9 Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Piles

Piles affect people of all ages, but it is commonest in adults. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), Piles affect about 50% of adults over 50 years of age. Serious complications like infections, severe pain, bleeding, and so on may develop if left untreated, so we need to get rid of them quickly when they come. The good news is that you can treat most piles yourself at home, and you only need to visit your doctor when the situation is beyond your control.

In this article, you will learn the definition of piles and the types of piles, including the grades, causes, symptoms, prevention, and some home remedies to get rid of piles.

What Are Piles?

The inflammation or enlargement of blood vessels within the anal cavity is considered to be Piles. They are also called hemorrhoids.

Blood vessels and muscles in the anal cavity help to maintain continence. Therefore, they are important. These blood vessels may become swollen and lead to discomfort; some may even prolapse by bulging out of the anal canal.

Types of Piles

There are two major types of Piles, and they include the following:

Internal hemorrhoids

Internal hemorrhoids are inflammation of blood vessels found inside the anal canal above the dentate line. (The dentate line divides the anal canal into upper two-thirds and lower third), and they form part of the lower rectum. These piles cannot be seen or felt.  Blood is found on the feces or the tissue paper used. They are usually painless but can be painful when it bulges out, occurring when passing out feces.

External hemorrhoids

External hemorrhoids are inflammation of blood vessels found in the lower third below the dentate line of the anal canal. They are often painful and can be followed by itching and bleeding, and the pain is usually more when sitting. External hemorrhoids may give rise to ulcerations, and blood clots may also form, which develops into thrombosis.

Grades of Piles

Causes of Piles

Piles can be classified into four grades:

Grade I

Grade I classification of pile involves minute swelling present in the lining of the anal cavity. Small bleeds can only be seen on tissue but don’t prolapse and are not painful.

Grade II

Grade II pile classification involves larger swelling that is still present inside the anal canal and may be pushed out or prolapsed when you want to pass out feces and immediately goes back inside the anal canal.

Grade III

Grade III pile classification involves large swelling that bulges outside of the anal cavity. It hangs down but can be pushed back inside with your hand.

Grade IV 

Grade IV pile classification involves swelling that hangs down the anus that cannot be pushed back inside. It comes with pain and may cause clots to form.

Causes of Piles

Various things cause piles, and it is good to be aware of them. They include:

Constipation

Constipation is when people strain their bowels to pass out feces. This pressure can cause the veins in the anal canal to become inflamed, which is referred to as piles.

Overweight

People who are overweight and obese are at higher risk of getting piles. This is because overweight people have higher intra-abdominal pressure, which allows the veins in the anal canal to lose their elasticity and become dilated, and they may further prolapse.

Pregnancy

As the fetus develops, particularly during the third trimester, the uterus becomes enlarged and begins to push against the pelvis. This, in turn, starts to put pressure on the veins surrounding the anal canal and causes them to become inflamed.

Aging

Although Piles affect people of any age, it is most common in older adults. This happens because, as we age, the connective tissues surrounding the anal canal weaken and may not be able to withstand the normal pressure that is supposed to, which may also result in the swelling of the veins of the anal canal.

Chronic Diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea involves continuous bowel movements for a prolonged time. Continuous bowel movement may irritate the mucosal lining of the anal canal and cause inflammation of the veins of the anal canal.

Persistent Cough

Persistent cough causes piles by increasing the abdominal pressure, causing the looseness and swelling of the veins surrounding the anal canal.

Heavy Lifting

Lifting heavy objects causes people to hold their breath and place pressure on the abdomen. This intra-abdominal pressure has the same effect as putting strain on your abdomen during bowel movement, leading to irritation of the anal canal that causes swelling.

Prolonged Sitting

Sitting for a long time, particularly on a hard surface {such as a chair and toilet seat}, can also cause piles. Pressure is placed on the veins surrounding the anal canal when you sit on your buttocks for a long time. This pressure causes swelling and leads to the pile.

Low Fiber Diet

Consumption of a low-fiber diet seldom causes you to visit the toilet and causes hardening of stools, leading to constipation and increased pressure on the anorectal sphincter. This pressure causes the veins of the anal canal to become inflamed, which is the pile.

Complications of Piles

Piles can become complicated when appropriate care is not given to them as early as possible. The following are the complications of piles.

1. Ulceration

Piles may result in sores if not properly taken care of. This causes the skin of the anal region or rectum to break, which results in pain.

2. Mucus Leakage

When the internal pile becomes inflamed, you can feel a sticky or slippery fluid that causes dampness, known as mucus.

3. Thrombosis

The vessels surrounding the anal canal carry blood, and when they swell, blood pooling may begin to occur, which contributes to the formation of blood clots known as thrombosis.

