What is Hemorrhoids?
Swollen veins near the lower rectum or the anus are known as hemorrhoids. More than half of all adults experience hemorrhoids or its symptoms before turning 50. They may be external or internal. External hemorrhoids form outside the anus, while internal hemorrhoids form within the rectum or anus. Hemorrhoids can also be called piles. External hemorrhoids can be the most troublesome and are the commonest kind. Hemorrhoids cause severe itches, difficulty in sitting and pain. They are thankfully treatable. Experts aren’t really sure what makes hemorrhoids appear.
Possible factors are:
What causes Hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids may be genetically passed from parents to children. If either of your parents have had hemorrhoids, then you have higher chances of getting them. Constant lifting of heavy objects, having continuous body strain or being overweight can put consistent strain on the body and increase the risks of hemorrhoids. Standing for prolonged periods without taking breaks can also result in hemorrhoid formation. Diarrhea and constant anal intercourse also can increase the risks for hemorrhoids. Pregnancy also increases the chances of developing hemorrhoids. The uterus when it enlarges, presses on a vein present in the colon and makes it bulge. A visual exam of the anus suffices for diagnosing hemorrhoids. For confirming the diagnosis, the doctor might do a separate exam to look for any kind of abnormalities in the anus. This is called a digitized rectal exam. The doctor puts in a lubricated and gloved finger on to the rectum in this exam. If they experience any abnormalities, they might ask you to get an extra test done, known as a sigmoidoscopy. Your doctor will use a tiny camera to look for internal hemorrhoids in a sigmoidoscopy. This tiny fiber optic camera known as a sigmoidoscope is fitted into a narrow tube and is then inserted into the rectum. Using this test, the doctor can get a clear vision of the insides of the rectum so as to examine the hemorrhoid closely. To avoid straining the hemorrhoid, you should avoid putting pressure during bowel movements. Also, try increasing the daily water intake. Drinking sufficient water can prevent the stool from becoming too hard. Regular exercise should be done to prevent constipation. Consuming foods which have a high dietary fiber content can reduce the risks of possible hemorrhoid formation later on. You would notice better bowel movements after proper treatment. Following the doctor’s advice and being regular about certain habits can also help in the overall treatment and prevention of hemorrhoids.
Piles or haemorrhoids refer to swollen blood vessels inside and around the rectum and anus. Depending on where they are located, they can be classified as internal and external haemorrhoids. Small haemorrhoids can be treated with medication, but surgery may be recommended for larger Hemorrhoids. This is known as a “Hemorrhoidectomy” and involves cutting out the enlarged veins. This surgery may be performed in many different ways.
Preparing for a Hemorrhoidectomy
A Hemorrhoidectomy is typically a one day procedure and does not require hospitalization. The patient will be given instructions that need to be strictly followed before the procedure. These include:
When the patient comes to the hospital for surgery, he or she should wear loose, comfortable clothes with an elastic waistband. Any medication being taken should be brought along. While the patient will be discharged the same day, he or she will not be allowed to drive back home. Hence, the patient must also make arrangements for someone to drive them home.
Surgery Procedure
This surgery can take anywhere from half-an-hour to one hour. After consulting the doctor, the patient will be given a hospital gown and medication through the intravenous route to help them relax. Various devices are attached to the body to track the patient’s heart rate, pulse etc. The patient is then put under general anaesthesia for the surgery. After the surgery, the patient will be kept in the recovery room for an hour. They are then transferred to another room and given something to eat and drink.
Hemorrhoidectomy Risks
This procedure has a high success rate and is considered relatively safe. However, as with any other procedure, there are a few risks involved. Before undergoing this surgery, the patient must be well aware of these risks. They include:
Some patients may also experience trouble passing urine. This is because the pain caused by surgery makes it difficult for the patient to relax. However, there is nothing to worry as these risks can be effectively managed by the doctor.
What is hemorrhoid?
Hemorrhoid (piles) is a condition where the veins in the lowest part of rectum and anus get swollen.
How to deal with it?
Following are the most effective measures to reduce the suffering from the piles:
Piles or Hemorrhoids is a common condition that can affect a man or woman at any stage of their life. This is not life-threatening but it can be extremely painful and uncomfortable. Therefore, seeking the proper treatment at the right time is necessary. Surgery is one of the best forms of treatment for this condition. This is known as a hemorrhoidectomy. It ensures that the problem does not recur. Recovering from a surgery to remove piles can take 2-3 weeks. Here are a few tips to ensure fast healing.
Take a sitz bath
A sitz bath can help relieve pain and discomfort after a hemorrhoidectomy. This involves filling a shallow tub with warm water and sitting in it. It is important not to add anything to this water. A sitz bath can be taken multiple times in a day in the first week following surgery. The warm water helps relax the muscles and reduces swelling and pain. Once the water cools down, you may follow a sitz bath with an ice pack. This should not be placed in direct contact with the skin and should be held in place for not longer than 5-10 minutes.
