lining of the anus. They are not visible.
Grade 2 - larger than Grade 1 hemorrhoids, and also inside the anus. When passing a stool they may get pushed out, but soon return.
Grade 3 - often called 'prolapsed hemorrhoids'; these appear outside the anus. The patient may feel them hanging out. They can be pushed back in if the patient presses with his/her finger.
Grade 4 - these cannot be pushed back in and need to be treated by a doctor. They are large and stay outside the anus all the time.
External hemorrhoids -

called perianal hematoma. These are small lumps that are located on the outside edge of the anus. They are extremely itchy and can be painful if a blood clot forms inside (thrombosed external hemorrhoid). Thrombosed external hemorrhoid requires medical treatment straight away.

What are the signs and symptoms of piles?

A symptom is something the patient feels and describes, such as a pain, while a sign is something everybody can see, such as a rash.

A hard lump may be felt around the anus. It consists of coagulated blood, called a thrombosed external hemorrhoid. This can be extremely painful.
After going to the toilet, a feeling that the bowels are still full.
Bright red blood after a bowel movement.
Itchiness in the anus area.
Mucus discharge when emptying the bowels.
Pain while defecating.
The anus area may be red and sore.
When passing a stool the person may strain excessively.
Why do piles occur?

The blood vessels around the anus and in the rectum will stretch under pressure and may swell or bulge. Inflamed veins (hemorrhoids) can develop when pressure increases in the lower rectum. This may be due to:

Chronic constipation
Chronic diarrhoea
Lifting heavy weights.11
Pregnancy.12
Straining when passing a stool.13
The tendency to develop hemorrhoids may also be inherited. The risk of developing piles grows with age

What are the treatment options for piles?

In the majority of cases, piles resolve on their own without the need for any treatment. Treatments can help significantly reduce the discomfort and itching that many patients experience.

A good doctor will initially recommend some lifestyle changes.

Diet - piles can be caused by too much straining when doing bowel movements, which is the result of constipation. A change in diet can help keep the stools regular and soft. This involves eating more fiber, such as fruit and vegetables, or even switching your cereal breakfast to bran.16

Water is the best drink, and the patient may be advised to increase his/her water consumption. Some experts say too much caffeine is not good.

Body weight - if the patient is obese, losing weight may help reduce the incidence and severity of hemorrhoids.

Simple things you can do yourself to help prevent piles:

Try not to strain when you go to the toilet.
Avoid laxatives.
Exercise.
HOMEOPATHY TREATMENT FOR PILES

it is treated  in homeopathy by constitutional medications which relives ressure and which initiates free stools. Thus, constitutional homeopathic medications restore your body s normal functions.

Hemorrhoids - Everything You Should Know About It!

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.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

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

How to Manage Piles at Home and with Medication

Piles or hemorrhoids can be a debilitating disorder of the rectum and anus where passing stool becomes painful. It is the swelling of the veins in the anus and the rectum, which may then be bruised by hard stool passing through it or due to excessive pressure being put on it. This can be a very painful and embarrassing condition for many people to go through.

Remedies for piles at home

There are many remedies that you can try at home to reduce the pain and swelling and even reduce the hemorrhoids themselves over time. Let's look at a few of the options.

Radish for treatment: In this treatment, a radish should be crushed and mixed with appropriate amounts of milk to form a thick paste, which is to be applied on the anus twice daily, and washed off after 15 minutes. This should relieve the symptoms in a few days.

Cumin seeds paste: You can take a tablespoon of cumin seed powder, make it into a paste after adding water and then put it on the affected area. After leaving it for 15 minutes or so, it should be washed away with water. Repeating this twice daily will help with the symptoms and reduce pain.

Diet: Lack of a balanced diet can be problematic for those with piles, and thus, it is recommended that enough roughage such as green leafy vegetables and fruits are included in the diet as well.

Figs: Dried figs are also another great weapon against piles. Soaking some dried figs in warm water overnight and then having them in the morning is known to be good for smooth bowel movements, thus, relieving pressure on the rectal veins.

Some Ayurvedic Medications that May Prove Effective with Piles:

Some of the specific ayurvedic medication that are known to be helpful in treating piles are:

Hareetaki: This is the fruit peel of Harad and if taken with 1 cupful of jaggery, it can reduce the symptoms of constipation as reported by many patients.

Castor oil: Mixing a small teaspoon of castor oil with a glass of milk can also help soften the stool and reduce the stress on the rectal walls.

Nagakesara: This is also an ayurvedic medicine, which is usually prescribed as oral medication three times daily and has proven its effectiveness many times over.

Abhayarishta: 30 ml of this ayurvedic herb is also given to patients after food with equal parts water and has been known to be very effective.

Kasiaditaila: This is an oil, which should be applied externally and it can help reduce the inflammation and itching caused by piles.

10 Best Home Remedies to Treat Piles  - Natural Treatment

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