Piles mean Hemorrhoids. Piles are enlarged blood vessels inside or outside the anus. These enlarged blood vessels present the anus play a vital role in balancing but if these blood vessels enlarge than the normal size forming swollen collections of tissues in the anal area, it causes Piles.
Piles usually look like small, round, and discolored lumps that can be felt in the area of the anus or hanging down from the anal canal.
Piles can grow into more severe conditions if not treated on time, which can include –
- Infections
- Strangulated Hemorrhoid in which blood clots are caused as the blood supply to the hemorrhoid is cut off.
- Excess anal bleeding may lead to Anemia.
- Fecal Incontinence where the person is unable to control the bowel movements.
- Anal Fistula where a new layer of skin is created inside or outside the anus.
Symptoms :
- Bright red blood after having a bowel movement.
- Sore, itchy and red anus area.
- A hard red lump may be felt around the anus.
- Pain while passing the stool.
- Feeling of full bowel after passing stool.
Grade :
Piles are graded on a scale from I to IV. Following are the descriptions of the grades –
Grade I
Here piles are not visible as they are small and usually inside the linings of the anus.
- Grade II
Piles are larger than the Grade I but are also inside the linings of the anus and may get pushed out while passing the bowel movement but they will return inside the linings.
- Grade III
Piles appear outside the anus and may be felt hanging from the rectum but get easily pushed back in. These piles are also known as Prolapsed Hemorrhoids.
- Grade IV
Piles are the same as Grade III, but they are large and cannot be easily pushed back, which means they remain outside the anus.
At the stages of Grade III & IV, treatment and surgery are required compulsorily.
Causes:
Piles are caused due to –
- Pregnancy
- Genetics
- Constipation
- Ageing (45-65 years)
- Sitting for too long
- Obesity
- Severe Diarrhea
- Straining during a bowel movement or
- Anal Intercourse
- Lifting Heavy Weights.
Treatment of Piles:
Piles can be treated with the help of –
- Lifestyle changes such as dieting, maintaining body weight, avoiding certain foods, etc.
- Medication
- Surgical Options
There are various surgical options available to treat piles such as –
- Banding
This procedure is effective for piles of Grade IV and grade III status. Also known as Rubber Band Ligation. During this procedure, the doctor will insert a light with a small tube which is called “anoscope” in the patient’s rectum until it reaches hemorrhoid. Along with the anoscope; a small tool “ligator” is inserted inside the rectum to place one or more rubber bands at the base of the hemorrhoid to limit the blood flow.
- Infrared Coagulation (IRC)
This procedure is effective for piles that are below Grade IV status. In this procedure, the doctor uses a device that creates an intense beam of infrared light whose heat causes scars in tissues which cut off the blood supply to hemorrhoids. Due to this, a hemorrhoid dies and a scar is formed on the wall of the anal canal which will hold the nearby veins in place so that they won’t bulge in the anal canal.
This procedure can also be done with the help of other devices such as Lasers or Electrical Current.
- Sclerotherapy
This procedure is effective for those kinds of piles that are Grade IV and Grade III status. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a light with a short tube called a “proctoscope” in the anus. With the help of the proctoscope, a liquid that contains drugs such as quinine, polidocanol (zinc chloride) is injected around the enlarged hemorrhoids. This liquid will shrink the hemorrhoids by damaging their blood vessels and will reduce the blood supply to the hemorrhoids. This procedure is carried on for a few weeks.
- Hemorrhoidectomy
This procedure is effective for those kinds of piles that are of Grade IV status. In this procedure, the enlarged hemorrhoids are removed with the help of using instruments such as scissors, a scalpel, or a laser. The surgeon performs surgical techniques such as “open”, “partially open” or “closed” which means that in some cases, the wound is left open after the procedure, and in some cases, the wound is partially or completely closed.
The advantage of leaving the wound partially or completely open is that the complications of the stitches and bruises are less but take a lot of time to heal.
- Hemorrhoid Stapling
This procedure is effective for those kinds of piles that are of Grade III status. Stapling is a recently developed technique. In this procedure, first, the doctor removes some of the enlarged hemorrhoids and then staples the remaining tissues to the lining of the anus again.
Laser Treatment of Piles vs. Stapler Treatment
Laser treatment is effective in Grade II or Grade III piles, whereas Stapler treatment is effective in Grade IV piles. In laser treatment, the patient experiences a painless treatment as there are no cuts or stitches and then the patient can return to work within 48 hours. The piles are completely cured with laser treatment if the patient follows the after-surgery instructions provided by the doctor.
In stapler treatment, the patient experiences less pain compared to the patients who undergo the traditional treatment.
The only disadvantage of stapling treatment is that the hemorrhoids grow back soon and come out of the anus more often so the patient has to undergo this procedure again and again.
Conclusion:
To get the best knowledge regarding the causes of the piles and their treatment it is recommended to visit your nearby Piles & Fistula Clinic or the best clinics and hospitals in Pune for the best Laser Operations for Piles. If you are looking for getting your piles operated then there are Best Hospitals for Piles Operation and Piles Laser Treatment in Pune.