Use a handheld shower to keep the area clean
It is important to keep the surgery site clean at all times. However given the sensitivity around the area, this can be difficult especially after passing stool. Using a handheld shower or bidet attachment can make this process easier and less painful. Air dry the area or pat it dry with a soft towel. Do not rub the area as it may damage the skin.
Use medication wisely
Your doctor will probably prescribe painkillers after the surgery. This prescription must be followed strictly as overuse of opioid painkillers can result in constipation. Along with this, a laxative or stool softener may also be prescribed. The instructions given with this medication must be followed strictly. Taking excessive doses can lead to diarrhoea that may, in turn, slow down the healing process.
Eat Right
To prevent constipation and speed up the healing process, the patient must have a well-balanced diet. This should be rich in fibre to enable waste to travel smoothly through the digestive system. The patient must also drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day. This does not include soft drinks, juices, tea, coffee etc. This keeps stools soft and makes their excretion less painful.
Piles, another term for haemorrhoids, are swollen blood vessels in or around the anus and rectum. Haemorrhoid swelling occurs when there is an increase in the pressure in the small vessels. Therefore, the vein walls become stretched, thin, and irritated by passing bowel movements, and this is when piles develop.
Types of Piles: Haemorrhoids are classified into two general categories:
Symptoms of piles: Generally, the symptoms of piles are not serious. They normally resolve on their own after a few days. These symptoms can also vary depending on the size, position, and grade of the pile. So before discussing the symptoms, let’s take a look at the grades. Grades are nothing but the intensity by which piles occur:
Grade 1: These are small swelling
Grade 2: These are larger swellings
Grade 3: In this case, it hangs out from the anus during bowel movements
Grade 4: In this case, the hanging from within the anus is permanent
The most common symptom is bleeding after going to the toilet or to pass stools. A lump in and around the anus, a feeling that the bowels haven’t emptied completely, watery discharge from the anus, an itchy or sore skin around your anus and pain and discomfort during or after a bowel movement are some of the common symptoms.
Cause of piles: Anyone at any age can be affected by piles. However, they are usually more common in elderly people and during pregnancy. Modern lifestyle, excessive consumption of junk food, stress, and improper eating habits accounts for a majority of anorectal complications, including piles. Diet has a pivotal role in both causing and preventing piles. People who eat high fiber diet are less likely to get haemorrhoids, but people those who prefer a diet high in processed foods are at greater risk of piles. There can be a lot of reasons. However, some of the basic reasons are low fibre diet, prolonged sitting on toilet, indigestion, obesity, diarrhoea, long-term coughing, having a family history of piles, excessive heavy weight lifting, spinal cord injury and lack of erect posture.
Prevention of piles
The preventive measures include:
Stapler Surgery For Piles
Stapling is used to treat prolapsed hemorrhoids. A surgical staple fixes the prolapsed hemorrhoid back into place inside your rectum and cuts off the blood supply so that the tissue will shrink and be reabsorbed. Stapling recovery takes less time and is less painful than recovery from a hemorrhoidectomy.
Small changes in lifestyle can make bowels regular and faeces soft, thereby preventing constipation and piles. There are several lifestyle changes that may be adopted to reduce the symptoms of piles and reduce episodes of aggravated piles in susceptible individuals.
Hemorrhoids or piles are diagnosed by swelling of veins in the lower part of anus and rectum. Due to swelling, the walls of rectum and anus are stretched and thus become irritated. Hemorrhoids are of two types: Internal and External hemorrhoids.
Internal Haemorrhoids: As the name suggests, the piles are not visible from outside. These are present deep inside the rectum, located above the pectinate line and these are covered with the cells that are present through the rest of intestines. Internal hemorrhoids are normally painless. The first sign of internal hemorrhoids is rectal bleeding. However, straining can push internalhemorrhoid and it protrudes through the anus and this can be painful.
Causes of Haemorrhoids
The swelling of hemorrhoid occurs only when the pressure in the small vessels of rectum and anus is increased and is engorged with blood. The size of the hemorrhoids is also increased. The increased pressure may be due to various factors:
Signs and Symptoms of Haemorrhoids:
Treatment of Haemorrhoids
Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH)
Out of the various types of medical and surgical interventions available to treat Piles, Minimally Invasive Procedure for Hemorrhoids (MIPH) 0r painless stapler surgery is known to be very popular since it acts an alternative approach to surgical interventions made for piles.
MIPH is defined as a minimally invasive surgical technique in which a band of loose or prolapsed mucosa and sub mucosa in the rectum is excised, proximal to the piles and disrupted mucosa is fixed by ‘stapled end to end mucosal anastomosis.
This will ultimately occlude the blood supply to the superior hemorrhoidal artery above the hemorrhoidal tissue, resulting in the retraction of prolapsed mucosa back to its original anatomical position. A special circular stapler known as PPHO3 is used in the anastomosis and the whole maneuver will take around 30–45 minutes. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
What is Hemorrhoids?
Possible factors are:
What causes Hemorrhoids?