Which Treatment Approach Are You Considering for Your Piles (Hemorrhoids)?
Piles or hemorrhoids are a cluster of tissues that get inflamed in the anal canal and cause several uncomfortable symptoms like painful lump around the anus, feeling of the bowel still being full even after passing stool, red blood after passing stool and many others.
A doctor can diagnose piles by conducting a couple of tests that would include a physical examination. A doctor will examine the anus carefully followed by some questions regarding history of piles in the family or problems while passing stool. For an examination of internal piles, a doctor will perform the digital rectal examination (DRE) or even use a proctoscope which is a tube fitted with a light that gives the doctor a clear view of the anal canal from up close. A colonoscopy is recommended when the doctor thinks that it’s a matter of some other digestive disease due to the signs and symptoms.
Hemorrhoids can be caused due to chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, lifting extremely heavy weights, pregnancy or straining yourself when passing stool. There are several options for hemorrhoids treatment, let’s look at some of the options available to a patient suffering from piles.
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Lifestyle and Diet Changes
This is probably the first step towards treating hemorrhoids that doctors are going to want to take. Making some serious lifestyle and dietary changes can help your stool become soft and regular and that can treat the condition of piles. Changes would include adding more fibre to your diet, increase consumption of water, fruits, vegetables and more bran based breakfast cereals. You might also be asked to avoid caffeine related items because it contributes to constipation. You may also be asked to reduce your body weight which could be a contributing factor in the condition of piles.
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Medication
There are many medications that can be prescribed to treat the condition of piles. Your doctor will prescribe the medication if he/ she feels that it can be controlled and cured with medications itself. There are over the counter medicines available which include painkillers, ointments, hot water pads and more. However, do understand that over the counter medicines can help with soothing the symptoms and not completely cure piles. A doctor may also prescribe laxatives, which can help with easing the constipation and passing stool more easily.
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Surgical Treatment for Piles
There are a couple of surgical options also available for the treatment of piles. This would include banding where a doctor would place an elastic band at the base of the pile, cut off its blood supply and the hemorrhoid would fall off on its own after a few days. This is a recommended procedure for hemorrhoids that are of less than grade IV status.
Another surgical treatment option includes sclerotherapy where the hemorrhoid is shrunk by injecting a medicine. This one is recommended for grade II and III hemorrhoids.
The open surgical treatment for hemorrhoids is called hemorrhoidectomy. In this procedure the tissues that is bleeding is removed through surgery. It is usually done with local anesthetic and sedation, a spinal anesthetic or just under a general anesthetic. This is usually the choice that’s opted for, to remove the entire piles. There are many risks of complications involved with this procedure like difficulty in passing stool and urinary tract infections.
Laser surgery for piles is another very popular and effective treatment option for piles. This procedure is called Hemorrhoid laser procedure (LHP) and is conducted by stopping the hemorrhoidal arterial flow that is feeding the hemorrhoidal plexus with the help of laser coagulation. This can be conducted as an outpatient and requires less recovery time which makes it a suitable option for those who want to get back to work or get back into their daily routine without being admitted in the hospital for days.
Conclusion
Now that you have many treatment options in front of you, making a decision for the cure of piles is going to be easier. Remember that piles laser treatment is the advanced treatment option that patients are opting for to get rid of this disease quickly, painlessly and without long periods of recovery time.