Piles

What are piles?

People sometimes think that piles (hemorrhoids) are like varicose veins of the legs (i.e. a single vein that has become swollen). This is not the case. A pile is one of the soft pads that has slipped downwards slightly, because the surrounding tissue is not holding it in place properly. When this happens, the small blood vessels within the cushion become engorged with blood, so the cushion swells up. When faeces are passed, the pile may be pushed further down the anal canal to the outside, and this is called a prolapsed pile. Doctors classify piles into three types.

First-degree piles are swollen cushions that always remain within in the anal canal; these are painless.

Second-degree piles are pushed down (prolapsed) when faeces are passed, but return to their starting position afterwards.

Third-degree piles are pushed down (prolapsed) when faeces are passed, or come down at other times. They do not go back by themselves after faeces have been passed.

• Intense pain at the time of passing stool.
• Bleeding Often leads to anemia due to profuse bleeding.
• Itching in the rectal region
• Wind formation in the stomach.
• Sitting becomes problematic.

• Chronic constipation and other bowel disorders. The pressure exerted to evacuate the constipated bowels
• affects the surrounding veins. This leads to piles.
• Prolonged periods of sitting or standing.
• Strenuous work
• Obesity
• Mental tension
• Hereditary factors.
• Common during pregnancy