Piles (haemorrhoids) (2024)

Piles (haemorrhoids) are lumps inside and around your bottom (anus). They often get better on their own after a few days. There are things you can do to treat and prevent piles.

Check if it's piles

Symptoms of piles include:

  • bright red blood after you poo
  • an itchy anus
  • feeling like you still need to poo after going to the toilet
  • mucus in your underwear or on toilet paper after wiping your bottom
  • lumps around your anus
  • pain around your anus
See what piles look like
Piles (haemorrhoids) (1)

Credit:

DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/575741/view

Piles (haemorrhoids) (2)

Credit:

DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/600596/view

Piles (haemorrhoids) (3)

Credit:

Hercules Robinson / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/mediacomp/imagedetails.aspx?ref=ABFA1G

How you can treat or prevent piles

Do

Don’t

  • do not wipe your bottom too hard after you poo

  • do not ignore the urge to poo

  • do not push too hard when pooing

  • do not take painkillers that contain codeine, as they can cause constipation

  • do not take ibuprofen if your piles are bleeding

  • do not spend more time than you need to on the toilet

Ask a pharmacist about treatment for piles

A pharmacist can suggest:

  • creams to ease the pain, itching and swelling
  • treatment to help constipation and soften poo
  • cold packs to ease discomfort

Many pharmacies have private areas if you do not want to be overheard.

Find a pharmacy

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • you have symptoms of piles and they're getting worse or there's no improvement after 7 days of treatment at home
  • you keep getting piles
  • you notice a change around your anus that is not normal for you

The GP may prescribe stronger medicines for piles or constipation. They may also check your symptoms are not being caused by something else.

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

  • you have piles and your temperature is very high or you feel hot and shivery and generally unwell
  • you have pus leaking from your piles

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Hospital treatment for piles

If there's no improvement to your piles after home treatments, you may need hospital treatment.

Talk to your doctor about the best treatment for you. Treatment does not always prevent piles coming back.

Treatment without surgery

Common hospital treatments include:

  • rubber band ligation: a band is placed around your piles to make them drop off
  • sclerotherapy: a liquid is injected into your piles to make them shrink
  • electrotherapy: a gentle electric current is applied to your piles to make them shrink
  • infrared coagulation: an infrared light is used to cut the blood supply to your piles to make them shrink

You'll be awake for this type of treatment, but the area will be numbed.

You should be able to go home on the same day.

If these treatments do not work, you may need surgery to remove your piles.

Surgery

Surgical treatments include:

  • haemorrhoidectomy: your piles are cut out
  • stapled haemorrhoidopexy: your piles are stapled back inside your anus
  • haemorrhoidal artery ligation: stitches are used to cut the blood supply to your piles to make them shrink

You'll usually need to be asleep for this type of treatment and may need to stay in hospital for more than 1 day.

Immediate action required: Go to A&E or call 999 if you have piles and:

  • you're bleeding non-stop
  • there's a lot of blood – for example, the toilet water turns red or you see large blood clots
  • you're in severe pain
What we mean by severe pain
Severe pain:
  • always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk
  • you cannot sleep
  • it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
Moderate pain:
  • always there
  • makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
  • you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:
  • comes and goes
  • is annoying but does not stop you doing daily activities

What causes piles?

Piles are swollen blood vessels. It's not clear what causes them.

Things that make piles more likely:

  • constipation
  • pushing too hard when pooing
  • heavy lifting
  • pregnancy

Find out more about piles during pregnancy

Page last reviewed: 28 March 2022
Next review due: 28 March 2025

Piles (haemorrhoids) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between hemorrhoids and piles? ›

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in your lower rectum. Hemorrhoids inside the rectum are usually painless but tend to bleed. Hemorrhoids outside the rectum may cause pain. Hemorrhoids (HEM-uh-roids), also called piles, are swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum.

How do you get rid of hemorrhoid piles? ›

To remove a hemorrhoid using rubber band ligation, a health care provider inserts a small tool called a ligator through a lighted tube, called a scope, into the anal canal and grasps the hemorrhoid with forceps. Sliding the ligator cylinder upward releases rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid.

