Piles or Hemorrhoids are among the most common ailments today, especially in the western world. They are a varicose and often inflamed condition of the veins inside or just outside the rectum. In external piles, there is a lot of pain but not much bleeding. In the case of internal piles, there is discharge of dark blood.
Hemorrhoids are classified from mild to severe depending on the degree of prolapse, that is, how much they protrude from the anus. In some cases the veins burst and this results in what is known as bleeding piles.
Symptoms
Pain at passing stools, slight bleeding in the case of internal trouble, and a feeling of soreness and irritation after passing a stool are the usual symptoms of piles. The patient cannot sit comfortably due to itching, discomfort, and pain in the rectal region.
Causes
The primary cause of pile is chronic constipation and other bowel disorders. The pressure applied to pass a stool to evacuate constipated bowels and the congestion caused by constipation ultimately lead to piles. The use of purgatives to relieve constipation, by their irritating and weakening effect on the lining of the rectum, also result in enlargement and inflammation of veins and bleeding of mucus lining.
Piles are more common during pregnancy and in conditions affecting the liver and upper bowel. Prolonged periods of standing or sitting, strenuous work, obesity and general weakness of the tissues of the body are the other contributory causes of piles.
Mental tension is also one of the main causes of hemorrhoids. Persons who are always in a hurry often strain while passing stools. They rush through defecation instead of making it a relaxed affair. The pressure thus exerted by the anal muscles affect the surrounding tissues. The extra rectal pressure and resultant congestion of veins ultimately lead to hemorrhoids. Hereditary factors also probably, involved in the development of piles.