What are piles? – These are swellings inside and around the anus, usually caused by accumulation of blood in the blood vessels around the anus.

How are piles formed?

Piles are swollen blood vessels around the anus. They make the anus swollen and appear bigger than it is. What makes the blood vessels to become enlarged and the blood in them not emptied is not well understood. However, some factors have been noted to make it more likely to happen in some people than others. 

What are the predisposing factors for pile?

Predisposing factors for pile include:

1. Constipation
2. Passing hard stool
3. Passing stool with force
4. Pregnancy
5. Lifting heavy objects

What are the symptoms of piles?

You may feel some of the following if you have pile:

1. Swelling around the anus which may or not be associated with pain
2. A lump hanging down outside the anus which may need to be pushed back after passing stool
3. Bright red blood after passing stool
4. Feeling of incomplete emptying after passing stool
5. Mucus discharge from the anus after passing stool
6. Itching in the anus
7. Pain and wound around the anus

How is pile treated?

The treatment for pile depends on the symptoms being felt by the affected persons. Treatment can be conservative, in which no active treatment is necessary to surgery.

1. Pain relief – This may be in form of cream or suppository, which may also work for itching and swelling.
2. Anal discomfort – Application of cold packs may help to ease discomfort.
3. Swelling around the anus or anal prolapse – The following methods may be used to treat the swelling of pile:

1. Non-surgical methods: These are methods that block the engorged blood vessels. A rubber band may be used to tie the vessels, which then drop off after a while; or a liquid (sclerosant) is injected into the veins in order to block them. The vessels may be burnt off by application of an instrument which passes electric current to the engorged vessels, making them to shrink. 
2. Surgical method: The pile may need to be cut off or the blood supply to the pile cut and tied

How can pile be prevented?

The following steps may be taken to prevent pile:

1. Eat foods with lots of fibre (e.g. vegetables, beans, yam, rice etc) to help bowel movement.
2. Avoid refined foods with little fibre as much as possible (e.g. energy drinks, bread, cake etc). As a result of little fibre content, movement of bowel content is slowed down, thereby allowing most of the water content to be absorbed along the way.
3. Drink water regularly so as to soften stool and avoid constipation.
4. Pass stool regularly so as to reduce the time stool stays in the gut where the water content is absorbed.