4. Bleeding

When blood clots begin to swell and pressure from neighboring tissues can cause them to tear, and bleeding occurs.

5. Anemia

When bleeding occurs, there is a loss of blood. In cases of severe loss of blood due to the pile, which is rarely common but possible, there may be loss of iron or Vitamin B12, which is responsible for producing a Red Blood Cell that helps carry oxygen to tissues in parts of the body. If anyone has this, the person is considered anemic and should immediately consult the Physician.

6. Infection

Infection results as a result of the improper flow of healthy blood {particularly the white blood cell that fights infection} into the area with the pile. Symptoms of infected piles include fever, unbearable pain, and redness.

Prevention of Piles

Prevention, they say, is better than cure. It is important to know the preventive measures for piles to stop them from happening. They include:

1. Regular Exercise

Low-impact exercises that do not put pressure on the abdomens should be done to enhance bowel movement, improve circulation and prevent constipation. Exercise can also help reduce body weight, which is relevant in overweight persons since it’s one of the causes of the pile itself. It will help to decrease their intra-abdominal pressure and prevent pile.

2. Water Intake

Staying hydrated is very crucial to overall health. Water also helps improve digestion by helping with other liquids in the breakdown of nutrients and preventing constipation.

3. Avoid Excessive straining

Excessive straining during bowel movement puts pressure on your anorectal sphincter and causes the varicose veins of the anal canal to become swollen. Avoiding excessive straining is, therefore, very important.

4. Keeping your body weight in check

It is always important to constantly check your body weight to maintain a normal weight. Normal Body Mass Index is from 18.5 to 24.9, overweight ranges from 25 to 29.9, and Obesity is above 30. You can calculate BMI by dividing your body weight by the square of your height.

5. Healthy Diet

Eating healthily is an important factor in living. Food high in fiber helps prevent constipation that leads to piles, and it makes feces softer and enables it to pass through the anal canal easily. A high-fiber diet also reduces the time feces spend in the colon by absorbing water, which helps increase the feces’ weight, making excretion faster.

Home Remedies To Get Rid of Pile

9 Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Piles

The following are the home remedies to get rid of the pile, and its symptoms. They include:

1. Creams and Ointments

Creams and ointments help to treat piles by reducing itching and swelling. There are specific creams and ointments for piles containing hydrocortisone that produces relief. This cream can be applied early in the morning and late at night, depending on when you start using it. Make sure you wash your hands before and after applying the cream.

2. Cold Compress

Cold compress, and cryotherapy, is one of the ways to get rid of acute pain. Place ice cubes in a towel or damp clothes and place them for 15 mins on the affected area. It reduces swelling by causing vasoconstriction, which slows down blood supply to that area. It also acts on pain.

3. Hydration

Drinking water helps soften your feces to make it easier to pass through the anal canal. When dehydrated, water is absorbed from the colon and makes the feces very hard. Drinking about 8-10 cups of water is necessary to maximize.

4. Warm Bath

Taking a warm bath known as a sitz bath is done to relax the muscles of the perineal region, and it helps reduce pain. It also helps to prevent pile bleeds from getting infected. A warm bath is also helpful in relieving soreness and is particularly convenient for older adults. You must make sure the water you are using isn’t too hot not to cause more damage to the area, and it must be lukewarm.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is best known for its soothing effect, and it has anti-inflammatory property that protects the skin from infection, pain, and irritation. Extract the gel into a cup, wash your hands, dip your finger into the gel, and insert it into your anal canal. Leave for 15-20 minutes, and then wash it off. Clean softly and not aggressively with a light cloth.

6. Take Fiber Supplements

They help to dispense waste. Foods high in fiber can easily be broken down into simpler molecules. Hence, it aids in digestion and helps to relieve pain from constipation.

7. Ginger

Ginger can be chewed, added to soup, blended to make juice, and other forms in which Ginger can be taken. Ginger helps in digestion and helps in removing waste products from the body, and it helps reduce swelling in piles.

8. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice can also be applied to the area, and it helps strengthen the blood flow to the anal area. And it will burn at first but will be immediately accompanied by relief. They also contain antioxidants (vitamin C)  that flush out poisons and also help to reduce inflammation.

9. Avoid prolonged sitting on toilet seats

Prolonged sitting on toilet seats may worsen the situation because when you sit for long on the toilet seat, you place pressure on your rectum, and the veins of the anal canal begin to clot and inflate. This is why you must be cautious not to sit on it for long.

Final Thoughts

It is expected that the above measures should reduce or remove the symptoms of piles. However, if the home remedies to get rid of piles don’t reduce or impact the symptoms felt, you should immediately consult the physician. For those who have complications from piles like ulceration, bleeding, anemia, and so on, immediate attention from the physician should be sought.