Can piles go away on their own? ›

Haemorrhoids (piles) often clear up by themselves after a few days. However, there are many treatments that can reduce itching and discomfort. Making simple dietary changes and not straining on the toilet are often recommended first.

What happens if piles go untreated? ›

Hemorrhoids often bleed during bowel movements. If left untreated, the bleeding can become more frequent and severe. Excessive bleeding can lead to anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells, which transport oxygen to the body's tissues.

Should I be worried if I have piles? ›

Piles rarely cause any serious problems but sometimes they can lead to the following. External piles (swellings that develop further down your anal canal, closer to your anus) can become inflamed and swollen; ulcers can also form on them. Skin tags can form when the inside of a pile shrinks back but the skin remains.

What is best treatment for piles? ›

How are piles treated? Anyone with low grade piles can treat the condition by taking simple actions like drinking more water, increasing fibre intake, and making sure the area is always clean. It is also common for a doctor to prescribe creams to help with irritation, as well as corticosteroids or laxatives.

What kills hemorrhoids fast? ›

Sitz baths

Generally, experts recommend people with painful hemorrhoids sit in warm water for 15 minutes, several times a day — especially after a bowel movement. “This is one of the best treatments,” says Dr. Lipman. A sitz bath for hemorrhoids is generally available at a local pharmacy.

How can I shrink my piles fast? ›

How you can treat or prevent piles
  1. drink lots of fluid and eat plenty of fibre to keep your poo soft.
  2. wipe your bottom with damp toilet paper.
  3. take paracetamol if piles hurt.
  4. take a warm bath to ease itching and pain.
  5. use an ice pack wrapped in a towel to ease discomfort.
  6. gently push a pile back inside.

What is a stage 4 hemorrhoid? ›

Grade 4 hemorrhoids are prolapsed internal hemorrhoids which will not go back inside the anus. For treatment of Grade 3 hemorrhoids and Grade 4 hemorrhoids doctors will often refer patients to surgeons for more serious hemorrhoid treatment procedures.

What does a pile look like? ›

You often won't see anything if you have piles and look at the area round your back passage. This is because most piles are inside your anus and rectum and don't protrude from your bottom. Larger internal piles may hang down out of your back passage, where they look like a discoloured rubbery lump.

Should I push my hemorrhoid back in? ›

Yes, you can push a hemorrhoid back in. In fact, pushing it back inside can protect the blood vessel and lower your risk of getting a blood clot or hemorrhoid strangulation. A strangulated hemorrhoid happens when an internal hemorrhoid pushes outside the anus and gets trapped outside by sphincter muscles.

What is the main cause of piles? ›

Piles can occur due to straining during bowel movements. Excessive straining is the result of constipation. A change in diet can help keep the stools regular and soft. This involves eating more fiber, such as fruit and vegetables, or primarily eating bran-based breakfast cereals.

What happens if piles burst? ›

If the hemorrhoid bursts, an emergency care must be sought. The serious complication that's caused by excess blood loss are dizziness, faintness or even hypotension/shock. However, per rectal bleeding can also be a particular sign of other disease conditions, such as colorectal and anal canal cancer.

Can you still poop with piles? ›

Don't delay bowel movements during hemorrhoid flare-ups. Go when you need to go, because putting off bowel movements can worsen constipation, which then aggravates the hemorrhoids.

Is it okay to ignore piles? ›

Though hemorrhoids are rarely a serious health issue, ignoring them may prolong your suffering. Or worse, become a chronic problem that causes ongoing rectal pain, anal itching, and/or bleeding during bowel movements.

Can hemorrhoids turn into piles? ›

Hemorrhoids are also called piles. We're all born with hemorrhoids, but at baseline, they don't bother us. It's only when they become swollen and enlarged that they produce irritating symptoms.

How do you know it is piles or not? ›

Check if it's piles

bright red blood after you poo. an itchy anus. feeling like you still need to poo after going to the toilet. mucus in your underwear or on toilet paper after wiping your bottom.

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