How to stop unwanted bleeding in the toilet?
This is the question asked to me by both male and female patients after taking over the counter medicines, homeopathic drugs and Ayurveda treatments. There is no answer to this until patient undergoes surgery as there are no medicines which can remove piles or dissolve them.
What are piles?
They are dilated, engorged and tortuous venous plexus which starts bleeding due to hard stools or constipation or without any cause. There are 4 grades:
- Piles within rectum,
- Piles which prolapse on straining but automatically replaced,
- Piles prolapse and require manual reposition, and last one is
- Prolapsed & thrombosed piles, which cannot be replaced back in to the rectum
CAUSES of piles- constipation, western diet, lack of fiber, less drinking of water, alcohol, non vegetarian spicy diet, pregnancy, cigarette smoking, straining for stools, obesity, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition.
SYMPTOMS- per-rectal bleeding, constipation, heaviness in the rectum, itching, severe pain after passing stools, hard stools, anemia, weakness, etc.
DO NOT IGNORE PER RECTAL BLEEDING AS RECTAL OR COLONIC CANCER AND PILES CAN BE COEXISTENT
DIAGNOSIS- By authorised general surgeon with protoscopy which do not require anesthesia. CURE IS ONLY WITH SURGERY, either haemorrhoidectomy with cautery or harmonic scalpel or stapler surgery.
HOW TO PREVENT THEM?-weight control, drink lot of water, add fiber to diet, salads, grains to diet, do not strain. Take medical help as soon as you see any bleeding.
DO NOT TAKE ANY DRUGS ON THE COUNTER WITH OUT SURGEON'S PRESCRIPTION.
Surgery is the only answer to the piles. There is no loss of control on the sphincters or incontinence with surgery. It is painless in this new era of medicines and cost effective as concerned with patient's sufferings. There are no chances of recurrence of piles. Patient is usually discharged on second day of the operation depending upon the grades of piles.