Haemorrhoids

Haemorrhoids, commonly known as piles, occurs when the veins in your anus or lower rectum become swollen and enlarged. These swollen, enlarged veins cause anal itching, pain, discomfort, and bleeding. Haemorrhoids can happen both inside and outside the rectum, and are categorized based on the location of the swollen veins: 

• Internal Haemorrhoids: Located deep inside the rectum. They are usually painless but are the most common cause of bright red blood in stools. 
• External Haemorrhoids: Located under the skin around the anus. Often visible, these are itchy & painful. 
• Prolapsed Haemorrhoids where internal haemorrhoids stretch and bulge outside the anus, causing bleeding and pain. 
• Thrombosed Haemorrhoids where a blood clot forms in an external haemorrhoid, appearing as painful purple/ blue lump outside the anus. 

While haemorrhoids are generally not life-threatening, they are painful and uncomfortable. In rare cases, chronic untreated piles do cause complications including anaemia, extremely painful strangulated haemorrhoids, infections, and blood clots.

The veins in the lower rectum and anus become enlarged and swollen when there is increased pressure on them. Common factors that increase the pressure on these veins and cause haemorrhoids are: 

• Chronic Straining: Applying excessive pressure during bowel movements, often due to constipation or diarrhoea.
• Low-Fiber Diet: A diet lacking in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains leads to hard stools that are difficult to pass.
• Prolonged Sitting on Toilet: Spending long periods on the toilet can increase the pressure on anal veins.
• Chronic Constipation or Diarrhoea: Frequent irregularities in bowel habits put consistent stress on the rectal walls.
• Pregnancy: The growing uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins, and hormonal changes can relax vein walls.
• Aging: As you get older, the tissues that support the veins in your rectum and anus can weaken and stretch.
• Heavy Lifting: Regularly lifting heavy objects can increase intra-abdominal pressure.
• Obesity: Carrying excess body weight, particularly around the abdomen, increases pressure on the pelvic veins.

While ulcerative colitis and haemorrhoids are two different conditions, they often appear together due to shared mechanical strain. Ulcerative Colitis (UC) causes frequent, urgent bowel movements and chronic diarrhoea. This repeated straining and increased frequency put excessive pressure on the veins in the rectum, which directly leads to the development or flare-up of Haemorrhoids.

Even haemorrhoid treatment specialists like Dr. Rajiv Grover will suggest home remedies and lifestyle management as the first step to managing piles. For smaller haemorrhoids, eating more fibre, hydration and changes to toilet habits are effective. However, if a week’s home remedies do not provide relief, you must consult a doctor right away. 

Over-the-counter creams can help relieve itching and minor pain, but they do not cure the underlying swollen veins. Note that piles aren’t the only cause of rectal bleeding; rectal bleeding can be caused by colorectal or anal cancers and IBD. For a long-term fix, especially if there is bleeding, a specialist evaluation is necessary.

A vast majority of piles patients do not need surgery. With modern techniques like Endoscopic Band Ligation, Sclerotherapy, and dietary changes, most cases can be resolved without a single surgical incision. Consult Dr. Rajiv Grover, a leading endoscopy specialist in Ludhiana, for expert evaluation and management of haemorrhoids.

Dr. Rajiv Grover, an experienced piles treatment specialist in Ludhiana, leverages an empathetic, personalized approach to effectively manage symptoms and improve your quality of life significantly. He uses a combination of the following in your individualized, multidimensional treatment plan: 

• Home Remedies & Lifestyle Management:  

• • • High-fibre diets 
    • Adequate hydration 
    • OTC topical creams 
    • Change in bowel habits 
    • Soaking in warm water 
    • Softening stools with laxatives 
• Haemorrhoid Creams 
• Minimally Invasive therapeutic endoscopic interventions such as: 

• • Endoscopic Band Ligation (EBL) (to cut off blood flow to piles) 
  • Sclerotherapy (to shrink haemorrhoid) 
  • Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) (non-contact laser therapy for chronic bleed management)
• External Haemorrhoid Thrombectomy
• Surgery: If therapeutic interventions fail, surgery may be necessary.