PILES (HEMORRHOIDS)

Some call it pile; some call it jedi, and others call it hemorrhoid. Regardless of what you call it, hemorrhoids are enlarged and bulging veins from inside the rectum (the part that leads from your intestine to your anus).

Causes of Hemorrhoids

Fun Fact: Everyone has hemorrhoids; we are born with them. However, they don’t become problematic until they become enlarged and begin to cause discomfort. This article focuses on symptomatic hemorrhoids. Things that can cause hemorrhoids to become problematic include:

Increased Abdominal Pressure

It has been believed for a long time that a sustained increase in intra-abdominal pressure can cause issues like prolapse, hernia, and piles. Some conditions that can lead to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure include:

• Constipation and Straining: When you are constipated and you keep straining in order to poop, there is increased pressure in your abdomen. This increase in abdominal pressure can cause the veins in the rectum to dilate and bulge downwards.

• Pregnancy: Pregnancy creates a state of increased abdominal pressure, understandably so. Most women who develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy return to their previous asymptomatic state after delivery.

Reduced Blood Flow

When blood does not flow freely through the veins in the rectum, it can lead to hemorrhoids. Things that can impede blood flow in the rectum and anal region include pregnancy, sitting too long on the toilet, and aging.

Other Possible Causes

• Chronic diarrhea
• Obesity
• Family history
• Anal sex
• Liver disease (especially portal hypertension)

How to Prevent Hemorrhoids

As the saying goes, prevention is the best medicine. Some things you can do to prevent piles include:

• Drink lots of water
• Eat loads of fruits and vegetables
• Poop when you need to
• Don’t sit on the toilet for too long
• Avoid straining
• Maintain a healthy weight and normal BMI

Signs and Symptoms of Hemorrhoids

Some of the things you may observe if you have hemorrhoids include:

• Passage of bright red blood with stool, often unmixed.
• Mucus discharge from the anus.
• Anal discomfort
• Anal irritation
• Falling out of the hemorrhoid on defecation. It may return inwards afterward. Or not.
• Skin tags around the anus

Stages of Hemorrhoids

• First Degree Hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoid may come out of your anus during defecation, but it goes right back in when you are done. There may be associated bleeding.

• Second Degree Hemorrhoid: In second-degree hemorrhoids, the hemorrhoid protrudes through your anus but does not go back in on its own. However, if you try to push it back in yourself, it will go in.

• Third Degree Hemorrhoid: You can’t simply push this one back in yourself.

Complications of Hemorrhoids

If piles aren’t treated on time, what can happen?

• It can become inflamed
• It can be gangrenous
• Bleeding can lead to anaemia

Treatment of Hemorrhoids

• High Fiber Diet: Food rich in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, help to produce well-formed stool. Well-formed stool is easier to pass and does not require straining.

• Medications: Certain drugs, such as Daflon, can increase the flow of blood through the rectal veins and prevent bleeding. Before you take medications, ensure you visit a doctor, get an accurate diagnosis, and have a valid prescription.

• Sclerotherapy: This involves injecting a sclerosant into the area around the hemorrhoid to make it shrink.

• Rubber Band Ligation: A “rubber band” is tied around the base of the hemorrhoid with a particular tool. This forces the hemorrhoid to die and fall off.

• Cryotherapy: If you quickly freeze and quickly thaw a patch of tissue, it will die off. Therefore, this method is sometimes employed to treat piles.

• Hemorrhoidectomy: This is the surgical removal or trimming of hemorrhoids.

When to Seek Medical Attention

You may be wondering, “At what point should I see a doctor?” The answer is simple and straightforward: As soon as you notice any abnormality in or around your anus.